Student Performance Analysis

Table 1

The latest Department for Education GCSE grades and points scales can be seen at Key Stage 4 qualifications, discount codes and point scores

Grade	GCSE points
9	9
8	8
7	7
6	6
5	5
4	4
3	3
2	2
1	1

These grades and points come into general use in 2018 having only been used for a limited number of subjects in 2017.

With the advent of half GCSEs, or short course GCSEs, the DFEE decided that these examinations should merit exactly half the points of full GCSEs. Therefore the points allocation was as follows:

Grade	Full GCSE points old system	Half GCSE points old system	Full GCSE points new system	Half GCSE points new system
A*	8	4	58	29
A	7	3.5	52	26
B	6	3	46	23
C	5	2.5	40	20
D	4	2	34	17
E	3	1.5	28	14
F	2	1	22	11
G	1	0.5	16	8

These points were aggregated to provide a total points score for the school and then divided by the number of candidates to produce an average points score per pupil in the school. This figure was one of the performance measures for the school reported in the DFEE Performance Tables.

In calculating the percentage of pupils with five or more GCSE grades at C grade or above half GCSE's count where two or more were at C grade or above.
Where a candidate achieved four full GCSE's at grade C and two half GCSE's, also at grade C, then this candidate would be considered to have achieved the equivalent of five GCSE's at or above C grade.
If a candidate gained four full GCSE's at C grade or above and one half GCSE, even if it were an A*, then this candidate would still be judged to have gained only four full GCSE's.
Should a candidate achieve a half GCSE at grade D and another half GCSE at grade A* this would not be considered the equivalent of a full GCSE at grade C, for half GCSE's cannot be aggregated in this way, but a candidate with two half GCSE's of a B and a C grade would.

Clearly, where a school only allowed its candidates to sit one half GCSE their results, no matter how good, could not contribute to the performance measure of five or more GCSE's at grade C or above. They could still count to the average points per pupil measure however.

Table 2

Part 1 GNVQ Intermediate qualifications are equivalent to two GCSE grades in the range A*-C. Part 1 GNVQ Foundation level qualifications are equivalent to two GCSE grades in the D-G range.
The DFEE has decided that these examinations should merit points as follows:

Grade	Part 1 GNVQ Intermediate points	GCSE grade equivalence	New points scale
Distinction	7.5 x 2	A* & A	55 x 2
Merit	6 x 2	B & B	46 x 2
Pass	5 x 2	C & C	40 x 2
Grade	Part 1 GNVQ Foundation points	GCSE grade equivalence	New points scale
Distinction	4 x 2	D & D	34 x 2
Merit	3 x 2	E & E	28 x 2
Pass	1.5 x 2	F & G	19 x 2

NB. Full GNVQ Intermediate and Foundation courses are worth exactly double the above stated points.

By way of illustration, a pupil who has gained a GNVQ Intermediate qualification with distinction will be deemed to have the equivalent points to a GCSE candidate gaining two GCSEs graded A* and A.

Table 3

Advance GNVQ qualifications are equivalent to two A level grades.
The DFEE has decided that these examinations should merit points as follows:

Grade	Advanced GNVQ points	A level grade equivalence
Distinction	220	A & B
Merit	160	C & C
Pass	100	D & E

Table 4

From 2010 onwards A2 examinations have a starred A grade. The UCAS points each grade merited upto 2016 are as follows:
A2 grade	AS grade	UCAS pts
A*		140
A		120
B		100
C		80
D	A	60
	B	50
E	C	40
	D	30
	E	20

The UCAS points each grade merits changed from 2017 as follows:
A2 grade	UCAS pts	AS grade	UCAS pts
A*	56
A	48	A	20
B	40	B	16
C	32	C	12
D	24	D	10
E	16	E	6