'A' Level Examination grades.

As the 'A' level results are announced each year the press tend to embark on a campaign about the value of the results.

In this article we look at the history of the 'A' level grading system and the possible reasons for the press reaction.

This year the pass rate has again risen, as it has for the last twenty-one years, and about 20% of those taking the exams have achieved 'A' grades.

However people in general assume that a very high percentage of students actually take 'A' levels. This is not true! At present about 40% of pupils go on to take 'A' levels after their GCSE examinations.

The issue is really about whether the 'A' level is used as a selection process or to measure knowledge.

In some way the whole 'GCSE', 'AS' and 'A' level examinations is a selection process. You might consider the 'GCSE' as the heats the 'AS' as the semi final and the 'A' level as the final. The winners of the final (The A grades in the 'A' level) would then go on to University.

Now back in the 1950's there were university places for less than one in twenty of those taking 'A' levels as opposed to today where most go onto higher education. Another point to note is there was a cap on how many could pass. Then when the grading system was introduced in 1965 the number of each grade (A,B,C,D,E) was fixed in advance and the marks adjusted to give the correct number of grades.

So however good the pupils were or how well the teachers taught them the same number would get a certain grade each year. However these procedures of controlling passes had the desired effect of finding the elite pupils. So if you employed one of these elite pupils you knew you were getting the cream of the crop.

This capping procedure was stopped in 1982. Since then rather than the 'A' level exam being a selective process it has become a test of the knowledge the pupil has learnt. Like a swimmer's life saving test all that meet the requirements pass.

To sum this up if you think the examination should be selective to identify the pick of the bunch perhaps the capping system should be brought back.

Perhaps the fairest way forward would be to scrap grades and go back to percentages this way a university can identify the top pupils more accurately.

Comments are welcome please use the link on the left.