Posts tagged ‘Five A*-C’

Using AM7 to calculate Five A*-C

Tuesday 14th October 2008, 13:25 - posted by David Pott

Calculating Five A*-C (including Maths and English)

In line with recent changes to Ofsted advice, here’’s how to create a marksheet that counts up the number of A*-C grades, then highlights the pupils with five or more, and also highlights the pupils with five A*-C grades including Maths and English.

This scenario uses a set of grade aspects to record the actual subject grades. The grade aspects are linked to a gradeset that uses the standard points scores got GCSE grades (A*=58, A=52, B=46, C=40 etc). GCSE science is a double award, and a short ICT course counts as half an award. All other courses count as a single GCSE. You might need to change this example slightly to fit the gradesets you use and the exams you offer.

1) Create a formula column to calculate the number of A*-C for single (full) award subjects as follows:

  • Add a column for data review using a formula and call it ”Count Full GCSE”
  • Use the ”Grade Tally” formula to calculate the number of A*, A, B and C grades (see below)

2) Create a formula column to calculate the number of A*-C grades for double award subjects.

  • See above, but just select the double award subjects and call the column ”Count Double GCSE”

3) Create a formula column to calculate the number of A*-C grades for short award subjects.

  • See above, but just select the short award subjects and call the column ”Count Short GCSE”

4) Add a column to multiply the number of double award subjects by 2 and call it ”Equivalent Double GCSE”

See example below:

 5) Add a column to divide the number of short award subjects by 2 and call it ”Equivalent Short GCSE”.

See example below:

You might need to add extra columns for DIDA, CIDA etc. 

6) To obtain the total number of A*-C grades:

simply add together these columns using the SUM formula in a new formula review column:

  • Equivalent Short GCSE
  • Equivalent Double GCSE
  • Count Full GCSE

Call the column ”No A*-C”

7) To display a ”Y” if the student has 5 or more A*-C grades

  • If you don”t already have one, create a gradeset called Yes/No where Y=1 and N=0
  • Create an aspect called ”5+ A* - C” and put it in the Yes/No gradeset
  • Add a ”formula for data entry” column as follows:
8) To calculate 5 A* to C including maths and english
Create an aspect called ”5+ A* - C inc Ma+En” and put it in the Yes/No gradeset
Add a ”formula for data entry” column as follows:
Tip: You can easily amend this formula to show 5+ A*-C grade including just English, or just Maths. Simply omit the references to Maths or English in the above formula.
Finally,
Create a marksheet and test. If you have problems, feel free to phone or email me (david.pott@sict.bolton.gov.uk) and I can arrange to visit.
If there are any errors or omissions in these instructions, please let me know.
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