Friday 30 January 2015 GCSE and A-level performance are in the headlines this week following the publication of school league tables by the Department for Education (DfE), based on the 2014 examination results. Students at The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) achieved a strong set of results at both A-level and GCSE last year, with 81% of A-level passes at A* to B and 88% of GCSE passes at A* to B. GSAL retains its position at the top of the table in Leeds for A-level outcomes, however changes in the DfE criteria mean that key data on GCSE performance is omitted from the tables. At GSAL pupils in Year 11 sit the International GCSE (iGCSE), rather than the standard GCSE, in certain subjects, but the DfE no longer records iGCSE when compiling the tables. This move by the DfE leaves many leading schools including GSAL registering a 0% pass rate in English, maths and the package of subjects that make up the English Baccalaureate. Principal and chief executive at GSAL Mike Gibbons said: “The iGCSE is an exam used by many leading independent schools. We choose iGCSE at GSAL where we think it best suits the needs of our pupils in studying that particular subject, for example we feel that in the sciences and maths the iGCSE is better preparation for A-level. Given that virtually all our students move onto A-level and to leading universities, and we have studied IGCSE for a number of years now, that decision would appear to be vindicated.” “In 2014 our candidates achieved a 99.6% pass rate in maths and 96% in science, but as they sat iGCSE their success is not recorded in the league tables, impacting on three important performance indicators. This is one of a number of flaws in the construction of the tables, for example they don’t reflect the baseline abilities of pupils, the progress that they make or the pathway of study that best suits them.” “While league tables remain a useful source of information for parents, these issues make accurate comparisons impossible. We always recommend looking beyond the league tables by visiting schools, meeting staff and pupils and talking to other parents, in order to fully understand the environment where your child is most likely to flourish.” View the DfE school performance tables View GSAL’s latest A-level and GCSE results. General Senior School Sixth Form News
