A-Level exams are typically studied for over two years when pupils are 16-18. Pupils will typically sit 3- 4 A Level subjects; 3 A Levels is the usual minimum number required for UK University Entrance. As part of the A-Level system, pupils can also sit Advanced Subsidiary level (AS Levels). This is equivalent of one year of study of an A-Level (ie half of an A-Level syllabus). On completing the second year of the syllabus and passing the exams, this AS Level converts to an A-Level. In addition to A-Levels pupils can sit BTEC vocational qualifications post 16.
Our data is from exams taken in 2008. 2009 data at school level is not released until early 2010.
A Level and BTEC grades are equivalent to points - as described in the below table:
| Grade | Points | Grade | Points | Grade | Points |
| A Level | AS Level | Double A-Level | |||
| A | 270 | A | 135 | AA | 540 |
| B | 240 | B | 120 | AB | 510 |
| C | 210 | C | 105 | BB | 480 |
| D | 180 | D | 90 | BC | 450 |
| E | 150 | E | 75 | CC | 420 |
| CD | 390 | ||||
| DD | 360 | ||||
| DE | 330 | ||||
| EE | 300 | ||||
|
BTEC National Award |
BTEC Nat Certificate | BTEC Nat Diploma | |||
| D | 270 | DD | 540 | DDD | 810 |
| M | 225 | DM | 480 | DDM | 757.5 |
| P | 165 | MM | 420 | DMM | 705 |
| MP | 360 | MMM | 652.5 | ||
| PP | 300 | MMP | 600 | ||
| MPP | 547.5 | ||||
| PPP | 495 | ||||
In our tables:
Points/ entry measures the points per average A-Level exam sat. For example, an average point/ entry of 240 would indicate the average A-Level sat at the institution achieved Grade B. This is a good measure of the quality of pupil achievement at the school.
Points/ student measures the points attained by the student across all their A-Level (and other) exams. For example 630 points implies that the average student obtains the equivalent of 3 C Grades (or potentially lower grades if a larger number of subjects are sat). It is therefore a measure of quantity as well as quality of exam results achieved. Set against the typical entrance points of different University courses, it is also an indicator of the kind of courses/ institutions that pupils may be qualified to attend on studying at that school.
CVA measure or Contextual Value Added measures the relative performance of students at the school since GCSE exams. Because pupil peformance at GCSE varies so widely and has such a large effect on future A-Level performance, it is crucial to look at this measure, to get a sense of how well the school/ institution is educating the kind of pupils it admits.
A score of 1000 indicates that pupils at that school have achieved in line with what their GCSE results would have predicted. Above 1000 indicates that the school is achieving higher results than would be expected from their GCSE intake, wheras below 1000 indicates that results may be less than expected.