§ Mr. Don FosterTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what were the average GCSE/GNVQ point scores in 1997 of each equal twentieth group of(a) male, (b) female and (c) all 15 year old pupils when all such pupils are ranked by their total GCSE/GNVQ points scores, assuming that GNVQ grades are assigned points such that at intermediate level a distinction equals 7.5 points, a merit equals 6 points, and a pass equals 5 points, and at foundation level a distinction equals 4 points, a merit equals 3 points, and a pass equals 1.5 points; if he will list the number of pupils in each group, the average number of GCSEs entered per pupil in each group and the proportions of pupils in each group who took (i) an intermediate GNVQ and (ii) a foundation GNVQ; and if he will indicate the numbers gaining each grade. [44956]
§ Dr. Howells[holding answer 9 June 1998]: The information requested in respect of average GCSE/GNVQ point scores is shown in the following table. However, information on the proportion of pupils in each group who took GNVQs is not available.
263W
GCSE achievements of 15 year old pupils1 in all schools, by each twentieth group of pupils ranked according to their GCSE/GNVQ point score for all subjects (a) Male (b) Female (c) All 15 year old pupils Number of 15 Year olds Average No. of GCSE entries per pupil Average point score per 15 year old pupil in all subjects Number of 15 Year olds Average No. of GCSE entries per pupil Average point score per 15 year old pupil in all subjects Number 15 year olds Average No. of GCSE entries per pupil Average point score per 15 year old pupil in all subjects 14,975 7.4 16.1 14,363 8.3 22.9 29,339 7.8 19.1 14,976 7.9 20.1 14,363 8.6 26.9 29,338 8.3 23.2 14,975 8.3 23.6 14,363 8.8 30.4 29,338 8.6 26.8 14,976 8.6 26.9 14,363 8.9 33.5 29,338 8.7 30.1 14,975 8.7 30.0 14,363 9.0 36.4 29,339 8.9 33.2 14,976 8.9 33.0 14,363 9.1 39.1 29,338 9.0 36.1 14,975 9.0 36.0 14,362 9.2 41.9 29,338 9.1 39.0 14,975 9.1 38.8 14,363 9.2 44.4 29,339 9.2 41.7 14,976 9.2 41.7 14,363 9.3 47.0 29,338 9.2 44.4 14,975 9.2 44.5 14,363 9.3 49.4 29,338 9.3 47.1 14,976 9.3 47.3 14,363 9.4 52.0 29,339 9.4 49.8 14,975 9.4 50.3 14,363 9.5 54.7 29,338 9.4 52.6 14,976 9.5 53.6 14,362 9.5 57.5 29,338 9.5 55.7 14,975 9.6 57.4 14,363 9.6 60.8 29,338 9.6 59.3 14,976 9.8 62.3 14,363 9.7 64.9 29,339 9.7 63.8 14,975 10.2 71.6 14,363 10.2 72.7 29,338 10.2 72.2 299,509 (Total) 27.9 233.5 Total 287,257 28.3 238.4 Total 586,766 28.1 235.9 1Those pupils aged 15 at 31 August 1996 2Overall average