A level results and Grammar
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A levels etc
Re GCSE grade boundaries - these are not necessarily fixed in advance, and can vary if the exam is a two-tier type (like Maths or Science). A quick google search revealed a few "rough estimates" such as
http://www.gazinotes.com/KS3-GCSE/gcse_ ... daries.htm
which suggests A* 80% plus on higher tier
or this one
http://www.igshistoryonline.co.uk/Resou ... daries.doc
which suggests a mark of 77% will achieve A* in history
Some official data is available from exam boards eg AQA see
http://www.aqa.org.uk/over/stat_grade.php
Returning to A levels however - remember that all A levels come with the UMS (standardised scores) for each module, so universities and pupils can see easily whether an A grade is (for example)-
598/600 for maths (modesty forbids me to mention the name of a 17-year-old son who has just achieved this in Yr 12.....)
or a scraped 481 - which could of course be gained from 6 "good-enough" modules or 5 very good and one disaster
or even a B grade at 479 which might enable a university to decide still to offer a place
And the UMS scores also fuel the desire for tactical resits and/or remarks
So in some ways this is fairer than the tyranny of just one overall grade, and I believe Oxford and Cambridge among other universities are now actively looking at AS module scores (thus increasing the pressure on Yr 12 of course) when considering who to interview. Not sure if they would go as far as to make offers based on a UMS score though?
http://www.gazinotes.com/KS3-GCSE/gcse_ ... daries.htm
which suggests A* 80% plus on higher tier
or this one
http://www.igshistoryonline.co.uk/Resou ... daries.doc
which suggests a mark of 77% will achieve A* in history
Some official data is available from exam boards eg AQA see
http://www.aqa.org.uk/over/stat_grade.php
Returning to A levels however - remember that all A levels come with the UMS (standardised scores) for each module, so universities and pupils can see easily whether an A grade is (for example)-
598/600 for maths (modesty forbids me to mention the name of a 17-year-old son who has just achieved this in Yr 12.....)
or a scraped 481 - which could of course be gained from 6 "good-enough" modules or 5 very good and one disaster
or even a B grade at 479 which might enable a university to decide still to offer a place
And the UMS scores also fuel the desire for tactical resits and/or remarks
So in some ways this is fairer than the tyranny of just one overall grade, and I believe Oxford and Cambridge among other universities are now actively looking at AS module scores (thus increasing the pressure on Yr 12 of course) when considering who to interview. Not sure if they would go as far as to make offers based on a UMS score though?
It is true that they are differentGeoffrey wrote:I too get fed up with reports that the exams are easier - they're different but that doesn't mean they're easier. I'd like to see some of the French A level students in my day write a free essay in French about Voltaire or present an analysis of the pros and cons of alternative energy. Equally some of today's students would have difficulties with the translation exercises we had to undertake - but you can't learn everything. .
The reports always tell of pupils asked to complete old exam papers and performing poorly.
But how would past students perform in todays exams?
