AS threshold

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floarnie
Posts: 27
Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 8:08 pm

AS threshold

Post by floarnie »

I have just compared my DS grammar school's AS results for 2012 against its A2 results for 2013, ie among the same year group. To my surprise, there has been a significant number of subject drop outs (up to a third for languages and humanity subjects). The trend is that only those who managed to achieve an A grade for subject X at AS in 2012 were allowed to go on taking exams for A2 (plus 2 or 3 borderline Bs) in 2013.

My son has just started his Y12 and he told me that there has been a few cases of students being asked to repeat the entire Y12 to re-do the subjects if they didn't manage enough As in 'useful' A level subjects at A2.

I am rather concern that the superb league table position of high percentage of A* and A achieved could just be an illusion at the expense of their students. Culling doesn't stop at pre-selection before GCSE but continue discreetly in the sixth form. Is this process common in all top independent and grammar schools?
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: AS threshold

Post by Guest55 »

Most schools I know ask for C or D grades at AS in the subjects they wish to continue.

This is why comparing A level results between schools can be misleading!
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: AS threshold

Post by mystery »

floarnie wrote:I have just compared my DS grammar school's AS results for 2012 against its A2 results for 2013, ie among the same year group. To my surprise, there has been a significant number of subject drop outs (up to a third for languages and humanity subjects). The trend is that only those who managed to achieve an A grade for subject X at AS in 2012 were allowed to go on taking exams for A2 (plus 2 or 3 borderline Bs) in 2013.

My son has just started his Y12 and he told me that there has been a few cases of students being asked to repeat the entire Y12 to re-do the subjects if they didn't manage enough As in 'useful' A level subjects at A2.

I am rather concern that the superb league table position of high percentage of A* and A achieved could just be an illusion at the expense of their students. Culling doesn't stop at pre-selection before GCSE but continue discreetly in the sixth form. Is this process common in all top independent and grammar schools?
I don't know if it is common, but certainly it is very hard to compare A level results between schools as there is no indication of what the starting point was like at the beginning of the upper sixth, or at the beginning of the upper sixth.
There may be some wisdom though in asking a child who has only got a D at AS to either drop that subject or repeat the material. It's not a very good basis on which to commence the A2 work for that course is it? But requiring an A in everything at AS is a bit tough!
wonderwoman
Posts: 511
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2008 11:07 pm

Re: AS threshold

Post by wonderwoman »

floarnie wrote: Is this process common in all top independent and grammar schools?
Not just in independents - my DS's grammar asked 20 to leave at the end of Y12 and 20 are repeating the year. Other local grammars have a similar policy. It is brutal.
Amber
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Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: AS threshold

Post by Amber »

And not just grammars and independents! I know someone who was asked to leave a very ordinary 'academy' after Y12 and a set of results which were better than some GS children. It is scandalous- but it is a logical consequence of the league table culture sadly.
mystery
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Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: AS threshold

Post by mystery »

It existed before league tables though, but on a lesser scale. We booted people out if the sixth form decades ago if we thought they were going to fail or get a terrible grade. It has got worse though. Partly it is because the duty to educate 6th formers does not really fall anywhere. Even now they have to do something or other until 17 it is not clear whose duty it is to make it happen.
floarnie
Posts: 27
Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 8:08 pm

Re: AS threshold

Post by floarnie »

We are talking about booting out someone who might have scored Bs for AS. :shock:
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