Call to consider 'easy A-levels'

They may be less happy if Dr Coe's idea is adopted

Universities have been urged to take into account how easy top grades in some A-level topics are to achieve when making offers to students.

Research from Durham University found A-Levels were graded "more severely" in mathematics, sciences and modern languages than in humanities and arts.

Researchers called for applicants' results to be "weighed" when being offered places.

The government has hinted reform of the gold standard exam may be on the cards.

Dr Robert Coe, director of the educational evaluation group at Durham's curriculum, management and evaluation centre, said: "It is perfectly clear from our research that two A-Levels are not equal, with some more severely graded than others.

"This is not to say that Maths is a harder A-Level than English, but comparatively it is more difficult to get the equivalent grade in Maths than English."

He said the government had rejected this with Schools Standards Minister David Miliband saying there was no difference between subjects.

Dr Coe and Prof Peter Tymms's study examined the performance of students at A-Level based on the scores they achieved in different subjects at GCSE.

Harder subjects

It found that students with a grade B at GCSE in history, economics, geography, English language and literature, sociology and business studies went on to score a grade C on average in those subjects at A-Level.

But those with a grade B at GCSE in maths, computing, German, French, chemistry, physics and biology were more likely to score a grade D at A-Level.

Dr Coe said students avoid hard subjects at A-Level in favour of ones where they had more chance of getting top grades.

Education Secretary Charles Clarke has said he is sympathetic to the idea that there should be a mechanism for helping popular universities distinguish between straight-A candidates.