Exam resits boost A-level grades

This year 25.3% of A-level entries were awarded A grades

Students are resitting AS-level exams as "an easier option" to boost final A-level grades, England's exams watchdog says.

A report by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) found that as many as one in seven A grades were obtained through resitting AS units.

Students suffer no penalty so might as well "have a go" at a resit - with "a noticeable impact" on final grades.

The QCA calls this "a fair measure of attainment" which will continue.

The authority looked into A-levels in English literature, mathematics, physics, media, French, geography and psychology.

It visited 32 centres around England in March and April 2007 and looked at the data on students who took their A-levels in 2006 from the three big exam boards: OCR, Edexcel and AQA.

Independent schools

There were some differences between centres and subjects.

In state comprehensives, AS unit 6441 in Edexcel French for instance was taken once by 43.2%, twice by 47.5% and three times by 9.3% of the 1,431 candidates.

Candidates deserve a chance to demonstrate their ability if they failed to do so the first time QCA chief Ken Boston

In the independent sector is was taken once by 48.3%, twice by 40.6% and three times by 11.1% of the 1,583 candidates.

Eight or so independent school people took it four times.

In general, state grammar school pupils were the least likely to do resits while those in the independent sector were the most likely.

The QCA report said there was "very little difference in the scale of resitting behaviour in terms of centre type".

But it said: "A number of independent centres said they gave unlimited support to candidates in comparison to the majority of state schools and further education colleges, which said that past papers tended to be all that was offered to resitting candidates."

Results obtained

But analysis of the results showed the improvement in marks obtained was largely the same across the board.

The QCA found that in AQA physics, for example, the percentage who would have got an A grade had they stuck with their initial AS-level marks would have been 26.6%.

In fact, after resits had been taken, 31.2% got As. So 4.6% or one seventh of those who got A grades did so as a result of their AS-level resits.

It said: "Evidence from the centre visits suggested that AS units are considered an easier option and that students are encouraged to maximise their AS marks, which ultimately impact on their A-level grade.

"Some teachers said they felt they had no choice but to encourage their students to resit units even if they did not think it was necessary."

'Have a go' culture

Students cannot lose. There is no penalty for resitting an exam. Nor is it a "gamble".

"The best grade applies - even if the candidate does worse in their resit, the original grade will stand.

"To a certain extent, a student can be expected to 'have a go' at resitting."

QCA chief executive Ken Boston said there was nothing wrong in principle with having a second chance.

"Candidates deserve a chance to demonstrate their ability if they failed to do so the first time."

Multiple resits would be a problem but rarely happened, so would still be allowed.

"Resits provide a fair measure of candidates' attainment and are consistent with arrangements for other Level 3 qualifications."

In recent years there have been increasing complaints that standards have slipped and that exams must have got easier - fuelled by the rise in top grades.

Top universities find it hard to distinguish between the best candidates.

So A-levels are being made more challenging as a result, with a new A* grade.

Dr Boston has said this new top grade is likely to be cornered initially by the independent sector.

This week the government announced that the QCA's regulatory wing was to be made an independent monitor of exam standards.

A Tory policy review group has identified the AS-level as an unnecessary burden on pupils and suggested it should be scrapped.