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GCSE and A-Level in Science Subjects: Results 1993-1997

Lord Pilkington of Oxenford asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will publish data for England giving, for comprehensive schools, grammar schools, modern schools, independent schools, sixth form colleges, other further education funding council schools and colleges, all state institutions and all institutions the number of candidates and the average A-level points per student taking each of the subjects physics, chemistry and biology at A-level in each of the years

8 Apr 1998 : Column WA152

1993 to 1997 showing data separately for students taking either GCSE Double Award Science or the respective GCSE separate science physics, chemistry or biology and giving in each case the average GCSE points per student for either GCSE Double Award Science or the respective GCSE separate science, physics, chemistry or biology and the average GCSE points per subject per entry per student and including, for each category of institution, the number of institutions.[HL1231]

Baroness Blackstone: The information requested in respect of GCSE and GCE A-level achievements is shown in the attached tables.

GCSE and GCE A/AS Level achievements of candidates entered for GCE A-level in Physics, Chemistry and Biology

	1992-93			1993-94			1994-95			1995-96			1996-97
	GCE candidates in:			GCE candidates in:			GCE candidates in:			GCE candidates in:			GCE candidates in:
	Physics	Chemistry	Biology	Physics	Chemistry	Biology	Physics	Chemistry	Biology	Physics	Chemistry	Biology	Physics	Chemistry	Biology
Comprehensive Schools
Number of candidates	12,358	12,256	13,674	11,372	12,403	14,857	10,873	12,596	15,477	10,667	12,160	15,909	11,298	13,225	18,374
Average GCE A/AS points per candidate	15.8	15.8	12.7	16.0	16.1	13.3	16.6	16.6	13.7	17.7	17.9	14.7	18.3	18.2	15.0
Average A-level points per subject	4.5	4.5	4.1	4.6	4.5	4.2	4.9	4.6	4.2	5.0	5.0	4.6	5.3	5.1	4.7
Average GCSE points per student
Double Award Science	52.6	53.1	51.0	53.8	54.6	52.8	55.1	56.0	54.2	57.1	58.0	55.6	58.4	59.0	56.6
Physics	52.5	53.5	52.4	54.7	56.1	55.0	57.8	58.6	57.4	61.4	61.9	60.4	64.0	64.5	62.8
Chemistry	53.0	53.0	51.6	55.4	55.6	54.1	58.2	58.3	56.7	61.7	62.0	60.3	64.1	64.4	62.6
Biology	54.6	54.1	51.0	57.0	56.7	53.6	59.5	59.0	56.3	61.7	62.0	60.2	64.2	64.5	62.4
All subjects	51.9	52.4	50.3	53.4	54.3	52.4	54.9	55.7	54.0	57.0	58.0	55.7	58.6	59.2	56.8
Average GCSE points per entry per student
Double Award Science	12.6	12.6	11.8	12.7	12.8	12.1	12.8	12.9	12.1	13.5	13.6	12.6	13.7	13.7	12.7
Physics	6.2	6.1	5.7	6.3	6.2	5.8	6.4	6.2	5.9	6.6	6.4	5.9	6.8	6.6	6.2
Chemistry	6.0	6.2	5.7	6.0	6.1	5.7	6.2	6.3	5.9	6.3	6.5	6.0	6.4	6.6	6.1
Biology	6.1	6.2	6.0	6.1	6.2	6.0	6.2	6.3	6.1	6.2	6.3	6.2	6.4	6.5	6.4
All subjects	5.8	5.9	5.7	5.9	6.0	5.8	5.9	6.0	5.8	6.1	6.2	5.9	6.1	6.2	5.9
Selective Schools
