Inter-Subject Comparability of
Exam Standards in GCSE and A
level
An HEI Perspective
Alison Matthews
‘It’s worth mentioning at the outset of this working
paper that the arguments which it develops are
complex’
‘there is no consensus amongst assessment
experts – either nationally or internationally –
concerning the definition of inter-subject
comparability. In fact, there is no consensus that
inter-subject comparability can plausibly be defined
at all’
Ofqual ISC Working Paper 6
HEI Perspective
A levels
Two main purposes:
1. To provide subject content preparation to support learning on entry to
undergraduate study
2. To provide evidence of applicant ability to manage undergraduate level
study more generally.
Proportion of A level applicants to Oxford
• All applicants = 65%
• UK applicants = 86%
(five year average 2011-2015)
Undergraduate Admissions - Oxford
Providing that any specific subject requirements have been met, all A-levels are
approved for admissions purposes, with the exception of General Studies.
48 Undergraduate Course Groups:
18 with 0 essential subject requirements
18 with 1 essential subject requirement
12 with 2 essential subject requirements
Essential subjects
Total offer holders
% offer holders
0
1095
34
1
1185
37
2
936
29
TOTAL
3216
100
Subject Ranking by Difficulty
– using Ofqual’s Rasch Modelling (ISC Working Paper 3)
Further mathematics
Latin
Critical thinking
Physics
General studies
Chemistry
Biology
Logic/philosophy
Mathematics
Computer studies/computing
French
German
Science: environmental
Accounting/finance
Spanish
Music
Economics
Classical civilisation
Government and politics
Psychology
Sport/physical education studies
History
Law
Music technology
Business studies and economics*
Geography
Religious studies
Information technology
Geology
Mathematics
Chemistry
Physics
History
Further mathematics
English literature
Biology
Economics
French
Geography
Religious studies
Government and politics
Spanish
Psychology
Latin
German
Music
Art and design***
Classical civilisation
English language
English
Logic/philosophy
Drama and theatre studies
Law
Sociology
Business studies*
Computer studies/computing
Fine art
Critical thinking
Qualification Combinations - offer holders
Subject.1
Chemistry
Biology
Further Mathematics
Chemistry
Biology
Biology
Economics
English Literature
English Literature
Economics
English Literature
English Literature
Chemistry
English Literature
Economics
Economics
Economics
Biology
Biology
Biology
Economics
Economics
Biology
Classical Civilisation
Economics
Computing
Biology
Biology
Economics
Classics - Latin
English Literature
Government & Politics
Biology
English Literature
Chemistry
Biology
Further Mathematics
English Literature
Biology
Biology
History
Biology
Subject.2
Further Mathematics
Chemistry
Mathematics
Mathematics
Chemistry
Chemistry
Further Mathematics
History
History
History
French
Government & Politics
Further Mathematics
Geography
Geography
Mathematics
English Literature
Chemistry
Chemistry
English Literature
Further Mathematics
Government & Politics
Chemistry
English Literature
Further Mathematics
Further Mathematics
Chemistry
Mathematics
Government & Politics
English Literature
History
History
Chemistry
History
Economics
Chemistry
History
French
Chemistry
Chemistry
Mathematics
Geography
Subject.3
Mathematics
Mathematics
Physics
Physics
Mathematics
Further Mathematics
Mathematics
Religious Studies
Mathematics
Mathematics
History
History
Mathematics
History
Mathematics
Physics
History
Geography
History
History
Mathematics
History
Physics
History
History
Mathematics
Further Mathematics
Physics
Mathematics
History
Spanish
Mathematics
History
Psychology
Mathematics
French
Mathematics
Spanish
English Literature
English Literature
Physics
Mathematics
Subject.4
Physics
NA
NA
NA
Physics
Mathematics
Physics
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Mathematics
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Mathematics
Physics
Mathematics
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Mathematics
Physics
NA
Mathematics
NA
NA
NA
Applicants for Law
All the same?
Biology
Chemistry
Mathematics
Economics
English
Literature
Mathematics
Biology
English
Literature
Psychology
English Language &
Literature
French
History
Latin
English
Literature
History
Letting the genie out of the bottle…
‘The act of formally raising it [issue of inter-subject comparability] from implicit to explicit
policy might, in itself, have consequences which should be considered… …an
uncomfortable corollary of explicitly adopting the ‘no action’ policy is that it ought also to
be stated explicitly that there is no strong basis for assuming that grades from different
subjects are comparable and, therefore, there is no strong justification for treating them
interchangeably’
‘…students who wish to be perceived as stronger will gravitate towards ‘harder’
subjects, ensuring a more competitive environment for those who are more
motivated by competition… lower-aspiration students might gravitate towards
‘easier’ subjects’
…‘It might even be argued that GCSE and A level exam results do not need to
demonstrate inter-subject comparability in order to fulfil their primary purposes. If
other organisations… required those results to demonstrate inter-subject
comparability to support secondary purposes (for example, accountability or
selection), then there might be some justification for recommending that responsibility
for scaling results prior to use ought to lie with secondary users.’
Ofqual ISC Working Paper 6
Questions from us
• What about the impact of this and any possible action on patterns of
attainment by different school types and student background?
• Things are about to change with the new A levels – how might these
change the picture?
• All A levels or England only? What about Wales and NI?