Uniform Marks in GCE, VCE, GNVQ and GCSE Examinationshomepages.shu.ac.uk/~edsjlc/ict/specifications/aqa/uniformmarks... · Uniform Marks in GCE, VCE, GNVQ and GCSE Examinations

Uniform Marks in GCE, VCE,

GNVQ and GCSE ExaminationsVersion 2.0

www.aqa.org.uk

Schools and colleges sometimes enquire about the operation of the Uniform Mark Scale

(UMS). This leaflet explains why the UMS is necessary and how it works. It is intended for

examinations officers and others who have a reasonable understanding of the

examination system and of the terminology used.

Uniform marks are used for all GCE, VCE, GNVQ and modular GCSE specifications

(including GCSE Applied (Double Award)), as well as for non-modular GCSE Mathematics

and most GCSE Modern Foreign Languages specifications.

In a conventional non-modular examination (ie in most GCSEs and many pre-2002

A Levels), all candidates take the papers in the same examination series. After scaling

the raw marks to comply with the papers' weightings , candidates' marks are added

together to give them total marks for the examination as a whole. Using the grade

boundaries set by the awarding committee, candidates' subject grades are then

determined from these total marks.

Modular specifications on the other hand allow candidates to take the module (or unit)

examinations in different series. Candidates who complete a GCE, VCE, GNVQ or

modular GCSE course in any given series are likely to have taken the units on a variety

of occasions. It is possible that the papers for a particular unit are at slightly varying levels

of difficulty, so that, for example, a mark of 45 in January 2004 represents the same level

of achievement as a mark of 48 in summer 2004. It follows that some method must be

found of putting the marks from different series on a common, or uniform, scale so that

both 45 (from January) and 48 (from the summer) have the same value when contributing

to an overall grade.

A crude method of resolving the problem described in the previous paragraph would be to

award just grades to candidates for each unit. The grades could then be equated to

points (for example, A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, E=1 for GCE/VCE or A*=8, A=7, B=6, C=5,

D=4, E=3, F=2, G=1 for GCSE) and each candidate's points could be added to give that

candidate a points total for the subject as a whole. However, this method would have

several disadvantages: for example, it would need to be modified if the units were not

equally weighted. For an individual unit it would give a candidate who had obtained a low

mark within a particular grade the same credit as a candidate who had obtained a high

mark within that grade.

The Uniform Mark Scale has been developed to avoid these disadvantages, although it

is, in effect, a more sophisticated version of the points system just described. It allows the

same scale to be used, irrespective of the weightings of the units . It gives greater

credit to a candidate who has obtained a high mark within a particular grade than to one

who has obtained a lower mark within that grade.

Introduction1

2 Why the Uniform Mark Scale is necessary

The term 'raw mark'

denotes the original mark

given when a paper is

assessed. The 'weighting' of a

paper is its contribution to the

total assessment: for example

to say that the weighting is

40% means that the paper

accounts for 40% of the total

assessment. Raw marks often

have to be multiplied by some

scaling factor (eg 1.5) in order

to give them the correct

weighting. The new marks are

called 'scaled marks'. See

Section 7.

A common scale is used

for all GCE and VCE

specifications across all

awarding bodies and another

common scale is used for all

GCSE Applied (Double Award)

specifications. However, there

are variations across other

GCSE specifications which

use a uniform mark scale.

See Appendix A.

1

1

2

2

Notes

1

The relationships between uniform marks and grades are shown on the back of

candidates' results slips and in the document RES/INF, which is distributed to centres

with the results. They are shown in Appendix A to this leaflet. Further details on how the

Uniform Mark Scale varies between different qualifications are given in Section 4.