Number of candidates	2,958	3,018	3,221	2,777	2,937	3,350	2,767	3,163	3,510	2,850	3,372	3,655	3,172	3,736	4,296
Average GCE A/AS points per candidate	20.4	20.9	17.6	20.8	20.9	17.6	21.6	21.3	18.0	22.5	22.2	19.0	22.5	22.7	19.7
Average A-level points per subject	5.7	6.0	5.8	6.0	6.0	5.7	6.4	6.0	5.8	6.4	6.3	6.1	6.5	6.4	6.3
Average GCSE points per student
Double Award Science	55.6	55.9	54.3	56.1	56.9	55.3	57.8	58.6	57.0	59.9	61.0	58.9	61.5	62.7	60.8
Physics	56.2	57.7	56.8	58.4	59.8	58.4	60.5	61.3	59.9	64.7	65.1	63.9	66.1	67.1	65.5
Chemistry	56.7	57.4	56.2	58.9	59.4	58.0	60.9	61.1	59.5	64.8	65.1	63.9	66.1	67.0	65.4
Biology	57.7	57.9	55.8	59.5	59.9	57.5	61.4	61.4	59.0	64.8	65.1	63.8	66.2	67.1	65.4
All subjects	55.4	56.5	54.9	56.9	57.7	55.8	58.4	59.0	57.1	61.8	62.3	60.3	63.0	64.1	62.1
Average GCSE points per entry per student
Double Award Science	12.9	12.9	12.3	13.0	13.2	12.6	13.2	13.3	12.7	14.1	14.2	13.4	14.2	14.3	13.6
Physics	6.6	6.5	6.2	6.6	6.5	6.2	6.6	6.5	6.2	7.0	6.7	6.3	7.0	6.9	6.6
Chemistry	6.3	6.5	6.2	6.3	6.5	6.1	6.4	6.6	6.2	6.6	6.8	6.4	6.7	7.0	6.6
Biology	6.4	6.6	6.4	6.3	6.4	6.3	6.3	6.5	6.4	6.5	6.6	6.6	6.6	6.8	6.7
All subjects	6.2	6.3	6.2	6.3	6.4	6.2	6.3	6.4	6.2	6.5	6.6	6.4	6.5	6.6	6.4
Modern Schools
Number of candidates	95	64	144	96	74	144	112	120	174	53	70	132	54	92	190
Average GCE A/AS points per candidate	9.5	7.7	8.0	9.9	9.6	8.2	11.8	12.0	10.4	9.1	10.5	10.6	13.5	13.7	11.6
Average A-level points per subject	2.6	1.8	2.3	3.0	2.4	2.4	3.5	3.4	2.8	2.2	3.0	2.8	4.0	4.1	3.5
Average GCSE points per student
Double Award Science	46.3	45.5	46.3	47.3	48.8	46.2	49.7	52.8	50.4	53.5	52.4	51.5	54.7	53.6	53.0
Physics	47.1	53.6	50.3	49.7	47.1	52.4	54.8	55.8	58.4	60.5	58.0	na	na	60.5	60.5
Chemistry	48.1	47.8	46.1	46.8	47.1	48.3	53.9	51.3	51.9	na	na	na	na	60.5	60.5
Biology	52.0	45.9	45.7	51.4	52.8	48.8	51.8	48.4	49.8	na	na	na	na	60.5	60.5
All subjects	45.5	45.4	45.6	46.9	48.6	45.6	48.9	51.4	49.7	53.4	52.4	51.3	49.5	51.0	51.8
Average GCSE points per entry per student
Double Award Science	11.6	11.3	11.1	11.9	12.2	11.4	12.2	12.3	11.8	12.7	12.7	12.2	13.2	13.0	12.1
Physics	6.0	6.1	5.3	6.0	5.9	5.4	6.0	5.8	5.5	5.5	5.0	na	na	5.5	5.5
Chemistry	6.0	5.9	5.2	5.2	5.3	4.9	5.6	5.5	5.3	na	na	na	na	6.5	6.5
Biology	6.2	6.2	5.8	5.6	5.8	5.7	5.8	5.2	5.1	na	na	na	na	6.0	6.0
All subjects	5.3	5.3	5.2	5.4	5.5	5.3	5.5	5.6	5.5	5.7	5.7	5.7	5.9	5.8	5.6
	na --candidates did not attempt subject at GCSE
Independent Schools
Number of candidates	6,008	7,131	6,652	5,747	7,102	6,955	5,907	7,543	7,190	5,619	7,280	7,371	5,395	7,187	7,598
Average GCE A/AS points per candidate	23.0	22.7	19.0	23.2	23.4	19.9	23.8	23.5	20.4	25.7	25.3	21.6	26.0	25.8	22.0
Average A-level points per subject	6.5	6.6	6.2	6.6	6.8	6.4	6.9	6.8	6.6	7.2	7.1	6.8	7.3	7.3	6.9
Average GCSE points per student
Double Award Science	53.0	53.2	52.1	56.7	57.4	55.5	59.1	59.6	57.2	60.6	62.2	59.1	61.3	62.8	59.5
