A-Levels
#16
Re: A-Levels
oh it's ludicrous to say that standards haven't slipped - the A-level pass rate this year is almost 97%, compared with 68% in 1982. The proportion of pupils achieving A grades is expected to rise to 23% this year, compared with 8.6 per cent in 1982. Now there is no way that kids are significantly brighter or more hard working now than they were a few years ago...so what other explanation can there be than that the exams are easier!!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...14/nexam14.xml
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...14/nexam14.xml
MM, xx
#17
Re: A-Levels
the worst part about my a-levels is that they realised they were being criticised for being easy so they made two of the ones i took extremely difficult that year... and only 35% of people passed... so they changed it back the year after... doh!
#18
Re: A-Levels
oh it's ludicrous to say that standards haven't slipped - the A-level pass rate this year is almost 97%, compared with 68% in 1982. The proportion of pupils achieving A grades is expected to rise to 23% this year, compared with 8.6 per cent in 1982. Now there is no way that kids are significantly brighter or more hard working now than they were a few years ago...so what other explanation can there be than that the exams are easier!!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...14/nexam14.xml
MM, xx
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...14/nexam14.xml
MM, xx
#19
Re: A-Levels
oh it's ludicrous to say that standards haven't slipped - the A-level pass rate this year is almost 97%, compared with 68% in 1982. The proportion of pupils achieving A grades is expected to rise to 23% this year, compared with 8.6 per cent in 1982. Now there is no way that kids are significantly brighter or more hard working now than they were a few years ago...so what other explanation can there be than that the exams are easier!!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...14/nexam14.xml
MM, xx
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...14/nexam14.xml
MM, xx
Otherwise I think i'd hold off on my MBA for another 10 years lol
#20
Re: A-Levels
Cham128 has hit the nail on the head. Schools are spending a lot more time teaching to the test now (as you'd expect had you studied the effect of rewarding by target achievement, when the target is but an approximate proxy of what you really want).
Also, there is a much wider variety of courses now. Maybe some are Mickey Mouse but nevertheless it does keep some of the students more interested!
I don't believe exams are getting significantly easier, but they're certainly getting broader and much less deep in some areas. And the new science curricula are rubbish!
(A Levels done between 1995 and 1996 here)
Also, there is a much wider variety of courses now. Maybe some are Mickey Mouse but nevertheless it does keep some of the students more interested!
I don't believe exams are getting significantly easier, but they're certainly getting broader and much less deep in some areas. And the new science curricula are rubbish!
(A Levels done between 1995 and 1996 here)
#21
Re: A-Levels
Cham128 has hit the nail on the head. Schools are spending a lot more time teaching to the test now (as you'd expect had you studied the effect of rewarding by target achievement, when the target is but an approximate proxy of what you really want).
Also, there is a much wider variety of courses now. Maybe some are Mickey Mouse but nevertheless it does keep some of the students more interested!
I don't believe exams are getting significantly easier, but they're certainly getting broader and much less deep in some areas. And the new science curricula are rubbish!
(A Levels done between 1995 and 1996 here)
Also, there is a much wider variety of courses now. Maybe some are Mickey Mouse but nevertheless it does keep some of the students more interested!
I don't believe exams are getting significantly easier, but they're certainly getting broader and much less deep in some areas. And the new science curricula are rubbish!
(A Levels done between 1995 and 1996 here)
"More than one in four UK A-level entries were awarded the top A-grade this year, results show.
Figures from the exam boards showed 25.3% of entries were graded A, up from 24.1% last year.
The national pass rate rose for the 25th year in a row, with 96.9% of exams being marked A to E, up from 96.6% last year."
#22
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 55
Re: A-Levels
well there are things that are concentrated on in school anymore... ask a kid his 12 times tables and they'll stare at you blankly... but then they concentrate on passing exams rather than have the emphasis on real life application. So the exams arent' getting easier, they're just getting easier to prepare for.
Otherwise I think i'd hold off on my MBA for another 10 years lol
Otherwise I think i'd hold off on my MBA for another 10 years lol
Knowing how to sit an exam, as in, what type of answers you should give, how to be critical and how to analysis the question is important. I think people are better prepared for exams and therefore do better.
And, I know my 12 times table, but have never used it in real life, my good grades however have helped me get where I am today.
#23
Re: A-Levels
of course they are getting easier;
"More than one in four UK A-level entries were awarded the top A-grade this year, results show.
Figures from the exam boards showed 25.3% of entries were graded A, up from 24.1% last year.
The national pass rate rose for the 25th year in a row, with 96.9% of exams being marked A to E, up from 96.6% last year."
"More than one in four UK A-level entries were awarded the top A-grade this year, results show.
Figures from the exam boards showed 25.3% of entries were graded A, up from 24.1% last year.
The national pass rate rose for the 25th year in a row, with 96.9% of exams being marked A to E, up from 96.6% last year."
#24
Re: A-Levels
of course they are getting easier;
"More than one in four UK A-level entries were awarded the top A-grade this year, results show.
Figures from the exam boards showed 25.3% of entries were graded A, up from 24.1% last year.
The national pass rate rose for the 25th year in a row, with 96.9% of exams being marked A to E, up from 96.6% last year."
"More than one in four UK A-level entries were awarded the top A-grade this year, results show.
Figures from the exam boards showed 25.3% of entries were graded A, up from 24.1% last year.
The national pass rate rose for the 25th year in a row, with 96.9% of exams being marked A to E, up from 96.6% last year."
#25
Re: A-Levels
there are students now getting 6-7 A Grades. That was unheard of. even the very top students back in the 80's could only manage 4.
#27
Re: A-Levels
Sorry, but that's rubbish. It was unusual but it certainly happened - and inspired me to my own clutch of A grades in the mid-90s. More than 4, thanks for asking.
#28
Re: A-Levels
The whole point about A'Levels is that they are supposed to differentiate between the thickos and not so thickos. Its time to return to a system where only the top 10pct got A Grades and the bottom 30pct failed.
#29
Re: A-Levels
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#30
Re: A-Levels
Have to agree, any exam that 97% of candidates pass has to be looked at. I'll bet the 3% that failed this year feel really sick!