Table 1 shows typical grade boundaries for a GCE unit which is marked out of 80 and

which has 20% weighting. The second column shows the raw mark boundaries. For

example, the grade A boundary (ie the lowest mark for grade A) is 61 (approximately

76%). The third column (which is extracted from Table (a) in Appendix A) shows the

uniform mark boundaries. For a GCE unit with 20% weighting , the maximum uniform

mark is 120 and uniform marks in the range 96-120 correspond to grade A. This does not

mean that the paper is marked out of 120 or that a candidate has to score 80% of the raw

marks (96/120) to obtain grade A on the unit. A candidate who scores 61 (the lowest raw

mark for grade A) will receive a uniform mark of 96 (the lowest uniform mark for grade A).

Similarly, a candidate who scores 43 will receive a uniform mark of 60 and a candidate

who scores 49 will receive a uniform mark of 72. A raw mark between 43 and 49

corresponds to a uniform mark between 60 and 72; for example, a raw mark of 46

(exactly half way between 43 and 49) corresponds to a uniform mark of 66. This is

illustrated in Figure 1.

Exactly the same principles apply for other qualifications that use uniform marks, eg

GNVQ and modular GCSEs.

When a candidate has completed all of the units, his/her uniform marks are added

together. The overall subject grade is then determined using the appropriate table in

Appendix A. For example, in GCE A Level a candidate with a total uniform mark of 309

would obtain grade D, while a candidate with a total uniform mark of 299 would obtain

grade E [see Table (a) in Appendix A]. Similarly, in AQA GCSE Mathematics a candidate

with a total uniform mark of 440 would obtain grade B, while a candidate with a total

uniform mark of 415 would obtain grade C [see Table (f) in Appendix A], although there is

some restriction on the grades available, as explained in Section 4.5 below. AQA GCSE

Modular Science works differently - see Section 4.7.

Table 1 GCE unit with maximum raw mark 80 and accounting for 20% of the A Level

assessment: typical raw mark grade boundaries, together with the uniform

mark boundaries

How the Uniform Mark Scale works3

As explained in Section 2,

the difficulty of the papers for a

unit may vary from one

examination series to another.

Therefore, the raw mark grade

boundaries may vary.

However, the uniform mark

grade boundaries, for a GCE

unit with 20% weighting, are

always the same.

The use of N is explained

in Section 5.

3

4

3

Lowest raw mark in grade

(max 80)

Corresponding uniform mark

(max 120)

Grade

A

B

C

D

E

(N)

61

55

49

43

37

31

96

84

72

60

48

364

Notes

2

Figure 1 Conversion to uniform marks (for part of the mark range) for the data in Table 1

4 Uniform Mark Scales for different qualifications

95

100

90

85

80

75

70

65

60

55

40 45 50 55 60 65 70

Un

ifo

rm

Raw

D

C

A

B

46

66

By inter-awarding body agreement, the uniform mark grade boundaries in GCE and VCE

are always at the following percentages of the maximum uniform mark for the unit or

qualification: A 80%, B 70%, C 60%, D 50%, E 40%. Also by inter-awarding body

agreement, the maximum uniform mark for an Advanced qualification is 600 (Advanced

Subsidiary is 300 and Advanced VCE: Double Award is 1200). Therefore, the uniform

mark grade boundaries for an Advanced qualification are A 480 (= 80% of 600), B 420

(= 70% of 600), C 360, D 300, E 240, as shown in Table (a) of Appendix A.

For a unit which accounts for 20% of the total Advanced assessment, the maximum

uniform mark is 120 (= 20% of 600). Therefore, the uniform mark grade boundaries for

such a unit are A 96 (= 80% of 120), B 84 (= 70% of 120), C 72, D 60, E 48, as shown in

Table (a) of Appendix A and in Table 1 in Section 3.

In VCE, the units are all equally-weighted and therefore all have a maximum uniform

mark of 100, with grade boundaries A 80, B 70, C 60, D 50, E 40.

GCE and VCE4.1

Notes

3

GNVQ has a similar Uniform Mark Scale to GCE and VCE, with a maximum uniform mark

of 100 for each unit. Because there are six units, the maximum uniform mark for the whole

qualification is 600. The uniform mark boundaries are at the following percentages of the

maximum uniform marks: Distinction 80%, Merit 60%, Pass 40%.

