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Secondary education

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Original poster

Exam data nerdery

161 replies

noblegiraffe · 27/08/2023 12:53

I'm fairly sure that there are other nerds on this site so I thought I'd post some stuff I'd collected in case anyone else is interested. Also, if you see something in the data, maybe we could chat about it.

First offering is this widget from Ofqual. You can look at the grade distribution for various subjects, or you can see how grades in one subject affects grades in another subject (the link between maths grade and computer science grade is quite pronounced, for example).

https://analytics.ofqual.gov.uk/apps/GCSE/9to1/

What I noticed is that the grade distribution for English language is weird. And there are far fewer top grades awarded than for Maths. Why? (This is with the resit data stripped out). It's the same cohort that sits both so it's not about prior attainment.

OP posts:

Thread gallery

SomersetBrie · 27/08/2023 18:16

NeverDropYourMooncup · 27/08/2023 15:45

Welsh board usually have the lowest grade boundaries, so I think schools choose it specifically when their cohort is lower ability/attainment or is significantly disadvantaged.

Show quote history

Thanks.

I was about to get all up in arms that only 50% got a 5 in DC's Eduqas choice while it was 64% up to 75% (OCR) in the English boards, but a weaker cohort could be a factor.
We are a mixed level comp - I thought they had chosen Eduqas cos we border Wales!
I am miffed because my DC missed a 5 by one mark and can't do his A Level choice at his school while kids from another school are coming in with 5s (and AQA).
I guess it's all much of a muchness at the end of the day.

PatriciaHolm · 27/08/2023 18:02

I'd love to know where teaches that!

Jewish secondaries will all do so - JFS, JCOSS and Yavneh in London, for example.

MrsHamlet · 27/08/2023 17:43

noblegiraffe · 27/08/2023 17:39

Blimey. I've just found that list and Modern Hebrew was even better at 81% getting an A*

Only 58 entries tbf.

https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/over/stat_pdf/AQA-A-LEVEL-STATS-JUN-2023.PDF

I'd love to know where teaches that!

Original poster

noblegiraffe · 27/08/2023 17:40

A-level results by sex here (scroll down to find e.g. England only results)

https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/A-and-AS-level-Results-Summer-2023.pdf

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Original poster

noblegiraffe · 27/08/2023 17:39

Blimey. I've just found that list and Modern Hebrew was even better at 81% getting an A*

Only 58 entries tbf.

https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/over/stat_pdf/AQA-A-LEVEL-STATS-JUN-2023.PDF

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ErrolTheDragon · 27/08/2023 17:30

The A-level with the highest proportion of A/As is Further Maths

Someone posted a link on another thread recently which included esoteric subjects, iirc the small cohort who took 'biblical Hebrew' gained over 60% As !

calimali · 27/08/2023 17:24

I wouldn't recommend the one exam board option. It already exists in Wales where there is no choice other than the WJEC. It's a monopoly, and they really don't give a damn if the resources are not ready on time, or in fact even ready at all.

If you are unlucky to teach a subject or option that is not very popular then you will never get a text book as they can't make money on it.

spanieleyes · 27/08/2023 17:19

Sorry, just seen that ignoreignoreignore already explained about Rutland!

spanieleyes · 27/08/2023 17:16

@noblegiraffe
Rutland is where Oakham and Uppingham both happen to be!
I'm sure they have an impact😁

Original poster

noblegiraffe · 27/08/2023 17:13

MORE DATA: GCSE results by sex, which is interesting.

GCSE maths: 72.3% of kids got a 4+, and 21.1% got a 7+
GCSE English: 71.6% of kids got a 4+ and 18.8% got a 7+

I know looking school results SLT will say 'oh, maths did better than English' and think that the maths department is better at teaching. But nationally kids are better at maths than English!

It is because of boys? 65.8% of boys got a 4+ in English, compared to 77.5% of girls. That's a massive difference.

https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/GCSE-Outcomes-for-16-year-olds-in-England-Northern-Ireland-and-Wales-Summer-2023.pdf

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NoHillsHere · 27/08/2023 16:23

catndogslife · 27/08/2023 14:08

I agree that the distribution for English Language grades is strange.
The number of grade 3s is much higher than I would have expected.
Perhaps it's related to the fact that Maths has Higher and Foundation tier papers, so there is a way to reach a grade 4/5 on both tiers.
English Language on the other hand no longer has tiers, so I wonder if this is affected students who are average / below average more.

I'm convinced that English being untiered is a huge issue. The AQA paper is practically inaccessible for those at the lower end of the grades. It infuriates me that MFL, maths and science are tiered but English (and Lit) aren't! Bloody Michael Gove 😡

Original poster

noblegiraffe · 27/08/2023 16:11

I do wish we could just have one exam board

Gove tried! i think there was some issue like Edexcel would have to get the maths gig and AQA would have to get the English gig and the government handing government contracts directly to private companies is bad. Or at least it was considered bad back then.

