Cambridge (CIE) A Level Biology 9700 Grade Thresholds October/November 2022

In October/November 2022, an A* in Cambridge International A Level Biology (9700) needed 184 out of 260 (71%) for candidates taking all five papers in this series on the variant 2 papers (option AY: 12, 22, 33, 42, 52). An A needed 158 (61%) and an E needed 66 (25%). At AS Level (Papers 12, 22 and 33), an A needed 87 out of 130 (67%).

All numbers are taken from Cambridge's own grade threshold table for the series (linked at the bottom). Thresholds for each paper are raw marks. Thresholds for each option are out of the weighted total: 260 for the full A Level and 130 for AS Level. Your grade depends on your option, which is set by the paper variants you sat, so check the variant numbers on the front of your papers.

Grade thresholds for each paper, October/November 2022

Raw marks. Grade A* does not exist for an individual paper.

Paper (component)	Out of	A	B	C	D	E
Paper 1 Multiple Choice, variant 1 (11)	40	30	27	24	21	18
Paper 1 Multiple Choice, variant 2 (12)	40	28	25	21	17	13
Paper 1 Multiple Choice, variant 3 (13)	40	27	24	21	18	15
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, variant 1 (21)	60	35	31	25	20	15
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, variant 2 (22)	60	34	25	20	16	11
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, variant 3 (23)	60	31	27	22	17	12
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 1 (31)	40	28	25	22	19	16
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 3 (33)	40	33	29	26	23	20
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 4 (34)	40	32	28	24	20	17
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 5 (35)	40	32	29	26	24	21
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 6 (36)	40	29	27	24	21	19
Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions, variant 1 (41)	100	58	51	45	38	30
Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions, variant 2 (42)	100	57	48	39	30	21
Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions, variant 3 (43)	100	58	51	45	38	30
Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation, variant 1 (51)	30	19	16	13	10	8
Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation, variant 2 (52)	30	14	12	10	8	6
Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation, variant 3 (53)	30	19	16	13	10	8
Component 50 (as listed by Cambridge)	75	54	45	36	27	18

A Level options, all five papers in October/November 2022

Option	Papers (components)	Out of	A*	A	B	C	D	E
AX	11, 21, 31, 41, 51	260	182	163	144	123	103	83
AY	12, 22, 33, 42, 52	260	184	158	132	110	88	66
AZ	13, 23, 35, 43, 53	260	178	159	140	120	100	81
HY	12, 22, 34, 42, 52	260	183	157	131	108	86	64
HZ	13, 23, 36, 43, 53	260	176	157	138	118	98	79

AS Level options, October/November 2022

Papers 1, 2 and 3; out of 130. There is no A* at AS Level.

Option	Papers (components)	Out of	A	B	C	D	E
S1	11, 21, 31	130	86	77	66	55	45
S3	12, 22, 33	130	87	72	61	50	39
S4	12, 22, 34	130	86	71	59	48	37
S5	13, 23, 35	130	82	73	63	53	43
S6	13, 23, 36	130	80	71	61	51	41

Other options (staged A Level and A Level only)

The rest of Cambridge's table, exactly as Cambridge lists it. Most of these are staged A Level options, which combine this series' Papers 4 and 5 with AS marks carried forward from an earlier series (the components numbered 75 and above), and A2-only options.

Option	Papers (components)	Out of	A*	A	B	C	D	E
BS1	41, 51, 86	260	191	170	149	128	107	86
BT1	42, 52, 84	260	188	165	142	118	94	71
BT2	42, 52, 87	260	186	163	140	116	92	68
BU1	43, 53, 85	260	176	155	134	113	93	73
BU2	43, 53, 88	260	178	157	136	115	94	74
BX1	41, 51, 84	260	193	171	149	126	104	82
BY1	42, 52, 85	260	171	149	127	105	83	62
BY2	42, 52, 88	260	173	151	129	107	85	63
BZ1	43, 53, 86	260	191	170	149	128	107	86
CY1	42, 52, 95	260	180	157	134	111	88	66
CY2	42, 52, 98	260	177	154	131	108	86	64
CYN	42, 52	130	83	69	55	42	30	18
CZ1	43, 53, 96	260	181	157	133	113	94	75
CZ2	43, 53, 99	260	180	157	134	114	95	76
CZN	43, 53	130	90	76	62	51	40	30
EV	42, 52, 75	260	173	151	129	106	84	62
P1	50	75	–	54	45	36	27	18

How to use these thresholds

1. Sit a October/November 2022 paper timed, then mark it strictly with its mark scheme.
2. Find your paper and variant in the first table to see roughly which grade your raw mark reached.
3. Read the examiners' report for every question where you dropped marks.

Thresholds move between series and between variants as papers get harder or easier. See how they compare across every series.

Practise with this series

• Cambridge (CIE) A Level Biology 9700 past papers and mark schemes
• October/November 2022 examiners' report (PDF)
• Cambridge 9700 grade thresholds for every series

Source: Cambridge International, Grade thresholds – November 2022, Biology (9700) (PDF). © Cambridge University Press & Assessment.

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