GNVQ4.2

In VCE the portfolio units are initially marked out of 24 (16 in GNVQ). The mark out of 24

is the raw mark for the unit, and it is converted to a uniform mark in the same way as for

any other type of unit. Since the grade boundaries out of 24 for portfolio units are fixed,

the conversions are always the same, as shown in Appendix B.

Portfolio units in VCE and GNVQ4.3

By inter-awarding body agreement the uniform mark grade boundaries in GCSEs which

use uniform marks (except Modern Foreign Languages) and in all GCSE Applied (Double

Award) specifications are at the following percentages of the maximum uniform mark for

the component, unit/module or qualification: A* 90%, A 80%, B 70%, C 60%, D 50%,

E 40%, F 30%, G 20%.

Each GCSE Applied (Double Award) consists of three units, with a maximum uniform

mark of 100 for each unit and 300 for the qualification as a whole.

The assessment patterns vary for other GCSEs which use uniform marks and the

maximum uniform marks therefore also vary across specifications. Details for AQA are

given in Appendix A.

GCSE4.4

In non-modular GCSE Mathematics (Specification A), candidates take all papers in the

same series, in contrast to other examinations where uniform marks are used. Therefore,

the justification outlined in Section 2 does not apply. Uniform marks are used in this

specification because coursework, which is a common component covering three tiers,

would contribute considerably less than the intended 20% to the overall assessment if the

marks were combined in the same way as in other non-modular subjects. For all awarding

bodies, UMS replaces the special scalings which were used in the 1998 - 2002 GCSE

Mathematics syllabuses to overcome this problem.

In written papers, Foundation tier and Intermediate tier candidates will not be awarded

uniform marks which correspond to a grade above the maximum available for the tier. For

example, the maximum uniform mark available for an Intermediate tier written paper is

191 (top of grade B). However, candidates who fall below the bottom grade for a tier do

GCSE Mathematics4.5

Notes

4

obtain some credit. For example, uniform marks below 96 (bottom E) are available for an

Intermediate tier written paper. Despite the availability of these uniform marks, it is not in

candidates' interests to be entered at a tier which does not correspond to their expected

performance, as (apart from a small 'safety-net', which is explained in Section 5 below)

the 'rate of exchange' is likely to decrease rapidly below the bottom grade.

In order to meet the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) requirements, the

grade awarded in GCSE Mathematics (Specification A) is restricted by the tier of entry.

For example, a candidate entered for the Intermediate tier cannot receive a grade outside

the range B-E, even if his/her total uniform mark appears to imply a different grade. Thus,

an Intermediate tier candidate with a total uniform mark of 482 would receive grade B

rather than grade A [see Table (f) in Appendix A] and an Intermediate tier candidate with a

total uniform mark of 230 would receive Unclassified rather than grade F. A similar

arrangement applies in Specification B, where the grade is restricted by the tier of entry of

the terminal module. These restrictions apply to all awarding bodies' specifications.

As in the case of non-modular GCSE Mathematics, the reasons for using uniform marks

outlined in Section 2 do not apply to GCSE Modern Foreign Languages Specification A.

Uniform marks are used in these specifications because candidates may take the

components (skills) at different tiers, making it impossible to add up the raw marks in the

normal way.

The Uniform Mark Scale in GCSE Modern Foreign Languages specifications is consistent

with the points system which it replaced in 2003. Under that system, which was used for

tiered syllabuses with four equally-weighted components (Listening, Reading, Speaking,

Writing), points on each component were awarded as follows: A* 8, A 7, B 6, C 5, D 4,

E 3, F 2, G 1. The new Uniform Mark Scale has a maximum uniform mark of 90 for each

component, with the following uniform mark grade boundaries: A* 80, A 70, B 60, C 50,

D 40, E 30, F 20, G 10 [see Tables (h) and (i) in Appendix A ]. Thus, in this scale A* is 8/9

of the maximum, A is 7/9, B is 6/9 and so on.

