Schola Europaea

Office of the Secretary-General

Pedagogical Development Unit

Ref.: 2016-09-D-81-en-3
Orig.: FR

Attainment descriptors - Mathematics S1 – S3

APPROVED BY THE JOINT TEACHING COMMITTEE AT ITS MEETING OF 13
AND 14 OCTOBER 2016 IN BRUSSELS

Entry into force on 1 September 2018

2016-09-D-81-en-3
Attainment descriptors - Mathematics – S1 - S3

Grade A (9.0 - 10 – Excellent)

Demonstrates a comprehensive knowledge of the syllabus; shows thorough

understanding of mathematical terms, symbols and processes in all areas of the
programme; translates challenging problems into mathematical symbols and reasons
to a correct result; draws full and relevant conclusions from information, evaluates
reasonableness of results and recognises own errors; consistently presents
reasoning and results in a clear and concise manner; uses mathematical terminology
and notation correctly; applies concepts to unfamiliar situations.

Grade B (8.0 - 8.9 – Very good)

Demonstrates a broad knowledge of the syllabus; shows broad understanding of

mathematical terms, symbols and processes in all areas of the programme;
translates some non-routine problems into mathematical symbols and reasons to a
correct result; draws relevant conclusions from information, evaluates
reasonableness of results and recognises own errors; presents reasoning and results
in a clear and effective manner; uses mathematical terminology and notation
correctly; applies frequently concepts to unfamiliar situations.

Grade C (7.0 - 7.9 – Good)

Demonstrates a good knowledge of the syllabus; shows satisfactory understanding of

mathematical terms, symbols and processes in all areas of the programme;
translates routine problems into mathematical symbols and reasons to a correct
result; draws relevant conclusions from information and attempts to evaluate
reasonableness of results; generally presents reasoning and results in a clear and
effective manner; uses mathematical terminology and notation correctly; attempts to
apply concepts to unfamiliar situations.

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Grade D (6.0 - 6.9 – Satisfactory)

Demonstrates satisfactory knowledge of the syllabus; shows satisfactory

understanding of mathematical terms, symbols and processes in most areas of the
programme; translates routine problems into mathematical symbols and reasons to a
result; attempts to draw conclusions from information given; shows some
understanding of the reasonableness of results; generally presents reasoning and
results effectively; uses mathematical terminology and notation correctly; applies
concepts in familiar situations.

Grade E (5.0 - 5.9 – Sufficient)

Demonstrates satisfactory knowledge of most areas of the syllabus; understands the

meaning of straightforward mathematical terms, symbols and processes, but misses
the deeper concepts; translates routine problems into mathematical symbols and
attempts to reason to a result; attempts to draw conclusions from information and
shows limited understanding of the reasonableness of results; generally presents
reasoning and results adequately using some mathematical terminology and
notation; applies basic concepts in familiar situations.

Grade F (3.0 - 4.9 – Failed/Weak)

Demonstrates only partial knowledge of the syllabus; shows limited understanding of

mathematical terms, symbols and processes; makes little attempt to interpret
information; attempts to present reasoning and results using mathematical terms but
makes frequent errors.

Grade FX (0 - 2.9 – Failed/Very weak)

Demonstrates very little knowledge of the syllabus; shows very little understanding of
mathematical terms, symbols and processes; displays insufficient reasoning and use
of mathematical terms.

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 Annex – Attainment descriptors – Mathematics – S1 - S3

A B C D E F FX
(9.0 - 10 (8.0 - 8.9 (7.0 - 7.9 (6.0 - 6.9 (5.0 - 5.9 (3.0 - 4.9 (0 - 2.9
Excellent) Very good) Good) Satisfactory) Sufficient) Failed/Weak) Failed/Very weak)
Knowledge Demonstrates a Demonstrates a Demonstrates Demonstrates
Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates
comprehensive broad good satisfactory
satisfactory only partial very little
knowledge of knowledge of knowledge of knowledge of
knowledge of knowledge of knowledge of
the syllabus the syllabus the syllabus the syllabus
most areas of the syllabus the syllabus
the syllabus
Comprehension Shows Shows broad Shows Shows Understands Shows limited Shows very
thorough understanding satisfactory satisfactory the meaning of understanding little
understanding of mathematical understanding understanding straightforward of mathematical understanding
of mathematical terms, symbols of mathematical of mathematical mathematical terms, symbols of mathematical
terms, symbols and processes terms, symbols terms, symbols terms, symbols and processes terms, symbols
and processes in all areas of and processes and processes and processes and processes
in all areas of the programme in all areas of in most areas of but misses the
the programme the programme the programme deeper
concepts
Problem solving Translates Translates Translates Translates Translates / /
challenging some non- routine routine routine
problems into routine problems into problems into problems into
mathematical problems into mathematical mathematical mathematical
symbols and mathematical symbols and symbols and symbols and
reasons to a symbols and reasons to a reasons to a attempts to
correct result reasons to a correct result result reason to a
correct result result

2016-09-D-81-en-3 Annex 4/5

Interpretation Draws full and Draws relevant Draws relevant Attempts to Attempts to Makes little /
relevant conclusions conclusions draw draw attempt to
conclusions from from conclusions conclusions interpret
from information, information andfrom from information
information; evaluates attempts to information information and
evaluates reasonableness evaluate given, shows shows limited
reasonableness of results and reasonableness some under- understanding
of results and recognises own of results standing of the of the
recognises own errors reasonableness reasonableness
errors of results of results
Communication Consistently Presents Generally Generally Generally Attempts to Displays
presents reasoning and presents presents presents present insufficient
reasoning and results in a reasoning and reasoning and reasoning and reasoning and reasoning and
results in a clear and results in a results results results using use of
clear, effective effective clear and effectively; uses adequately; mathematical mathematical
and concise manner; uses effective mathematical using some terms but terms
manner; uses mathematical manner; uses terminology and mathematical makes frequent
mathematical terminology and mathematical notation terminology and errors
terminology and notation terminology and correctly notation
notation correctly notation
correctly correctly
Linking Applies Applies Attempts to Applies Applies basic / /
concepts to frequently apply concepts concepts in concepts in
unfamiliar concepts to to unfamiliar familiar familiar
situations unfamiliar situations situations situations
situations

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