Mr. Alan W. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students were entered for advanced-level examinations in mathematics, physics and chemistry in England and Wales, for each year from 1979 to the present, giving the information(a) as the number of entrants and (b) as a percentage of the total number of entrants for all subjects in that year.
§ Mr. EggarFor the academic years 1978–79 to 1989–90—the latest year for which information is available—the numbers of school leavers attempting advanced level examinations in mathematics, physics and chemistry in English schools, were as are shown in the table. The table also shows these numbers as a percentage of all school leavers attempting any subject at the advanced level.
The figures for Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
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School leavers—England Numbers of pupils attempting advanced level examinations Mathematics Physics Chemistry Pupils attempting (000's) As percentage of all pupils attempting A levels Pupils attempting (000's) As percentage of all pupils attempting A levels Pupils attempting (000's) As percentage of all pupils attempting A levels 1978–79 44.99 35.1 35.20 27.5 32.46 25.3 1979–80 48.08 36.5 35.84 27.2 31.74 24.1 1980–81 50.06 36.9 38.15 28.1 34.22 25.2 1981–82 54.89 37.9 41.62 28.7 36.79 25.4 1982–83 56.12 37.8 40.72 27.4 36.30 24.4 1983–84 56.60 38.8 41.12 28.2 36.48 25.0 1984–85 56.06 39.9 38.95 27.7 35.60 25.3 1985–86 54.69 40.8 36.81 27.4 35.00 26.1 1986–87 52.81 39.2 34.13 25.4 31.95 23.7 1987–88 53.85 40.3 33.44 25.0 32.17 24.1 1988–89 51.48 37.1 32.93 23.8 30.65 22.1 1989–90 50.68 33.9 32.96 22.1 33.29 22.3