A* at A level and AS grades

[neveragain*]

I know I am probably being particularly dim, but I can't get my head round the a* and a grade stuff at a level, and how the AS grade effects the A2.
Originally I thought it was just about getting over 90% in A 2 exams...... ( just!!!!!ha ha) but then I heard about aggregates, and that having high a2 grades a must etc...
Can anyone help?
In words of two syllables or less........

[bromley mum]

The final ALevel grade is made up by half AS and half A2 marks. In order to get a final A* you need to score high at AS as well as A2 because if AS marks are at the lower end if the scale then that means half the total marks are at the lower end so no matter how high the A2 marks are you can't bring the total up to an A*. That's my understanding.

[Looking for help]

I think for an A* at A level you have to get an average of 90% on all 4 modules plus over 90% in both of the A2 modules.

So it is weighted towards the y13 exams.

But I'm not 100% sure, we haven't had any ( nor have we needed any )

[neveragain*]

Ah ha. So if your AS grades are over 90% ums points then you are in with a strong chance of an a* if you continue in that vein in A2?
That really helps to know.
My DD just put her UCAS form into uni's and now I'm trying to work out what is potentially possible!

[Looking for help]

No I would say not. Its the A2 grades that have to be over the 90% margin that will get the A* at A Level.

If you are over the 90% threshold at As you are in with a chance but it is the A2s that determine the A* grade, I believe

[neveragain*]

Golly.
Harsh.
As my eleven year old would say.
So, even with 100% in AS, if you got 89 in one A2 module you would get A not A*!
Ow.

[Looking for help]

That has been my understanding. They are weighted to A2 results, hence nobody gets an A* in year 12. Although these things have been subject to many changes, so who knows ?

[hermanmunster]

Golly.
Harsh.
As my eleven year old would say.
So, even with 100% in AS, if you got 89 in one A2 module you would get A not A*!
Ow.

Too right -

found this helped to get my head round it:

There will be instances in summer 2010 where candidates do not achieve an A* grade
but who have a higher A level UMS score (which arise from the total units, both AS
and A2) than candidates who have achieved the new grade. The following example
shows how this may happen, using a 4 unit A level where 400 UMS are available:-
• Student X achieves a grade B at AS level (145 UMS) and then does very well
at A2, achieving 180UMS. He has therefore passed the A grade threshold at A
level with a total of 325 UMS.
• Student Y achieves a grade A at AS level (190 UMS) but does less well at A2
(achieving 140 UMS). He, therefore, also passed the threshold for an A grade
overall at A level with a total of 330 UMS.
Both students have made the 320 UMS threshold for an A grade for this A level.
However, only Student X would receive an A* grade as he met the requirement to
achieve 90% or more of the maximum uniform marks at A2, while Student Y did not.

[neveragain*]

[stevew61]

So to paraphrase in my simple English.

You need 90% overall and 90%+ at A2.

And for the benefit of my DS1, as the easier marks are at AS you want to score as high as possible at AS.