State pupils closing exam grades gap
THE GAP between private schools and the national average for getting top marks at A-level has narrowed, figures show.
This year, 47.9 per cent of entries from independent schools scored an A or above – compared with 26.3 per cent of entries overall.
The gap – while still wide – has decreased since last year by 1.3 percentage points to 21.6 percentage points. It led experts yesterday to speculate that state schools – which educate around 86 per cent of sixth formers – may be beginning to catch up with their private counterparts.
Alan Smithers, professor of education at the University of Buckingham said: ‘This could be due to the success of the academies and sixth forms, many of which have raised attainment.
‘However, in the case of the independent schools we are looking at a whole range, including smaller schools catering for a wider range of abilities – so this may have affected the results too.’
The change appears to be driven by the A grade alone, with the proportion of entries from private schools gaining this grade dropping from 30.8 per cent to 29.6 per cent this year.
Meanwhile, the proportion of A* grades at private schools has actually grown since last year, from 17.9 per cent to 18.3 per cent.
The data from this year’s A-level results was gathered by the Independent Schools Council (ISC), which represents most private schools.
Ralph Lucas, editor-in-chief of The Good Schools Guide, said the reason for the change was unclear but added: ‘Some state schools have tightened their approach to discipline and many are now timetabling longer school days, both of which would have positive effects on exam results.’
Private school pupils are being encouraged to learn a trade instead of attending university, say figures.
Entries for Btecs have risen by a fifth across 452 ISC schools, and have nearly tripled in five years.
This year, 765 Btecs were taken by 603 pupils, compared with 646 taken last year by 516 candidates, and 290 entries by 237 pupils in 2012. Btecs are qualifications that focus on work skills rather than academics.