Private schools are no better for A-levels

4 December 2006

The Times

Dear Sir,

In 2005, Professor David Jesson published research showing that, among the brightest UK pupils aged 11, those at independent schools were almost certain to get three As at A level, compared to only a third of similarly bright maintained school pupils.

By the time pupils take GCSE, many of the bright children in maintained schools will already have failed to reach their potential. Recalibrating ‘brightness' on achieved GCSE results leaves these damaged pupils out of the equation. The conclusions from Alexandra Frean's article ("Private schools are no better for A-levels") are therefore doubly flawed. Firstly these "early failures" in the maintained sector are pushed out of sight. Secondly, Jesson's research does not take into account the lack of differentiation within the A grade at A-level. 2004 research from AQA (The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance) found that in 'harder subjects', independent school students are twice as likely to get A grades as maintained school pupils, and if an A* grade were to be introduced, the figure would rise to five times as likely. In 2005, the independent sector accounted for 45% of hard science A-level A grades from schools, a percentage which rises to more than 50% in modern foreign languages.

With the Prime Minister only last week giving the go ahead to the A* A level grade, the value of an independent sixth form education will be greater than ever. 

Jonathan Shephard
General Secretary, Independent Schools Council