Physics	54.3	55.1	54.3	59.8	60.6	59.0	61.6	62.3	60.9	64.7	65.2	63.3	66.4	67.3	65.3
Chemistry	54.6	54.9	54.0	60.1	60.3	58.7	62.0	62.2	60.6	64.9	65.1	63.1	66.6	67.2	65.1
Biology	54.9	55.1	53.5	60.6	60.6	58.2	62.4	62.5	60.3	65.4	65.3	62.8	66.9	67.3	64.8
All subjects	51.7	52.3	51.2	56.9	57.7	55.8	58.9	59.4	57.8	61.4	62.2	59.9	61.5	62.8	60.5
Average GCSE points per entry per student
Double Award Science	13.3	13.2	12.4	13.2	13.3	12.7	13.3	13.3	12.6	14.1	14.2	13.2	14.3	14.3	13.3
Physics	6.7	6.5	6.2	6.6	6.6	6.3	6.7	6.6	6.3	7.0	6.9	6.5	7.2	7.1	6.7
Chemistry	6.5	6.6	6.2	6.4	6.6	6.2	6.5	6.6	6.4	6.8	6.9	6.6	7.0	7.1	6.7
Biology	6.5	6.6	6.4	6.4	6.5	6.4	6.4	6.5	6.4	6.6	6.8	6.6	6.9	7.0	6.8
All subjects	6.3	6.4	6.2	6.4	6.4	6.3	6.4	6.5	6.3	6.6	6.7	6.4	6.7	6.8	6.6
Sixth form colleges
Number of candidates	3,830	3,891	4,613	3,890	4,180	5,202	3,662	4,434	5,703	3,481	4,352	5,987	3,571	4,755	6,840
Average GCE A/AS points per candidate	17.6	17.6	13.9	17.3	17.5	14.7	18.0	18.0	14.9	19.2	19.6	16.1	20.4	20.0	16.6
Average A-level points per subject	4.9	5.3	4.4	4.8	5.3	4.6	5.2	5.3	4.5	5.3	5.7	5.0	5.8	5.8	5.1
Average GCSE points per student
Double Award Science	53.2	53.8	51.7	54.5	55.2	53.4	56.1	56.7	54.8	58.1	58.7	56.3	59.6	59.5	57.0
Physics	53.0	54.2	52.8	54.8	56.2	54.8	57.7	59.5	58.0	61.1	62.1	60.3	63.0	63.6	61.8
Chemistry	53.7	53.8	52.3	55.6	56.0	54.1	58.2	58.9	57.1	61.5	62.0	60.2	63.2	63.5	61.4
Biology	55.3	54.5	51.7	56.8	56.9	53.4	59.2	59.5	56.7	61.6	62.2	60.1	63.6	63.7	61.3
All subjects	52.2	52.8	50.8	53.8	54.6	52.6	55.7	56.4	54.4	57.9	58.5	56.1	59.3	59.2	56.8
Average GCSE points per entry per student
Double Award Science	12.8	12.8	12.0	12.9	12.9	12.3	12.9	12.9	12.2	13.6	13.5	12.6	13.9	13.6	12.7
Physics	6.3	6.1	5.7	6.3	6.2	5.8	6.4	6.3	5.9	6.6	6.4	6.0	6.7	6.5	6.2
Chemistry	6.1	6.2	5.8	6.0	6.1	5.7	6.2	6.4	6.0	6.3	6.5	6.1	6.4	6.6	6.1
Biology	6.2	6.2	6.0	6.1	6.3	6.0	6.1	6.3	6.1	6.2	6.4	6.2	6.4	6.5	6.4
All subjects	5.9	6.0	5.8	6.0	6.0	5.8	6.0	6.1	5.9	6.2	6.2	6.0	6.2	6.2	6.0
Other FE sector colleges
Number of candidates	2,561	2,533	3,341	2,345	2,388	3,557	2,178	2,437	3,657	1,981	2,176	3,643	2,050	2,376	4,120
Average GCE A/AS points per candidate	14.6	14.6	11.8	14.9	15.0	12.0	15.0	15.0	12.1	15.5	15.3	12.4	16.3	15.6	12.7
Average A-level points per subject	4.4	4.0	3.9	4.5	4.3	3.9	4.5	4.3	3.8	4.6	4.4	3.8	4.8	4.5	4.0
Average GCSE points per student
Double Award Science	51.6	51.6	49.7	53.4	54.1	51.7	54.6	55.2	53.0	56.0	56.2	54.2	56.4	56.8	54.3
Physics	50.4	51.4	50.0	52.9	54.6	53.1	55.5	57.8	55.7	58.9	59.5	57.3	60.0	60.5	59.6
Chemistry	51.0	51.2	49.4	53.7	54.2	52.0	56.1	57.5	55.2	59.4	59.7	57.2	60.8	60.7	59.1
Biology	52.7	52.1	48.9	54.9	55.2	51.4	57.4	58.3	54.7	59.5	59.7	56.9	61.4	60.7	59.0
All subjects	48.5	49.1	47.6	51.4	52.2	50.0	52.6	53.7	52.0	54.0	54.2	53.1	54.8	55.1	53.6
Average GCSE points per entry per student
Double Award Science	12.5	12.4	11.5	12.7	12.7	11.9	12.7	12.6	11.9	13.2	13.1	12.2	13.4	13.2	12.3
