Page 3 | Exam data nerdery

noblegiraffe · 2023-08-27T11:53:46+00:00

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/ 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.

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 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

OP posts:

spanieleyes · 27/08/2023 17:16

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

spanieleyes · 27/08/2023 17:19

Sorry, just seen that ignoreignoreignore already explained about Rutland!

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.

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 !

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

OP posts:

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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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!

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.

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.

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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.

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllanty · 27/08/2023 19:01

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.

The A levels statistics of these schools must be boosted by this.

PatriciaHolm · 27/08/2023 19:09

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllanty · 27/08/2023 19:01

The A levels statistics of these schools must be boosted by this.

Show quote history

Given how few do it it won't make much of an impact I wouldn't imagine.

itsgettingweird · 27/08/2023 20:24

Popfan · 27/08/2023 14:50

Not sure about the comment, kids need a 5 more than a 4?? Mumsnet offspring notwithstanding, many, many students will not be doing A Levels after GCSEs and it's more a 4 needed surely? 5 GCSEs at 4-9 including maths and English is what's needed for so many post GCSE routes. Some colleges even take less as long as you have the 4 in English and maths.

Great link though @noblegiraffe . Will be perusing with great interest!

A lot of colleges are moving to T levels now for vocational courses. They ask for a 5 in English.

Popfan · 27/08/2023 20:34

@itsgettingweird 4s for T levels at our local college. 4s for various apprenticeships, Btech level 3, also for some entry paths into the police / fire service for example.

I've researched a lot of colleges and 4s are the magic number!

JaffavsCookie · 27/08/2023 21:43

Here is another great website for exam data and graphs if you are enjoying the others on this thread
https://ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/

Home - FFT Education Datalab

https://ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/

Malbecfan · 28/08/2023 11:30

We use Eduqas (not Maths but Music) because its content best suits our students. We used to be with OCR prior to GCSEs being reformed but the new stuff in their GCSE was baffling and includes things I genuinely know bugger all about (from memory, Middle Eastern music???) Ditto for AQA. Edexcel always used to be the most popular exam board but we would need to buy anthologies to study their set works and simply couldn't afford it for the 2 year-groups who would need them. Plus you only study those 12 pieces, which seems quite sad and very boring for teachers. So we went with Eduqas which has 2 set works which you can freely download the scores but everything relates to the elements of music, the most fundamental parts. It's not perfect, and this year there has been a furore about composing marking, but seems to be the best of the bunch and has rightly risen in popularity.

If you are interested, take a look at how Music has nose-dived in terms of popularity at GCSE and A level. I personally blame Gove and the bloody EBacc for this, along with the abject job that so many primary schools do. We have to deliver everything in 5 years often from a standing start, unlike private schools, or other subjects.

Undecidedat46 · 28/08/2023 14:21

Can I ask a (what’s probably daft) question about exam boards? Someone mentioned it not being great having a single exam board but in the country that I come from, that’s what we have, but it’s run by the department of education, so there’s no private companies involved. They even critique the paper in the national press after it’s been sat 😂 Would that not be a better option? Everyone sits the same paper on the same day and there’s no potential for gaming the system if there’s any sort of perceived/real “easier” exam board? Or maybe I’m being a bit naive and missing something (apart from private companies losing out on lots of government contracts of course)

Piggywaspushed · 28/08/2023 15:53

Malbecfan · 28/08/2023 11:30

We use Eduqas (not Maths but Music) because its content best suits our students. We used to be with OCR prior to GCSEs being reformed but the new stuff in their GCSE was baffling and includes things I genuinely know bugger all about (from memory, Middle Eastern music???) Ditto for AQA. Edexcel always used to be the most popular exam board but we would need to buy anthologies to study their set works and simply couldn't afford it for the 2 year-groups who would need them. Plus you only study those 12 pieces, which seems quite sad and very boring for teachers. So we went with Eduqas which has 2 set works which you can freely download the scores but everything relates to the elements of music, the most fundamental parts. It's not perfect, and this year there has been a furore about composing marking, but seems to be the best of the bunch and has rightly risen in popularity.

If you are interested, take a look at how Music has nose-dived in terms of popularity at GCSE and A level. I personally blame Gove and the bloody EBacc for this, along with the abject job that so many primary schools do. We have to deliver everything in 5 years often from a standing start, unlike private schools, or other subjects.

I use Eduqas too. It's the only board at GCSE for my subject.

Dancerr · 28/08/2023 16:22

Everyone of my sons exams was AQA apart from History and Maths which is Edexcel. What's the reason for this does anyone know?

TheMoth · 28/08/2023 16:45

Dancerr · 28/08/2023 16:22

Everyone of my sons exams was AQA apart from History and Maths which is Edexcel. What's the reason for this does anyone know?

Any number of reasons.

More teachers with experience of that board.

Might seem to have better results.

Might supply better resources.

That's the board they've always used.

Course seems better.

Original poster

noblegiraffe · 28/08/2023 16:49

The vast majority of kids sit Edexcel for maths. Historically the support was much better, everyone liked Graham Cumming who ran it (he left recently) and ResultsPlus is really good.

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Sweetpeasaremadeforbees · 28/08/2023 17:00

I thought I understood grade boundaries but reading some of the data I realise I don't! How can only 2.9 % of eng lan grades be 9 whereas for Chemistry, 13% are 9? Have I completely misunderstood how it works?

SomersetBrie · 28/08/2023 17:02

Sweetpeasaremadeforbees · 28/08/2023 17:00

I thought I understood grade boundaries but reading some of the data I realise I don't! How can only 2.9 % of eng lan grades be 9 whereas for Chemistry, 13% are 9? Have I completely misunderstood how it works?

Is that not simply because everyone does English Lang, while Chemistry is only done by the brightest kids - most others do double award/combined science?

WaitingforThursday · 28/08/2023 17:04

Sweetpeasaremadeforbees · 28/08/2023 17:00

I thought I understood grade boundaries but reading some of the data I realise I don't! How can only 2.9 % of eng lan grades be 9 whereas for Chemistry, 13% are 9? Have I completely misunderstood how it works?

I wondered the same thing. I am not a teacher but I assume that it reflects the fact that usually only the strongest science students do separate sciences. The English 9 %s do look very low.