A Level results

Government, student, union and business leaders have lauded another increase in the A Level pass rate.

The overall pass rate for 2004 rose to 96 per cent from 95.4 per cent last year. And the proportion of A grades increased by 0.8 per cent to 22.4 per cent.

Government Response: Department for Education and Skills

Schools standards minister David Miliband said: "These results today show there is an education revolution underway in our country that is opening up opportunities for more young people than ever.

"These results are built on the hard work of students, schools and colleges. I congratulate the students and thank our teachers for their commitment.

"My message to them is simple. Don’t let anyone tell you that standards have dropped because more of you have done well, this is simply a myth. Your hard work has merited success.

"At a time when Ofsted says the standard of teaching has never been higher, we should expect to have rising levels of achievement in our schools and colleges.

"We are getting better as a country at getting the best out of our young people. We should applaud them and applaud their schools and colleges."

Party Response: Conservative Party

Shadow education secretary Tim Collins said: "Because young people work so hard for their A Levels, we owe it to them to ensure we protect the standard of their qualifications. In recent years there has been a trend towards candidates taking multiple re-sits of modules to boost their overall result.

"The extent to which this is now happening risks damaging the integrity of the examination, and making the system seem unfair to others. Olympic athletes do not get a second or third go at the 100 meters if they don't like the result, and the same logic should apply in education.

"That is why I am today announcing that the next Conservative government will prevent multiple resits of early A Level modules. It will still be possible for students to re-sit the entire A Level in the autumn, but they would not be able to sit earlier papers again and again to raise their grades.

"We are also sympathetic to calls for the publication of the full marks at A Level as well as the grades. This would give universities and employers a clearer basis on which to differentiate between students' achievement.

"By taking these steps, we can ensure that those students who are celebrating today can be assured that their achievement is properly valued."

Party Response: Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrat education spokesman Phil Willis said: "The rising A Level pass rate is a reflection of the hard work of teachers and students. They should be congratulated.

"It is high time that A Levels were changed. They have been so successful that there is no longer much differentiation at the top end of the scale. A Levels do not suit everyone. The government should accelerate changes to A Levels to allow a wider choice for students.

"Applications to university should be made after the results have come out. University applications should be based on actual results to end the lottery that works against students from non-traditional backgrounds."

Stakeholder Response: Association of Teachers and Lecturers

ATL general secretary, Dr Mary Bousted, said: "ATL offers its congratulations to the high-achieving students on their A Level success. This is the generation who’ve had to cope not only with the constant examination onslaught, but also with the injustice of having their results rubbished by ill-informed doom-merchants.

"Curriculum 2000 has its faults, but this year’s results do show the advantages of candidates receiving feedback during their courses rather than just at the end. The feedback on modules could be the reason why boys are catching up with their diligent sisters.

"If there is a concern, it is with the continuing drop in the uptake of physics. Over the last five years, the number of students taking the subject at A Level has dropped by 5,200. If this rate of decline continues, will physics become the next Latin and disappear altogether?"

Stakeholder Response: Institute of Directors

James Walsh, policy adviser at the IoD, said: "Employers and universities are finding it increasingly difficult to select the very best candidates from A Level students. With an ever-growing number of A grade passes being awarded the brightest students are not shining through."

"As far as employers are concerned, the main problem with the examination system is not A Levels but rather the fact that too many children leave school with low levels of literacy and numeracy. These problems develop in primary and early secondary school, not post-16 study."

Stakeholder Response: National Union of Teachers

Steve Sinnott, NUT general secretary, said: "Our students and teachers are to be congratulated for their hard work which has led to these outstanding results. I’m sure they would like to be able to celebrate their successes without the constant claims of dumbing down.

"The odds of getting a grade A at A Level is only slightly better than one in five - hardly the sure fire bet the critics would have us believe.

"The improvement in the performance of boys is particularly welcome. The figures do not justify a celebration of the end of the laddish culture but they are certainly pointing in the right direction.

"The continuing imbalance in the proportion of boys to girls taking subjects such as computing, physics and maths remains a cause for concern. Girls lack of involvement in these subjects needs to be addressed."

Stakeholder Response: National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers

Chris Keates, acting general secretary of NASUWT, said: "As predicted, another year of improved A Level results. This is excellent news for all concerned.

"Let’s hope the critics stop analysing the results to destruction so everybody can be allowed to celebrate their achievements.

"The improvement in boys’ grades is a welcome move in the right direction."

Stakeholder Response: Institute of Education

Dr Ann Hodgson and Dr Ken Spours of the Institute of Education said: "The annual ritualistic debate on A Level results is becoming increasingly detached from the real problems in 14-19 education.

"The increasing A Level pass rate is a non-issue.

"The vast majority of A Level candidates pass because they have been selected to take these demanding examinations in the first place and, over the years, both teachers and learners have become more focused on getting good results in an increasingly competitive world.

"Additionally, all the fuss and bother about distinguishing between able and outstanding students affects only a tiny proportion of A Level graduates.

"The education system would face accusations of inefficiency and wastage if more were to fail.

"We have to agree with the CBI that the real problems in 14-19 education lie elsewhere. It is not just a case of young people being badly prepared for the world of work, important though this is.

"The other real scandal is the way in which our mania for external examinations makes the upper secondary curriculum more boring and alienating and less practical and relevant for many young people.

"The Tomlinson diploma proposals will help universities distinguish talent at the top end of the scale but, in our view, the real reform effort should be going into making 14-19 education more motivating for all learners and preparing young people better for both university and working life."

Stakeholder Response: Campaigning for Mainstream Universities

Pam Tatlow, chief executive of CMU, said: "These A Level results are a cause for celebration and also offer students great opportunities to explore through clearing the exciting range of courses on offer in the mainstream universities.

"These universities are already hugely successful at widening participation and they are first-class at supporting students in their studies. In addition, many courses have direct links to business, the new expanding industries and offer career paths into the NHS and public sector.

"We really would encourage A Level students to continue their learning experience and access the opportunities available to them in mainstream universities to become the graduates of tomorrow."