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17/08/2006
Maths grades fuel A-level success
Results published today have revealed an increase in the number of candidates achieving A grades has risen by 1.3%, up from 22.8% last year to 24.1% in this year's A Level results.
Marked out as contributing significantly to this improvement at grade A was mathematics.
Commenting on the publication of the A-level entry and results data, Dr Ellie Johnson Searle, Director, Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), said: “The hard work of students and teachers is clear, especially when judged against the continuing rigour and robustness of the assessment system in the UK.
“The turnaround in mathematics – both in overall numbers and in achievement – is encouraging in the first year of the new specifications.”
The JCQ attributed the success to changes made to the mathematics curriculum as a result of the review conducted by Professor Adrian Smith.
The overall number of entries at A-level in 2006 is at an all time high at over 805,698 according to the entry and results data published today, which is a 2.8% increase on the figure of 783,878 entries for 2005.
The cumulative percentage of candidates attaining grades A-E increased by 0.4% from 96.2% to 96.6%.
The overall results show an increase in the number of candidates achieving a grade A of up 1.3% with the improvement at grade A in mathematics of up 2.8%. Increased take-up in mathematics is illustrated by an increase in entries for further mathematics of 22.5% and mathematics of 5.8%.
School Standards Minister Jim Knight today congratulated pupils, teachers and support staff for their hard work.
Mr Knight said: "Today's results are a reflection of the hard work of students, schools and colleges. I want to congratulate young people on their achievements and thank teachers for their commitment.
"We no longer have the quota system of 20 years ago which imposed a false cap on attainment and condemned 30% of pupils to failure each year no matter what their achievements. Today, hard work merits success and high quality teaching is enabling every young person to grasp the opportunities available to them. As more do so we should welcome that and take the same pride in the achievements of our young people as they do in every other country where similar rises have occurred in the past 20 years.”
The overall figures show the performance of boys over girls at the pass grade has improved by 0.2% compared with last year. However, at grade A the girls have moved further ahead by 0.2% when compared with the performance of boys between 2005 and 2006. Girls now outperform boys at grade A in every major A-level subject, apart from modern foreign languages.
The entry data for 2006 confirms traditional subjects such as biology, chemistry, English, geography, history and mathematics as the most popular.
There has been a significant increase in entries for chemistry up 3.1% and biology up 1.7%, though physics saw a small decrease in entries.
Entries to modern foreign languages remained stable.
(SP)
Marked out as contributing significantly to this improvement at grade A was mathematics.
Commenting on the publication of the A-level entry and results data, Dr Ellie Johnson Searle, Director, Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), said: “The hard work of students and teachers is clear, especially when judged against the continuing rigour and robustness of the assessment system in the UK.
“The turnaround in mathematics – both in overall numbers and in achievement – is encouraging in the first year of the new specifications.”
The JCQ attributed the success to changes made to the mathematics curriculum as a result of the review conducted by Professor Adrian Smith.
The overall number of entries at A-level in 2006 is at an all time high at over 805,698 according to the entry and results data published today, which is a 2.8% increase on the figure of 783,878 entries for 2005.
The cumulative percentage of candidates attaining grades A-E increased by 0.4% from 96.2% to 96.6%.
The overall results show an increase in the number of candidates achieving a grade A of up 1.3% with the improvement at grade A in mathematics of up 2.8%. Increased take-up in mathematics is illustrated by an increase in entries for further mathematics of 22.5% and mathematics of 5.8%.
School Standards Minister Jim Knight today congratulated pupils, teachers and support staff for their hard work.
Mr Knight said: "Today's results are a reflection of the hard work of students, schools and colleges. I want to congratulate young people on their achievements and thank teachers for their commitment.
"We no longer have the quota system of 20 years ago which imposed a false cap on attainment and condemned 30% of pupils to failure each year no matter what their achievements. Today, hard work merits success and high quality teaching is enabling every young person to grasp the opportunities available to them. As more do so we should welcome that and take the same pride in the achievements of our young people as they do in every other country where similar rises have occurred in the past 20 years.”
The overall figures show the performance of boys over girls at the pass grade has improved by 0.2% compared with last year. However, at grade A the girls have moved further ahead by 0.2% when compared with the performance of boys between 2005 and 2006. Girls now outperform boys at grade A in every major A-level subject, apart from modern foreign languages.
The entry data for 2006 confirms traditional subjects such as biology, chemistry, English, geography, history and mathematics as the most popular.
There has been a significant increase in entries for chemistry up 3.1% and biology up 1.7%, though physics saw a small decrease in entries.
Entries to modern foreign languages remained stable.
(SP)
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