Foundation tier candidates will not be awarded uniform marks above top C (59). However,

Higher tier candidates who fall below bottom E do obtain some credit - uniform marks

below 30 are available for Higher tier components. Despite the availability of these

uniform marks, it is not in candidates' interests to be entered at the Higher tier if they are

expected to perform at a lower level, as (apart from a small 'safety-net', which is explained

in Section 5 below) the 'rate of exchange' may decrease rapidly below grade D.

The same thresholds are used in AQA's modular specifications [see Table (j) in Appendix

A], with the same maximum uniform mark (360) as in the non-modular specification. Thus

Module 1, which accounts for 15% of the total assessment, has a maximum uniform mark

of 54 (15% of 360). The uniform mark grade boundaries for this module are A* 48 (= 8/9 of

54), A 42 (= 7/9 of 54), B 36, C 30, D 24, E 18, F 12, G 6.

GCSE Modern Foreign Languages4.6

Notes

5

GCSE Modular Science does not work in the same way as other specifications which use

uniform marks. First, uniform marks are used only for the module tests. They are not used

for the subject as a whole. The raw marks for each test are converted to uniform marks,

then these uniform marks are added together for all of a candidate's tests (using the

better mark if the candidate has taken a test twice) to give the candidate's mark for the

so-called module tests component. This mark is then combined with the marks for the

other components using the normal procedure for non-modular examinations. Second,

the grade equivalencies in Table (l) in Appendix A are given for guidance only. The grade

boundaries for the module tests component as a whole (which consists of 3 or 6 module

tests) are not necessarily 3 times, or 6 times, the boundaries shown in the table. These

component grade boundaries are determined when the information from the other

components is available at the end of the course.

GCSE Modular Science (Specification A) [see Table (l) in Appendix A]4.7

The tables in Appendix A refer to a notional grade N. There is also a notional grade above

the highest available grade called the 'cap'. Notional N and the cap are used in the

conversion of raw marks to uniform marks. They apply only at unit level, not at

qualification level. They are used in order to ensure that, on conversion to uniform marks,

raw marks have the same value just above and just below the boundary for the highest

available grade and the same value just above and just below the boundary for the lowest

available grade . A consequence of using the cap is that a candidate with a raw mark

below the maximum may sometimes obtain the maximum uniform mark.

Figure 2 shows diagrammatically the conversion to uniform marks for the GCE data in

Table 1. It extends Figure 1 to cover the whole mark range. The plotted points correspond

to grade boundaries (including the maximum mark, the cap, notional N and zero). It can

be seen that:

(i) the slope of the graph is the same on both sides of grade A, indicating that raw

marks have the same value just above and just below this boundary;

(ii) similarly, the slope is the same on both sides of grade E;

(iii) candidates with a raw mark above the cap obtain the maximum uniform

mark (120).

5 Notional N and the 'cap'

Notes

The term 'unit' is used to

refer to unit, module or

component, as appropriate.

Depending on the

specification, it may be that

marks for units, marks for

modules or marks for

components are converted to

uniform marks. For example,

in GCSE Religious Studies

Specification B marks for units

are converted to uniform

marks, in GCSE Modular

Mathematics (Specification B)

marks for modules are

converted to uniform marks

and in GCSE Mathematics

Specification A marks for

components are converted to

uniform marks. See Appendix

A.

Notional N is not used

below grade G in GCSE

specifications.

5

5

6

6

6

The mark width between the A and B raw mark boundaries is doubled and added to the A

boundary. For example, in Table 1 the cap is 2 x 6 + 61 = 73 raw marks. This raw mark is

converted to the maximum uniform mark for the unit (120 in this case). Thus, in Table 1,

candidates with 80, 79, 78, 77, 76, 75, 74 or 73 raw marks will all receive 120 uniform

marks.

