By Sheila Mckenzie-
Data released from the Department Of Education today reveals high drop out rates for A levels pupils as the higher standard throws several students off the tough two year advanced course.
The data shows that in 2019 (2018/19 academic year), the number of students enrolled in A level programmes decreased by 7.4% when compared to 2018 (down from 257,237 to 238,172). In contrast, the Applied General and Tech Level cohorts saw substantial increases of 79.0% (to 53,615) and 68.2% (to 20,382) respectively.
AD: Capeesh Restaurant
The data also reveals big gaps in the drop-out rates between disadvantaged pupils and their non-disadvantaged peers . Disadvantaged pupils had a retention rate of just 85.5 per cent in 2019, compared with 92.4 per cent among non-disadvantaged pupils.
Experts have long put the differences between the progress of advantaged and disadvantaged groups down to background issues like the number of people in a family, lack of affordable private tuition, and other domestic issues that can have an influence on overall outcomes. Retention rates also vary depending on type of institution. Converter academies have the highest retention rates for A-level at 93.5 per cent, followed by local authority maintained schools (92.7 per cent), free schools (92.1 per cent), 16 to 19 free schools (91.5 per cent) and sponsored academies (91.2 per cent).
A level standards have risen in the past two years as the British government seeks to raise intellectual levels of pupils, but hundreds of pupils have struggled to stay ahead of the higher levels. Most students who take on the challenging two year A levels course intend to complete it until some discover that outside of the minimum consistent hard work required to finish it, they my be doomed to failure. Most A level students receive their predicted grades at the end of the first year, although some students perform much better in the actual exams than their grades suggests.
AD: Oysterian Sea Food Restaurant And Bar
Many students who have not applied themselves in the first year end up disheartened and fall by the wayside, whilst others push through and eventually make it in the final year.
AD: Heritage And Restaurant Lounge Bar