ON Thursday November 22, the Advertiser published the league tables of students' performance at GCSE and A levels for schools and colleges in the Swindon area.

These annual league tables have become a standard measure of achievement for students and parents and a factor in determining school or college choice.

However, many people will be unaware that significant changes have been made this year to the method for calculating A-level results. These have had the effect of distorting the achievement of large further education institutions such as Swindon College.

The method for calculating A levels is that, for each subject, an A grade receives ten points, a B eight points, C six points and so on. Until now the tables were based upon students who had sat a minimum of two A-levels, but this year those taking only one have been included. In most schools sixth form students sit three A-levels and can therefore achieve a maximum 30 points.

At Swindon College we have a strong full time A level course of more than 300 students.

However, we also teach a large number of students who take one A level and can only achieve a maximum of ten points.

This is because, in line with the spirit of Curriculum 2000, we offer a single A level to students doing courses in business, art and other vocational areas. We also have a large number of part-time evening class students doing one A level.

Under the previous method of calculation these students would have been excluded from the tables.

The new system lumps all students together, regardless of the courses they are following, making genuine comparisons between institutions very difficult.

Clearly league tables must be used with a degree of caution.

KEN WARMAN

Head of Art, Design and Academic Studies, Swindon College