Calculation of the cap in a GCE or VCE unit5.1

0

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Un

ifo

rm

Raw

(N)

E

D

C

B

A

(cap)

The mark width between the D and E raw mark boundaries is subtracted from the E

boundary. For example, in Table 1 notional N is 37 - 6 = 31. This raw mark is converted to

the appropriate uniform mark (36 in Table 1).

The mark width between the Distinction and Merit raw mark boundaries is added to the

Distinction boundary (in contrast to GCE and VCE, the raw mark width is not doubled).

The resulting raw mark is converted to the maximum uniform mark for the unit (see

Appendix A Table (e)).

The mark width between the Merit and Pass raw mark boundaries is subtracted from the

Pass boundary. This raw mark is converted to the appropriate uniform mark in the unit, as

shown in Appendix A Table (e).

Notes

7

Figure 2 Conversion to uniform marks for the data in Table 1

Calculation of notional N in a GCE or VCE unit5.2

Calculation of the cap in a GNVQ unit5.3

Calculation of notional N in a GNVQ unit5.4

Use of notional grade N

makes the rate of exchange

the same on both sides of the

grade E boundary (although

it is different below N)

Use of cap makes the

rate of exchange the

same on both sides of

the grade A boundary

Mathematics Foundation tier

The mark width between the D and E raw mark boundaries is added to the D boundary.

The resulting raw mark is converted to the maximum uniform mark available in the

Foundation tier for the unit. See Appendix A Tables (f) and (g).

Notes

Higher tier of two-tier specifications

Half of the mark width between the C and D raw mark boundaries is subtracted from the D

boundary . This raw mark is converted to the appropriate uniform mark in the unit (see

Appendix A Tables (h), (j), (l) and (n)).

7

8

Mathematics Higher tier

Half of the mark width between the B and C raw mark boundaries is subtracted from the C

boundary. This raw mark is converted to the appropriate uniform mark in the unit (see

Appendix A Tables (f) and (g)).

Mathematics Intermediate tier

Half of the mark width between the D and E raw mark boundaries is subtracted from the E

boundary. This raw mark is converted to the appropriate uniform mark in the unit (see

Appendix A Tables (f) and (g)).

In the Higher tier of two-

tier specifications, notional N is

the same as allowed E.

7

8

8

Untiered specifications and Higher tier of tiered

specifications (including Mathematics)

The mark width between the A* and A raw mark boundaries is added to the A* boundary.

The resulting raw mark is converted to the maximum uniform mark for the unit (see

Appendix A Tables (f)-(n)).

Foundation tier of two-tier specifications

The mark width between the C and D raw mark boundaries is added to the C boundary.


Foundation tier for the unit (see Appendix A Tables (h), (j), (l) and (n)).

Mathematics Intermediate tier

The mark width between the B and C raw mark boundaries is added to the B boundary.


Intermediate tier for the unit. See Appendix A Tables (f) and (g).

Calculation of the cap in a GCSE unit (including Applied GCSE) 5.5

Calculation of notional N in a GCSE unit (including Applied GCSE) 5.6

Notes

The raw mark boundaries are those determined by the awarding committee following the

November 2003 examination. The cap and notional N are calculated as described

previously, that is:

- the cap is calculated by adding the mark width between the B and C raw mark

boundaries to the B boundary

- notional N is calculated by subtracting half the mark width between the D and E

raw mark boundaries from the E boundary.

The uniform mark boundaries are taken from Appendix A Table (f) (Intermediate tier). Note

that all raw marks between 74 and 100 inclusive are converted to a uniform mark of 191

(the maximum uniform mark available for the tier).

Figure 3 shows diagramatically the conversion to uniform marks for the data in Table 2

9

9

By way of example, Table 2 shows the November 2003 boundaries for AQA GCSE

Mathematics A Intermediate tier Paper 1 .