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Frlrlrubert · 27/08/2023 16:06

Thanks for this noble, I tutor for science and I've noticed my 'top' students have achieved their 9s but my 'middle' haven't have done as well as I would have predicted, so I'll be having a look when I get a moment.

TheMoth · 27/08/2023 16:03

NeverDropYourMooncup · 27/08/2023 15:45

Welsh board usually have the lowest grade boundaries, so I think schools choose it specifically when their cohort is lower ability/attainment or is significantly disadvantaged.

Show quote history

I've been doing Welsh board for years. It's not done us any favours.

Did AQA before that and thought that was harsh. Kids used to really struggle with the structure question, but I think the descriptive writing task o AQA was easier than the story task on Eduqas.

I do wish we could just have one exam board; mainly to stop the 'what if we change board?' Conversations every year.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 27/08/2023 15:45

noblegiraffe · 27/08/2023 15:36

Here you go! https://www.eduqas.co.uk/media/uzajal25/eduqas-gcse-provisional-results.pdf

No idea who sits Eduqas exams but their maths results are awful, only 27.9% of kids pass??

Show quote history

Welsh board usually have the lowest grade boundaries, so I think schools choose it specifically when their cohort is lower ability/attainment or is significantly disadvantaged.

PatriciaHolm · 27/08/2023 15:42

No idea who sits Eduqas exams but their maths results are awful, only 27.9% of kids pass??

Eduqas maths is 2x 135min exams (1 calc, 1 not) vs other boards 3 x 90 (1 non-calc , 2 calc). Not sure that's enough to make such a difference though.

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 27/08/2023 15:42

I’m not a teacher nor a data analyst and I didn’t think I was a nerd but maybe I am because I find this all so fascinating! Also with a DS about to start yr 11 I’m getting very nervous!

DS is in a grammar school and predicted a 9 for maths but is in set 2, set 1 sit further maths gcse. The school only let pupils do maths A level above a 7 (really they only want 8-9). Half of the A level students (approx 100) take maths A level with high numbers usually achieving A*-A. They certainly seem to understand that very clear line of high grade gcse = high grade a level in maths which doesn’t necessarily happen in other subjects. Maths is the ONLY subject they set for.

Original poster

noblegiraffe · 27/08/2023 15:36

SomersetBrie · 27/08/2023 14:37

This is all fantastically interesting and that's my Sunday afternoon of a bank holiday gone.
I have tried searching, but have you any idea if there is a resource that shows Welsh exam board(s) taught in England? DC school did two Eduqas exams, both went worse than expected for him and some of his friends, I'd be curious of the percentages for those too.

Show quote history

Here you go! https://www.eduqas.co.uk/media/uzajal25/eduqas-gcse-provisional-results.pdf

No idea who sits Eduqas exams but their maths results are awful, only 27.9% of kids pass??

https://www.eduqas.co.uk/media/uzajal25/eduqas-gcse-provisional-results.pdf

OP posts:

Original poster

noblegiraffe · 27/08/2023 15:23

Dancerr · 27/08/2023 15:11

Also really surprised with English language the most common grade being a 3 with 153,000 children getting a 3. That's a lot of re takes. :-(

That's the data including resits. If you filter by kids aged 16, the most common grade for English language is a 5.

It does show demonstrate how many resit kids get a 3 though.

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ignoreignoreignore · 27/08/2023 15:15

noblegiraffe · 27/08/2023 15:07

More data in this BBC article, you can see what percentage of grades in your area were 4+ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-66476095

Takeaway is that Rutland (wherever that is) is absolutely stuffed with bright kids.

Tiny county with 2 selective private boarding schools!

PatriciaHolm · 27/08/2023 15:14

Takeaway is that Rutland (wherever that is) is absolutely stuffed with bright kids.

Likely to be because it's a small sample size (4 secondaries I think?) One of which is Uppingham, a selective, so that skews the data!

NeverDropYourMooncup · 27/08/2023 15:13

noblegiraffe · 27/08/2023 15:07

More data in this BBC article, you can see what percentage of grades in your area were 4+ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-66476095

Takeaway is that Rutland (wherever that is) is absolutely stuffed with bright kids.

Rutland has three state secondaries and two Public schools. All those kids with Prep timetabled throughout the week has to make a difference.

Original poster

noblegiraffe · 27/08/2023 15:13

Exam statistics for Further Maths GCSE - 20% of kids who took it got a 9.

https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/over/stat_pdf/AQA-L2-CERT-STATS-JUN-2023.PDF

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Dancerr · 27/08/2023 15:11

Also really surprised with English language the most common grade being a 3 with 153,000 children getting a 3. That's a lot of re takes. :-(

Original poster

noblegiraffe · 27/08/2023 15:07

More data in this BBC article, you can see what percentage of grades in your area were 4+ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-66476095

Takeaway is that Rutland (wherever that is) is absolutely stuffed with bright kids.

Five takeaways from this year's GCSE results

England's exams watchdog said this year was about returning to normal - but it's not quite there.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-66476095

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