Grade threshold tables

To find the grade thresholds that apply to a candidate, you should find the combination of components of the candidate’s entry. This row in the table will show the overall grade thresholds for the candidate’s combination of components.

Where an entry option incorporates more than one route to an A Level result, such as a best of both option, the table shows separate grade thresholds for each combination of components for these routes.

For example, if a candidate is entered for a best of both A Level entry option DX that includes the AS Level components 11 and 21, the A2 (A Level) components 31 and 41, and the carry forward AS Level components 87 and 97, there are four combinations of components that would lead to a result:

• A Level (linear assessment) using components 11, 21, 31, 41
• A Level (staged assessment) using components 31, 41, 87
• A Level (staged assessment) using components 31, 41, 97
• AS Level using components 11, 21

You can find each of these combinations of components listed in the grade thresholds document under the relevant headings.

The best of both entry option automatically uses the candidate’s AS Level result from the last 13 months that gives the best overall A Level result when combined with the marks for the A2 components sat in the current series.

The best AS Level result is the mark that is closer to the next grade threshold for the exam series when it was taken. As thresholds can change from series to series, a numerically lower mark for an AS Level could produce the best A Level result depending on where the threshold was for that specific series. For example:

A candidate has two sets of AS Level marks to carry forward, which will result in two possible total marks for the A Level: 108 or 114.

The mark of 108 is made up of a combination of components. This combination of components has the following grade thresholds:

A = 112
B = 98

Therefore, using the AS Level mark of 108 the candidate’s grade is B.

The mark of 114 is made up of another combination of components. But this combination of components has different grade thresholds:

A = 120
B = 104

Therefore, using the AS Level mark of 114 the candidate’s grade is also B.

In this case, the best mark is 108 rather than 114, because 108 is closer to the A grade threshold of 112, while the mark of 114 is further from the A grade threshold of 120.