Table 2 Grade boundaries and conversion to uniform marks for AQA GCSE Mathematics A

Intermediate tier Paper 1 (November 2003)

Maximum

(cap)

B

C

D

E

(N)

Lowest raw mark

100

74

60

46

32

18

11

Corresponding uniform mark

191

191

168

144

120

96

84

The cap was not used in

November 2003. It is calculated

here merely as an example.

9

Figure 3 Conversion to uniform

marks for the GCSE

Mathematics data in

Table 2 Un

ifo

rm

Raw

00

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

(N)

E

D

C

B

(cap)

Notes

10

Appendix A

Relationship between uniform marks and grades

(a) GCE A Level

In the results documentation, candidates' scaled marks (sometimes abbreviated to 'sca')

are listed for each unit or component. For all VCE and GNVQ specifications, for the

majority of GCE specifications and for all GCSE Applied (Double Award) specifications,

scaled marks are the same as raw marks. They may be different in the small number of

GCE specifications where a unit is divided into two components.

For example, if Component 1 is marked out of 30, Component 2 is marked out of 60 and

each is intended to account for 50% of the assessment of a unit, candidates' marks for

Component 1 must be multiplied by 2 before being added to the marks for Component 2.

Thus, a Component 1 raw mark of 24 out of 30 becomes a scaled mark of 48 out of 60.

For Component 2, no scaling is needed, so scaled marks are the same as raw marks.

Candidates' total marks for the unit are subsequently converted to uniform marks.

In non-modular GCSE specifications (except Mathematics and most Modern Foreign

Languages), uniform marks are not used. A candidate's marks for the various

components are scaled if necessary and then added to give the total mark for the

examination as a whole.

6 Raw and scaled marks

A

B

C

D

E

(N)

600

480

420

360

300

240

-

300

240

210

180

150

120

90

120

96

84

72

60

48

36

105

84

74

63

53

42

32

100

80

70

60

50

40

30

90

72

63

54

45

36

27

Grade boundaries in terms of uniform marks according to weighting of unit

Weighting 15% 16.7% 17.5% 20% 50% Total subject

100%

Max uniform

mark

A

B

C

D

E

(N)

300

240

210

180

150

120

-

120

96

84

72

60

48

36

105

84

74

63

53

42

32

100

80

70

60

50

40

30

90

72

63

54

45

36

27

Grade boundaries in terms of uniform marks according to weighting of unit

Weighting 30% 33.3% 35% 40% Total subject 100%

Max uniform mark

(b) GCE AS

A

B

C

D

E

(N)

600

480

420

360

300

240

-

300

240

210

180

150

120

-

100

80

70

60

50

40

30

Grade boundaries in terms of uniform marks

Unit AS award Advanced award

Max uniform mark

(c) VCE

AA

AB

BB

BC

CC

CD

DD

DE

EE

(N)

1200

960

900

840

780

720

660

600

540

480

-


Total subject

Max uniform mark

(d) Advanced VCE (Double Award)

Distinction

Merit

Pass

(N)

100

80

60

40

20

600

480

360

240

-

Grade boundaries in

terms of uniform marks

Unit Total subject

Max uniform mark

(e) GNVQ

11

Appendix A

Appendix A

A*

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

40%

143

-

-

-

-

120

96

72

48

40%

143

-

-

-

-

120

96

72

48


Paper 1

Written

Paper 2

Written

20%

120

108

96

84

72

60

48

36

24

Coursework

100%

406

-

-

-

-

300

240

180

120

GCSE award

Weighting

Max uniform mark

(f) AQA GCSE Mathematics (Specification A)

Foundation tier

A*

A

B

C

D

E

(N)

F

G

40%

191

-

-

168

144

120

96

84

-

-

40%

191

-

-

168

144

120

96

84

-

-


Paper 1

Written

Paper 2

Written

20%

120

108

96

84

72

60

48

-

36

24

Coursework

100%

502

-

-

420

360

300

240

-

-

-

GCSE award

Weighting

Max uniform mark

Intermediate tier

A*

A

B

C

(N)

