What are the OCR AS Grade Boundaries in 2021 and Why They Matter
Grade boundaries set by OCR are the minimum number of marks you need to score in your AS exam to achieve a certain grade. The grade boundaries change for every exam series, so they will be different in 2021 than they were in previous years. Grade boundaries are set after your OCR AS exams have been marked, so you won’t know the exact grade boundaries for the 2021 exams before you take them.
This article will provide you with the grade boundaries for OCR AS 2021, help you interpret them, and provide tools to help you succeed in your exams.
| Subject | Year | Maximum Mark | A* | A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AS GCE Biology A | 2021 | 140 | - | 81 | 71 | 61 | 51 | 41 |
| AS GCE Biology B (Advancing Biology) | 2021 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| AS GCE Chemistry A | 2021 | 140 | - | 98 | 83 | 69 | 55 | 41 |
| AS GCE Chemistry B (Salters) | 2021 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| AS GCE Further Mathematics A | 2021 | 180 | - | 88 | 75 | 62 | 49 | 37 |
| AS GCE Further Mathematics B (MEI): Option Y410+Y411+Y412 | 2021 | 180 | - | 107 | 88 | 70 | 52 | 34 |
| AS GCE Further Mathematics B (MEI): Option Y410+Y411+Y415 | 2021 | 180 | - | 105 | 86 | 67 | 48 | 30 |
| AS GCE Further Mathematics B (MEI): Option Y410+Y412+Y414 | 2021 | 180 | - | 108 | 89 | 70 | 51 | 33 |
| AS GCE Mathematics A | 2021 | 150 | - | 89 | 74 | 59 | 44 | 30 |
| AS GCE Mathematics B (MEI) | 2021 | 140 | - | 94 | 80 | 66 | 53 | 40 |
| Core Maths A (MEI) | 2021 | 144 | - | 103 | 90 | 77 | 64 | 52 |
| Core Maths B (MEI) | 2021 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| AS GCE Physics A | 2021 | 140 | - | 92 | 81 | 70 | 59 | 48 |
| AS GCE Physics B (Advancing Physics) | 2021 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Examiner-written AS revision resources that improve your grades 2x
- Written by expert teachers and examiners
- Aligned to exam specifications
- Everything you need to know, and nothing you don’t
What is the best way to prepare for your AS OCR exam?
The best way to prepare for your OCR AS exam is to start your revision early. Begin with a list of topics for all your AS courses and highlight the ones you are the most unsure about. Create a revision timetable with short periods of focus, giving the most time to these topics.
Ideally, you will want to revise all the topics for each subject, but often there just isn’t time. Prioritising topics will help you make the best use of the time you do have, and will give you the biggest increase in marks for your AS exams.
Use revision notes to revise OCR AS content. Flashcards are a great tool to practice recall, reinforce key concepts and boost memory retention. Then use exam questions to test your understanding and identify any areas that you are still unsure of.
It is also super helpful to use 2021 OCR AS past exam papers to practice your exam technique. Set a timer for the amount of time allowed for your OCR AS exam, and sit the paper under exam conditions. This will help you to manage your time more effectively. It will also help increase your exam stamina! It is difficult to concentrate and to write for extended periods, so you need to practice this before the big day.
How to interpret 2021 grade boundaries for OCR AS exams
Grade boundaries are established by exam boards such as OCR to reflect student performance in any given year. It is important to understand that the AS grade boundaries are set after the AS exams have been marked.
A variety of methods are used to ensure the grade boundaries are set fairly. Statistical analysis and examiner judgement are used to ensure the grade boundaries are fair and consistent with previous years.
Each AS exam paper is different, so the level of difficulty of the paper as a whole can fluctuate slightly from year to year. For example, if an entire cohort of students finds an exam paper particularly difficult, the grade boundary is lowered slightly so that students are not unfairly penalised.
Looking at the OCR AS grade boundaries for previous years can help you get an idea of the marks you need in 2021 to achieve the grade you want. With this information and your OCR AS past paper scores, you can get an idea of the grade you are currently working at. You will be able to see how many marks you would have needed to get the higher grade. Armed with this information and an effective revision process, you can successfully work to increase your grade.
A word of caution. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the OCR AS grade boundaries were lowered to minimise the disadvantage faced by students who missed school due to lockdowns. Therefore, the grade boundaries for the OCR AS years 2020 to 2022 will not be representative of other years.
OCR AS grade boundaries from other years
Share this article