Grade inflation claims denied
Pupils of the “gold standard” A-level are gaining better results than ever before, with more winning grade As, according to figures published today.
The pass rate increased by 1.1 per cent up to 95.4 per cent this year, taking it ever nearer the 100% mark.
The pass rate has been steadily rising for 21 years and now stands at 96.4% for girls, while the rate for boys is 94.3 per cent.
Critics claim pass-rate inflation is due to more students declining to take “hard” subjects like maths and science, in favour of, arguably, “soft” courses such as psychology, sociology and media studies.
This argument has been condemned by Carol McGuinness of the School of Psychology at Queen’s University in Belfast who stated: ‘Psychology is a rigorous science-based discipline and is increasingly sought after, not only as an A-level subject, but at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in universities.’
Her view may also be backed by result break downs which show nearly 40% of Maths students earn A grades compared to less than 17% of Psychology pupils.
Ken Boston, Head of the exams watchdog the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) defended this year’s improvement in exam results.
Mr Boston stated, ‘There is no such thing as an ‘easy’ A level. The A level is a world class qualification and standards are maintained year after year in all subjects. The A level standard in each subject is set through rigorous criteria identifying the content to be studied and the standards of performance expected of candidates. Some students will have a greater aptitude for certain subjects than others, but the standard remains the same.’
Critics will also scrutinise the results after the fiasco last year when some schools insisted students were marked down to ward off accusations that the exam was getting easier.
Schools Minister Mr Miliband said he was “encouraged” by reports from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and from Mike Tomlinson, head of the exam regulator, that the grading process this year was “fair to all concerned.”
The proportion of students getting grade As is up 0.9 per cent from 20.7 to 21.6 per cent.
But at AS-level, now in its third year, there was a fall in the proportion of students getting the top grade, down from 18 to 17.4%, although the proportion passing AS-levels is up 0.2% from 86.5 to 86.7%.
Across Britain, a seven per cent increase was recorded in the number of A-level entries, up to 750,537 from 701,380 in 2002, and AS-levels examinees also rose 3.6 per cent, from 995,404 to 1,030,919.
Although Doug McAvoy, NUT General Secretary, congratulated female students for coming out top in the hunt for top grades, up 0.3 per cent on boys from 2002, he expressed concern over the apparent anti-study ethos among boys.
Mr McAvoy said: “Our students and teachers are to be congratulated for their hard work which has led to these outstanding results. It is to be hoped that the changes recommended by Mike Tomlinson will ensure that the results are robust. Our young people deserve better than the debacle they faced last year.
“The rise in the number of young people sitting for these qualifications is welcome but there still remains the problem of the male/female divide.”
Some of the sternest criticism of the A-Level came from the Institute of Directors (IoD), who suggested they were becoming “completely meaningless,” given the apparently “rampant grade inflation.”
However, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) congratulated the hard work of students, parents and teachers. The employers’ confederation warned the Government against opting for a Baccalaureate system stating that after the numerous changes to the education system employers understand and value A-levels.
CBI Head of Learning and Skills, Margaret Murray commented, ‘More major reform would be a diversion. The government should concentrate its efforts on ensuring A-level standards are maintained and raising the performance of the half of 16 year olds who still don’t achieve five good GCSEs.’
Dr Mary Bousted, General Secretary of Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) argued that students had made their achievements despite a funding crisis in schools which is cutting teaching posts.
Dr Bousted commented, ‘Young people know they need to get the grades if they are to get their feet on the higher education and good job ladders. Many of these hard working students have had to survive a year where funding in their schools have reached crisis point, therefore they will be rightly furious if their efforts are casually rubbished by ill-informed doom-merchants.’
