Cambridge (CIE) A Level Biology 9700 Grade Thresholds October/November 2023

In October/November 2023, 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 163 (63%) and an E needed 78 (30%). At AS Level (Papers 12, 22 and 33), an A needed 86 out of 130 (66%).

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 2023

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	29	27	24	21	19
Paper 1 Multiple Choice, variant 2 (12)	40	26	23	20	18	16
Paper 1 Multiple Choice, variant 3 (13)	40	29	26	23	20	17
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, variant 1 (21)	60	38	32	27	21	15
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, variant 2 (22)	60	38	32	28	22	16
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, variant 3 (23)	60	31	25	20	16	11
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 1 (31)	40	30	27	24	22	20
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 3 (33)	40	29	26	23	20	18
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 4 (34)	40	30	27	24	21	18
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 5 (35)	40	31	28	25	23	21
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 6 (36)	40	31	28	25	22	19
Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions, variant 1 (41)	100	62	54	46	37	27
Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions, variant 2 (42)	100	62	54	45	35	25
Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions, variant 3 (43)	100	62	54	46	37	27
Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation, variant 1 (51)	30	23	20	17	14	12
Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation, variant 2 (52)	30	15	13	11	9	7
Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation, variant 3 (53)	30	23	20	17	14	12
Component 50 (as listed by Cambridge)	75	54	45	38	31	25

A Level options, all five papers in October/November 2023

Option	Papers (components)	Out of	A*	A	B	C	D	E
AX	11, 21, 31, 41, 51	260	197	175	153	131	109	88
AY	12, 22, 33, 42, 52	260	184	163	142	120	99	78
AZ	13, 23, 35, 43, 53	260	190	168	146	125	104	83
HY	12, 22, 34, 42, 52	260	186	164	142	120	99	78
HZ	13, 23, 36, 43, 53	260	190	168	146	124	102	81

AS Level options, October/November 2023

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	90	79	69	59	49
S3	12, 22, 33	130	86	75	65	55	46
S4	12, 22, 34	130	87	75	65	55	46
S5	13, 23, 35	130	83	72	62	53	44
S6	13, 23, 36	130	83	72	62	52	42

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	198	178	158	136	114	93
BT1	42, 52, 84	260	192	172	152	127	103	79
BT2	42, 52, 87	260	193	173	153	129	105	81
BU1	43, 53, 85	260	194	172	150	128	106	84
BU2	43, 53, 88	260	195	173	151	129	107	85
BX1	41, 51, 84	260	201	180	159	134	110	86
BX2	41, 51, 87	260	202	181	160	136	112	88
BY1	42, 52, 85	260	185	164	143	121	99	77
BY2	42, 52, 88	260	186	165	144	122	100	78
BZ1	43, 53, 86	260	198	178	158	136	114	93
CY1	42, 52, 95	260	189	164	139	116	93	71
CY2	42, 52, 98	260	188	163	138	115	92	69
CZ1	43, 53, 96	260	187	167	147	125	103	82
CZ2	43, 53, 99	260	185	165	145	123	101	80
EV	42, 52, 75	260	186	164	142	119	96	74
P1	50	75	–	54	45	38	31	25

How to use these thresholds

1. Sit a October/November 2023 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 2023 examiners' report (PDF)
• Cambridge 9700 grade thresholds for every series

Source: Cambridge International, Grade thresholds – November 2023, Biology (9700) (PDF). © Cambridge University Press & Assessment.

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