D

E

F

G

40%

240

216

192

168

144

132

-

-

-

-

40%

240

216

192

168

144

132

-

-

-

-


Paper 1

Written

Paper 2

Written

20%

120

108

96

84

72

-

60

48

36

24

Coursework

100%

600

540

480

420

360

-

-

-

-

-

GCSE award

Weighting

Max uniform mark

Higher tier

12

10

Notes A candidate's overall grade is restricted by the tier of entry.10

A*

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

10%

60

54

48

42

36

30

24

18

12

11%

39

-

-

-

-

33

26

20

13


19%

67

-

-

-

-

57

46

34

23

10%

60

54

48

42

36

30

24

18

12

50%

179

-

-

-

-

150

120

90

60

100%

600

540

480

420

360

300

240

180

120

Weighting

Max uniform mark

(g) AQA GCSE Modular Mathematics (Specification B)

Module 1 Module 2 Module 3 Module 4 Module 5GCSE

award

Appendix A

Foundation tier

A*

A

B

C

D

E

(N)

F

G

10%

60

54

48

42

36

30

24

-

18

12

11%

52

-

-

46

40

33

26

23

-

-


119%

90

-

-

80

68

57

46

40

-

-

10%

60

54

48

42

36

30

24

-

18

12

50%

239

-

-

210

180

150

120

105

-

-

100%

600

540

480

420

360

300

240

-

180

120

Weighting

Max uniform mark


award

Intermediate tier

A*

A

B

C

(N)

D

E

F

G

10%

60

54

48

42

36

-

30

24

18

12

11%

66

59

53

46

40

37

-

-

-

-


19%

114

103

91

80

68

63

-

-

-

-

10%

60

54

48

42

36

-

30

24

18

12

50%

300

270

240

210

180

165

-

-

-

-

100%

600

540

480

420

360

-

300

240

180

120

Weighting

Max uniform mark


award

Higher tier

11

13

Notes All Higher tier modules are shown in one table (together with Modules 2 and 4, which are untiered), but candidates may mix tiers between modules if

they wish. Similarly, all Intermediate tier modules are shown in one table and and all Foundation tier modules are shown in one table. A candidate's

overall grade is restricted by the tier of entry of Module 5.

11

A*

A

B

C

D

(N)

E

F

G

25%

59

-

-

-

50

40

-

30

20

10

25%

90

80

70

60

50

40

35

-

-

-


Weighting

Max uniform mark

(h) AQA tiered GCSE Modern Foreign Languages (Specification A) and short courses

Each

Foundation tier

component

Each

Higher tier

component

25%

90

80

70

60

50

40

-

30

20

10

Coursework

(where

available)

100%

360

320

280

240

200

160

-

120

80

40

GCSE

award

Appendix A

A*

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

25%

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

100%

360

320

280

240

200

160

120

80

40


Weighting

Max uniform mark

(i) AQA untiered GCSE Modern Foreign Languages

Each component GCSE award

14

Appendix AAppendix A

A*

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

5%

11

-

-

-

10

8

6

4

2

5%

11

-

-

-

10

8

6

4

2


5%

18

16

14

12

10

8

6

4

2

15%

35

-

-

-

30

24

18

12

6

20%

72

64

56

48

40

32

24

16

8

Weighting

Max uniform mark

(j) AQA GCSE Modular Modern Foreign Languages (Specification B)

Module 1

(Speaking)

Module 1

(Reading)

Module 1

(Listening)Module 4Module 3Module 2

GCSE

award

Foundation tier

50%

119

-

-

-

100

80

60

40

20

100%

360

320

280

240

200

160

120

80

40

12 13

A*

A

B

C

D

(N)

