This Statistical First Release (SFR) provides revised information on the overall achievements of young people in GCE and Applied GCE A-level examinations and other equivalent qualifications in 2010/11. This updates the provisional SFR released in October 2011 and contains revised national level analyses by school type, gender and subject, and revised local authority level analyses. Further tables are provided separately on the Department's statistics website only, including alternative local analyses, time series giving achievements in GCE A/AS level subjects, and achievements in GCE A level subjects by institution type and local authority.

The information in this SFR is based on data collated for the 2011 School and College (Key Stage 5) Performance Tables, which has now been checked by schools, and covers achievements in all Level 3 qualifications approved under Section 96 of the Learning and Skills Act (2000). The DfE Performance Table points are used to calculate point scores for all Level 3 qualifications – see technical notes for more details.

Key points

All comparisons below are made against revised 2009/10 figures published in January 2011 (see 'related publications').

For students aged 16-18 in schools and colleges entered for all Level 3 qualifications in 2010/11 (Table 1a)

  • 94.0 per cent of students achieved passes equivalent in size to at least 2 GCE/Applied GCE A Levels, compared with 94.8 per cent in 2009/10.
  • The average point score per student entered for Level 3 qualifications in 2010/11 was 745.9, slightly higher than the 2009/10 figure of 744.8.
  • The average Level 3 point score per entry is equivalent to just above a grade C at A Level and has increased to 216.2, compared to an average of 214.4 in 2009/10. A grade C at A Level yields 210 points.
  • Female students achieved higher average point scores than males. The average total points achieved by female students were 28.7 points higher (759.4 compared to 730.7 for males and the average points per entry were 6.6 points higher (219.3 compared to 212.7 for males).
  • A similar percentage of female students achieved 2 A Level passes or equivalent compared to males (94.2 per cent compared to 93.9 per cent).

For students aged 16-18 in schools and colleges entered for GCE/Applied GCE A Level and Double Awards in 2010/11 (Table 1a)

  • 13.1 per cent of GCE/Applied GCE A Level and Double Award students achieved 3 or more A* or A grades at A Level, compared to 12.8 per cent in 2009/10. A similar percentage of males achieved 3 or more A* or A grades compared to females (13.4 per cent compared to 12.8 per cent for females).
  • 20.8 per cent of students achieved AAB or better passes at GCE/Applied GCE A Levels or Double Awards. A similar percentage of female students achieved AAB or higher, 21.2 per cent, compared to 20.4 per cent for males.

Contact details

David Bartholomew
Telephone: 0370 000 2288
Email: Attainment.STATISTICS@education.gsi.gov.uk