The new combined Science qualification has a double grade grading schema. This involves a student getting a paired grade rather than a single one, but the pairs will only be consist of two of the same grade or a grade a whole number higher or lower (so you can have grade 7-7, grade 6-7, grade 8-7 but not grade 8-6). In the SELF-EVALUATION section, Combined Science displays grades with decimal points rather than the 4/4 double grade format:
Attainment level: science double award GCSE
| Estimated | Actual |
|---|---|
| 4.6 | 5.0 |
| 4.2 | 4.5 |
| 6.0 | 5.5 |
| 3.5 | 4.5 |
| 2.7 | 4.5 |
| 5.1 | 4.5 |
| 3.4 | 4.0 |
| 2.98 | 1.5 |
These are displayed thus:
| GCSE grade | Aspire grade |
|---|---|
| 9-9 | 9 |
| 9-8 | 8.5 |
| 8-8 | 8 |
| 8-7 | 7.5 |
| 7-7 | 7 |
| 7-6 | 6.5 |
| 6-6 | 6 |
| 6-5 | 5.5 |
| 5-5 | 5 |
| 4-5 | 4.5 |
| 4-4 | 4 |
| 3-3 | 3 |
| 3-2 | 2.5 |
| 2-2 | 2 |
| 2-1 | 1.5 |
| 1-1 | 1 |
You’ll notice that if you average the elements of the double GCSE grade you get the Aspire grade (i.e. (8+7)/2=8.5).
The threshold measures are calculated a bit differently to our usual way due to the double grading system.
- for Grade 4+ we include from Grade 4-3 (which only counts as 0.5 of an entry);
- for Grade 5+ we include from grade 5 and do not include 4-5;
- for Grade 7+ we are including from grade 7-6.