E

F

G

5%

18

16

14

12

10

8

7

-

-

-

5%

18

16

14

12

10

8

7

-

-

-


5%

18

16

14

12

10

8

-

6

4

2

15%

54

48

42

36

30

24

21

-

-

-

20%

72

64

56

48

40

32

-

24

16

8

Weighting

Max uniform mark

Module 1

(Speaking)

Module 1

(Reading)

Module 1

(Listening)Module 4Module 3Module 2

GCSE

award

Higher tier

50%

180

160

140

120

100

80

70

-

-

-

100%

360

320

280

240

200

160

-

120

80

40

A*

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20


200

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

Max uniform mark

(k) AQA GCSE Religious Studies (Specification B)

Short Course awardModule 1, 2, 3, 4 Full Course award

15

Notes In Module 1, the marks for each component (Listening, Reading and Speaking) are separately converted into uniform marks. In Modules 2 and 4, the

component marks are added together before conversion.

12

All Higher tier modules are shown in one table (together with Module 1 Speaking and Module 3, which are untiered), but candidates may mix tiers

between modules if they wish. Similarly all Foundation tier modules are shown in one table.

13

Appendix A

A*

A

B

C

D

(N)

E

F

G

34

-

-

-

30

25

-

20

15

10

50

45

40

35

30

25

23

-

-

-

Max uniform mark

(l) AQA GCSE Modular Science including separate sciences (Specification A)

Foundation tier module tests (notional

uniform mark grade boundaries)

Higher tier module tests (notional

uniform mark grade boundaries)

A*

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

33.3%

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

33.3%

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

Grade boundaries in terms

of uniform marks

33.3%

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

Weighting

Max uniform mark

(m) GCSE Applied (Double Award) specifications (except Applied Science)

Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3

A*A*

AA

BB

CC

DD

EE

FF

GG

300

270

240

210

180

150

120

90

60

Max uniform mark

GCSE award

Grade boundaries in

terms of uniform marks

A*

A

B

C

D

(N)

E

F

G

33.3%

69

-

-

-

60

50

-

40

30

20

33.3%

100

90

80

70

60

50

-

40

30

20


33.3%

100

90

80

70

60

50

45

-

-

-

Weighting

Max uniform mark

(n) GCSE Applied Science (Double Award)

Unit 1 Unit 2(Foundation

tier)

Unit 2(Higher tier)

A*A*

AA

BB

CC

DD

EE

FF

GG

300

270

240

210

180

150

120

90

60

Max uniform mark

GCSE award

Grade boundaries

in terms of

uniform marks33.3%

100

90

80

70

60

50

-

40

30

20

Unit 3

16

Appendix B

Mark conversions for portfolio units in VCE and GNVQ

Raw mark Uniform markGrade

(a) VCE portfolios (b) GNVQ portfolios

24

23

22

21

20

19

18

17

16

15

14

13

12

11

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

100

96

92

88

84

80

77

73

70

67

63

60

57

53

50

47

43

40

37

33

30

23

15

8

0

A

B

C

D

E

U

Raw mark Uniform markGrade

16

15

14

13

12

11

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

100

93

87

80

73

67

60

53

47

40

33

27

20

15

10

5

0

Distinction

Merit

Pass

U

The raw marks for portfolio units are converted by AQA to uniform marks using the following tables.

17

Notes

18

AQA

Research and Statistics Department

Stag Hill House

Guildford

Surrey

GU2 7XJ

Tel: 01483 506 506

Fax: 01483 300 152

More general information can be found by

visiting the AQA Website at www.aqa.org.uk

The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales 3644723 and a registered charity number 1073334.

Registered address AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX. Dr Michael Cresswell Director General.

Contact

AQA 2004

www.aqa.org.uk

Documents

Uniform Marks in GCE, VCE, GNVQ and GCSE Examinationshomepages.shu.ac.uk/~edsjlc/ict/specifications/aqa/uniformmarks... · Uniform Marks in GCE, VCE, GNVQ and GCSE Examinations