Press Release

 

Embargoeduntil 0001hrs

Thursday 14th August 2003

 

 

A-LEVEL RESULTS 2003

A BUSINESSPERSPECTIVE

 

 

With an expectedincrease in the latest A-level pass rates, the Institute of Directors (IoD)today called on the Government to look yet again at a fundamental review of thewhole examination system.

 

Ruth Lea, Head ofPolicy Unit at the IoD, said:

 

We congratulate allsuccessful A-level students and in no way wish to denigrate the sacrifices andhard work that many pupils have made, however, we continue to believe that yetanother record-breaking year for A-level pass rates is symptomatic of endemicand rampant grade inflation. Once againwe must ask ourselves what do we want from A-levels since it is clear that theyare becoming increasingly meaningless?They no longer seem to be testing students.

 

 

 


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Ruth Lea added:

 

A-levels used to betesting and highly discriminatory gold standards selecting undergraduates fora highly selective university system not any more. They are now designed for an age of mass entrance intouniversities. As the university systemhas changed so have A-levels; they have been dumbed down.

 

The IoD has beenconcerned about grade inflation and offers the following reasons for itsdevelopment: -

 

       The switch to softoptions eg general studies from hard subjects;

 

       easier syllabuses (egthere is less grammar in French and German than used to be the case; andcalculus is no longer taught in A-level physics);

 

       the rise incoursework which risks possible cheating and plagiarism;

 

       weaker pupils notbeing entered for exams by schools wishing to preserve league table positions;

 

       evidence of lowerpass marks and softer more positive marking; and

 

       the AS-levels enablestudents to screen-out their weaker subjects.

 

Ruth Lea said:

 

We feel that thedebate about whether standards have fallen and grade inflation is endemic issomething of a sterile debate. Despitethe Governments recent proposals for 14-19 students, some of which wesupported, we still believe there is an urgent need to develop a propervocational pathway in schools. There isstill a need to develop a respected and challenging vocational pathway, as forexample in Germany. Then we couldtoughen-up the academic pathway making it more demanding for academicallyinclined children.

 

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Notes to Editors

 

1. The IoD published its policy paper,Education and training A businessblueprint for reform in July 2002 in which it raised the whole question ofgrade inflation and listed some of the possible reasons. Copies can be downloaded from www.iod.com

 

2. The IoD (Institute of Directors) is anon-party political independent organisation with around 55,000 members. Inaddition to its wide range of business services, the IoD provides an effectivevoice to represent the interests of its members to government and keyopinion-formers. It also brings the experience of business leaders to bear onthe conduct of public affairs.

 

 

Contact Points:

 

Ruth Lea, Head of Policy Unit, pager 07626 241749

 

Richard Taylor, PressOfficer, tel: 020 7451 3264

mobile and out of hours: 07721 734886

 

David Marshall,Director of Public Affairs, tel: 020 7451 3263

mobile and outof hours: 0776 4883420

email: press@iod.com

web: www.iod.com