Physics	6.2	6.0	5.5	6.2	6.1	5.5	6.2	6.0	5.6	6.4	6.1	5.5	6.4	6.2	5.8
Chemistry	5.9	6.1	5.5	5.9	6.1	5.5	5.9	6.2	5.6	6.1	6.3	5.7	6.1	6.3	5.9
Biology	6.1	6.1	5.8	6.0	6.1	5.8	6.0	6.3	6.0	6.0	6.2	6.0	6.2	6.3	6.1
All subjects	5.8	5.8	5.6	5.8	5.9	5.6	5.8	5.9	5.7	5.9	6.0	5.8	5.9	6.0	5.8
Maintained schools and FE sector colleges
Number of candidates	22,009	21,959	25,191	20,649	22,195	27,334	19,740	22,958	28,752	19,171	22,360	29,659	20,300	24,409	34,046
Average GCE A/AS points per candidate	16.5	16.7	13.4	16.8	16.9	13.9	17.4	17.3	14.2	18.4	18.6	15.2	19.1	19.0	15.7
Average A-level points per subject	4.7	4.8	4.3	4.8	4.8	4.4	5.1	4.9	4.4	5.2	5.3	4.8	5.5	5.4	4.9
Average GCSE points per student
Double Award Science	52.8	53.2	51.2	54.0	54.9	52.9	55.4	56.3	54.4	57.4	58.2	55.9	58.7	59.3	56.8
Physics	53.0	54.3	53.2	55.5	56.9	55.7	58.3	59.5	58.0	62.4	62.9	61.1	64.4	65.0	63.2
Chemistry	53.6	53.8	52.4	56.2	56.5	54.9	58.8	59.1	57.4	62.7	62.9	61.0	64.6	64.9	62.9
Biology	55.4	54.9	51.7	57.6	57.5	54.3	59.9	59.7	56.9	62.7	62.9	60.8	64.7	65.0	62.8
All subjects	52.0	52.6	50.6	53.7	54.6	52.5	55.3	56.1	54.2	57.6	58.4	56.0	59.0	59.5	57.0
Average GCSE points per entry per student
Double Award Science	12.6	12.7	11.8	12.7	12.8	12.1	12.8	12.9	12.2	13.6	13.6	12.7	13.8	13.7	12.8
Physics	6.3	6.2	5.8	6.4	6.3	5.9	6.4	6.3	5.9	6.7	6.5	6.0	6.8	6.7	6.3
Chemistry	6.1	6.3	5.8	6.1	6.2	5.8	6.2	6.4	6.0	6.4	6.6	6.1	6.5	6.7	6.3
Biology	6.2	6.3	6.1	6.2	6.3	6.1	6.2	6.3	6.2	6.3	6.4	6.3	6.5	6.6	6.5
All subjects	5.9	6.0	5.7	5.9	6.0	5.8	6.0	6.1	5.8	6.1	6.2	6.0	6.2	6.2	6.0
All schools and FE sector colleges
Number of candidates	28,017	29,090	31,843	26,396	29,297	34,289	25,647	30,501	35,942	24,790	29,640	37,030	25,695	31,596	41,644
Average GCE A/AS points per candidate	17.9	18.2	14.6	18.2	18.4	15.1	18.8	18.9	15.5	20.1	20.3	16.5	20.6	20.6	16.8
Average A-level points per subject	5.1	5.2	4.7	5.2	5.3	4.8	5.5	5.4	4.8	5.7	5.7	5.2	5.9	5.8	5.3
Average GCSE points per student
Double Award Science	52.8	53.2	51.3	54.2	55.0	53.1	55.6	56.5	54.6	57.6	58.5	56.1	58.9	59.6	57.0
Physics	53.4	54.6	53.6	57.4	58.7	57.4	60.0	61.0	59.5	63.6	64.2	62.3	65.4	66.2	64.2
Chemistry	53.9	54.2	52.9	58.0	58.3	56.7	60.4	60.7	59.0	63.9	64.1	62.1	65.5	66.1	64.0
Biology	55.2	55.0	52.3	59.1	59.1	56.1	61.2	61.2	58.5	64.0	64.2	61.9	65.7	66.1	63.8
All subjects	51.9	52.6	50.7	54.4	55.3	53.2	56.1	56.9	54.9	58.4	59.3	56.8	59.5	60.3	57.7
Average GCSE points per entry per student
Double Award Science	12.7	12.7	11.9	12.8	12.9	12.2	12.8	12.9	12.2	13.6	13.6	12.7	13.8	13.8	12.8
Physics	6.4	6.3	5.9	6.5	6.4	6.1	6.5	6.4	6.1	6.9	6.7	6.2	7.0	6.9	6.5
Chemistry	6.2	6.4	5.9	6.2	6.4	6.0	6.4	6.5	6.2	6.6	6.8	6.3	6.7	6.9	6.5
Biology	6.3	6.4	6.2	6.3	6.4	6.2	6.3	6.4	6.3	6.4	6.6	6.5	6.6	6.8	6.6
All subjects	6.0	6.1	5.8	6.0	6.1	5.9	6.1	6.2	5.9	6.3	6.3	6.1	6.3	6.4	6.1

8 Apr 1998 : Column WA159

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