- Title: Fifty years of A-level mathematics: have standards changed?
- Authors: Ian Jones, Chris Wheadon, Sara Humphries, Matthew Inglis
- Access the original paper here
- Watch a video overview:
Paper summary
Research using comparative judgement indicates that A-level mathematics standards declined significantly between the 1960s and 1990s. However, experts found no evidence of further decline since the mid-1990s, contradicting popular claims that academic rigour continues to fall.
If teachers remember one thing from this study, it should be…
While A-level mathematics standards declined between the 1960s and 1990s, there is no evidence of a further drop since 1996. Contrary to popular belief, standards have actually remained stable over the last two decades.
***Paper Deep Dive***
What are the technical terms used in the paper?
- Comparative judgement: Experts compare script pairs to identify the “better” one.
- Cross-moderation: Examiners review scripts from different exams to judge standards.
- Common test: Comparing results from an unchanging test across cohorts.
- Parameter estimate: A statistical value indicating a response’s relative quality.
What are the characteristics of the participants in the study?
The participants were twenty mathematics PhD students from Loughborough University. They were research mathematicians from various countries, chosen because they were unfamiliar with A-level papers. All participants were paid and required to pass a subject knowledge test to qualify.
What does this paper add to the current field of research?
This study extends the research timeframe (1964–2012) and improves validity by using comparative judgment with unbiased experts and re-typeset scripts to minimise surface cues. It challenges the narrative of continuous decline, finding that while standards dropped between the 1960s and 1990s, they have stabilised since 1996.
What are the key implications for teachers in the classroom?
- Reassurance regarding current standards: Teachers can have confidence that A-level mathematics standards have remained stable since 1996. Although the study confirms that standards dropped between the 1960s and the 1990s, there is no evidence to support the popular belief that exams have continued to get easier over the last two decades.
- Validation of student achievement: Teachers can counter the media narrative that undermines current students’ success. The findings suggest that students achieving grades in recent years deserve them and are performing at a standard consistent with candidates from the late 1990s.
- Correction of the “decline” timeline: Teachers should be aware that the significant decline in difficulty occurred between 1968 and 1996. The study dispels the idea of a steep, continuous decline post-1996, suggesting the “rot” stopped much earlier than often claimed.
- Restoring confidence in the system: The suspicion of drifting standards undermines confidence in public examinations. By utilising this rigorous evidence, teachers can help combat speculation and reassure parents and students that the qualification remains valid and fit for purpose.
Why might teachers exercise caution before applying these findings in their classroom?
Caution is warranted as the study relied on a sparse archive of only 66 scripts with significant temporal gaps. Additionally, the findings reflect contemporary experts’ values applied to past work, and the snapshot approach may obscure specific fluctuations, such as the Curriculum 2000 difficulties.
What is a single quote that summarises the key findings from the paper?
“To summarise, we found evidence of a decline in A-level mathematics standards since the 1960s, but this decline appeared to have taken place between 1968 and 1996. Contrary to some suggestions in the popular press, no evidence that standards have declined since 1996 was found.”
