Cambridge (CIE) A Level Biology 9700 Grade Thresholds October/November 2024

In October/November 2024, an A* in Cambridge International A Level Biology (9700) needed 192 out of 260 (74%) for candidates taking all five papers in this series on the variant 2 papers (option AY: 12, 22, 33, 42, 52). An A needed 171 (66%) and an E needed 85 (33%). At AS Level (Papers 12, 22 and 33), an A needed 92 out of 130 (71%).

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 2024

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	25	21	19
Paper 1 Multiple Choice, variant 2 (12)	40	29	26	23	20	17
Paper 1 Multiple Choice, variant 3 (13)	40	31	28	24	20	17
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, variant 1 (21)	60	40	33	27	23	17
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, variant 2 (22)	60	40	33	27	22	16
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, variant 3 (23)	60	36	30	24	19	13
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 1 (31)	40	29	27	24	21	19
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 3 (33)	40	31	29	26	23	21
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 4 (34)	40	31	29	26	24	22
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 5 (35)	40	27	23	20	17	15
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 6 (36)	40	31	28	25	22	19
Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions, variant 1 (41)	100	61	52	45	37	28
Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions, variant 2 (42)	100	62	54	45	36	27
Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions, variant 3 (43)	100	61	52	45	37	28
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	17	15	13	11	9
Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation, variant 3 (53)	30	23	20	17	14	12

A Level options, all five papers in October/November 2024

Option	Papers (components)	Out of	A*	A	B	C	D	E
AX	11, 21, 31, 41, 51	260	198	175	152	131	110	90
AY	12, 22, 33, 42, 52	260	192	171	150	128	106	85
AZ	13, 23, 35, 43, 53	260	195	171	147	125	103	81
HY	12, 22, 34, 42, 52	260	192	171	150	128	107	86
HZ	13, 23, 36, 43, 53	260	197	174	151	128	106	84

AS Level options, October/November 2024

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	91	80	70	60	50
S3	12, 22, 33	130	92	81	70	59	49
S4	12, 22, 34	130	92	81	70	60	50
S5	13, 23, 35	130	87	75	63	52	41
S6	13, 23, 36	130	90	79	67	55	44

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	137	116	95
BT1	42, 52, 84	260	193	175	157	135	113	91
BT2	42, 52, 87	260	194	176	158	135	113	91
BU1	43, 53, 85	260	192	167	142	121	101	81
BU2	43, 53, 88	260	196	171	146	125	104	84
BY1	42, 52, 85	260	185	162	139	118	97	77
BY2	42, 52, 88	260	189	166	143	122	101	80
BZ1	43, 53, 86	260	198	178	158	137	116	95
CY1	42, 52, 95	260	186	165	144	123	102	82
CY2	42, 52, 98	260	188	166	144	123	102	82
CZ1	43, 53, 96	260	190	167	144	124	104	84
CZ2	43, 53, 99	260	190	167	144	123	102	82
EV	42, 52, 75	260	189	169	149	126	103	81

How to use these thresholds

1. Sit a October/November 2024 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
• Cambridge 9700 grade thresholds for every series

Source: Cambridge International, Grade thresholds – November 2024, Biology (9700) (PDF). © Cambridge University Press & Assessment.

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