Thursday 14 August 2003
2003 A level results
Commenting on the examination results forstudents at A level, AS level, VCE and AEA, Doug McAvoy, NUT General Secretary,said:
Our students and teachers are to becongratulated for their hard work which has led to these outstanding results.It is to be hoped that the changes recommended by Mike Tomlinson will ensurethat the results are robust. Our young people deserve better than the debaclethey faced last year.
Whilst the introduction of the AS leveladded to the exam pressure faced by young people, it is clear that it hasenabled them to make better informed choices, resulting in improved performanceat A level.
The rise in the number of young people sitting for thesequalifications is welcome but there still remains the problem of themale/female divide. Girls continue to out perform boys and more enter for theseexaminations. It is essential that these differences are investigated by theEducation Department. It is not sufficient just to put it down to laddishbehaviour and leave it at that.
Equally important, is the fact that farmore boys than girls enter the exams in computing, physics and maths.
Girls lack of involvement in thesesubjects is as important as the overall under engagement of boys in the examsgenerally.
E ND PR59/03
For further information contact: Olive Forsythe tel: 020 7380 4706 (office) 020 8313 1692 (weekdayevenings) or if all else fails 07870 480061.