HL Deb 12 March 1998 vol 587 cc74-5WA
Baroness Blatch

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will publish data for Wales for comprehensive schools, independent schools, further education colleges and for all institutions in each of the years 1994 to 1997 giving for each kind of institution the average A-level points obtained per pupil in each of the subjects: mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, English literature, history, geography, French and economics. [HL905]

Lord Williams of Mostyn

Information on the average point score per pupil by subject is not available centrally and could be provided only by incurring disproportionate cost. The following table shows the average point score per A-level (or AS equivalent) examination entry. For most subjects, where there is only one examination available, this is likely to approximate closely the average score per pupil. However, for mathematics, where pupils can sit more than one examination in a year, there may be some differences.

Average A-level (or AS equivalent) point score per examination entry for schools and colleges in Wales (a)
1994 1995 1996 1997
Comprehensive schools (b)
Mathematics (c) 5.5 5.7 5.4 6.0
Physics 4.7 5.1 5.1 5.5
Chemistry 4.7 5.1 5.2 5.6
Biology (d) 4.3 4.6 4.9 5.4
English literature 5.0 5.5 5.6 5.9
History 5.2 5.2 5.5 5.9

Average A-level (or AS equivalent) point score per examination entry for schools and colleges in Wales (a)
1994 1995 1996 1997
Geography 5.4 5.2 5.3 5.7
French 5.4 5.5 5.9 5.8
Economics 4.7 4.9 5.4 5.6
Independent schools
Mathematics (c) 7.2 6.7 6.8 7.3
Physics 7.1 6.2 6.2 6.6
Chemistry 6.9 6.2 6.7 7.0
Biology (d) 6.5 5.7 6.0 7.0
English literature 6.7 7.4 7.2 7.0
History 5.9 5.7 5.9 5.6
Geography 6.1 6.2 6.0 5.9
French 6.6 6.2 6.4 6.7
Economics 4.7 5.3 5.6 4.8
Further education colleges
Mathematics (c) 4.7 4.7 4.4 5.5
Physics 5.2 5.1 5.0 6.1
Chemistry 4.1 4.2 4.3 5.6
Biology (d) 3.8 3.8 4.0 4.6
English literature 4.4 4.7 4.9 5.5
History 4.2 4.1 4.6 5.0
Geography 5.2 4.9 4.8 5.5
French 6.1 5.5 5.9 6.0
Economics 4.9 4.1 4.3 3.8
All institutions (e)
Mathematics (c) 5.5 5.6 5.3 6.0
Physics 5.0 5.2 5.2 5.7
Chemistry 4.8 5.0 5.2 5.8
Biology (d) 4.3 4.5 4.7 5.4
English literature 4.9 5.4 5.5 5.8
History 5.0 4.9 5.3 5.7
Geography 5.4 5.3 5.2 5.7
French 5.6 5.6 5.9 5.9
Economics 4.7 4.8 5.1 5.2

(a) A-level point score is calculated on the following basis:

A-levels: Grade A=10 points. B=8, C=6, D=4, E=2.

AS examinations: Grade A=5 points, B=4, C=3, D=2, E=1.

(b) LEA and grant maintained secondary schools.

(c) All syllabuses including statistics.

(d) Includes Human Biology.

(e) Includes special schools and pupil referral units.