Questions · Eton
Why can Eton have more than one sixth-form result?
Eton’s A-level table describes only part of a sixth form that also sat Pre-U, and a figure for that sixth form means little until you know which part was counted.
Covers: A worked example from Eton’s 2019 tables, with an A-level-only comparison for 2015–2019. It is history, and says nothing about Eton’s latest results.
Generated illustration · credits
The answer
Eton published its A-level and Pre-U results in separate tables, and sometimes a combined headline as well, so one year can carry more than one sixth-form figure. Each counts a different set of entries. Our comparable figure puts them all on one scale, with Pre-U D1 and D2 counting as A* and D3 as A, so that the sixth form can be seen whole, and keeps the separate grades and entry totals in view beside it. If two figures for the same sixth form won’t agree, the first thing to ask is which entries each one counts, which is exactly the question we forgot to ask of Eton’s 2023 results.
On this page
We now also publish a comparable figure for each school and year: A-level and Pre-U entries read on one scale (Pre-U D1 and D2 as A*, D3 as A, M1 and M2 as B), weighted by entries and labelled as our calculation, beside the school’s own figure and the original grades. For Eton in 2019 it is 41.6% A* or equivalent (365 of 878 entries). The article’s point survives it. A Pre-U band and an A-level band are still different measures, which is why the tables below keep their own names and the comparison stays A-level only.
Eton’s 2023 results have since become a worked case of this answer, at our own expense: the figures we showed as A-level results counted Pre-U entries too. A new section below sets the two side by side.
The figures
These figures belong to the years and groups discussed in this article. Changing your shortlist leaves this example as it is.
2019 · A-level post-2010 A*–E
Eton · A-level-only A*
38.3%
The A-level-only top-grade measure.
- What it counts
- A-level subject entries
- Total behind the figure
- 624
2019 · A level
Eton · A-level subject entries
624
Entries are examination subjects, not a pupil count.
- What it counts
- A-level subject entries
- Total behind the figure
- Not recorded
2019 · Cambridge Pre-U
Eton · Pre-U D1–D2
49.6%
A separate Pre-U grade band and subject population.
- What it counts
- Self-selected Pre-U subject entries
- Total behind the figure
- 254
2019 · Cambridge Pre-U
Eton · Pre-U subject entries
254
This denominator belongs to the Pre-U table only.
- What it counts
- Self-selected Pre-U subject entries
- Total behind the figure
- Not recorded
Where a boy counts more than once
A results table counts entries, and a boy who sits several subjects appears in it several times, so an entry total is no head-count, however much it looks like one. In Eton’s 2019 example, A level and Pre-U each have their own table, entry total and grade labels. The Pre-U entries came from a small, self-selected group, so their results describe that group and no other – interesting in their own right, but no account of Eton’s whole sixth form, still less a stand-in for another school’s whole-year Pre-U result.
Someone has to decide what a D3 is worth
A combined figure lets you follow a school through more than one qualification, at the price of somebody deciding how one set of grades translates into the other. We apply one mapping to every school, Pre-U D1 and D2 counting towards A* or equivalent and D3 towards A, and a school that maps differently may publish a different headline from the same results, which is why the words “or equivalent” in our label are a warning as much as a description. The arithmetic starts from entries, those reaching the chosen band divided by all the entries included, since averaging the A-level and Pre-U percentages would give equal weight to two groups that may be very different in size. The original tables stay beside the calculation, so anyone can see what went into it.
Eton 2023: a combined figure shown as an A-level result
Eton’s 2023 results show why this matters, and the example, we’re sorry to say, is one we supplied ourselves. The record once showed 44.8% of Eton’s A-level grades at A*. That figure counts A-level and Pre-U entries together, with the Pre-U grades converted, and as arithmetic it is faultless: add Eton’s two signed tables together and you arrive at it exactly. It was simply wearing the wrong label. Eton’s A-level table on its own gives 43.7%. Both figures come from Eton’s own tables, and both stay in the record, each under its proper label, but only the A-level figure counts in A-level comparisons, and correction C31 sets out what changed and why.
Like with like
The comparison linked here looks only at A-level A* results over the stated years, leaving out, with reasons, any year in which the publications disagree or the grades were assessed on a different basis. A combined headline can’t fill an A-level-only gap, however neatly it seems to fit; it would be a family photograph in a passport, with the right face in it somewhere. Nor is A* the only line worth following. The broader A*–A band may show what the top grade misses, and the sources deserve a second reading for it, since a disagreement over A* need not touch A*–A in the same table; a year missing from one comparison may turn up, quite properly, in the next.
Try the comparison
Eton and Westminster: A-level grades at A*, 2015–2019
Share of published A-level entries awarded A* in the named examination year.
Eton’s recorded result was lower than Westminster’s in both shared years (2017, 2019): by 4.9 and 8.7 percentage points. Two shared years are too few to state a typical gap.
Exam eras: 2015–16; 2017–19. The rule beneath the axis marks exam conditions, not schools.
A break in a line means a year has no comparable figure; nothing is estimated. Not charted (fewer than 3 comparable years): Eton (2017: 42.1%; 2019: 38.3%). The figures behind the chart are listed below.
Exact values, and years left out
| School and year | Figure | What it counts | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eton College 2018 | 38.2%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | A-level subject entriesOut of 639 | Source and full figures: Eton College, 2018 |
| Eton College 2019 | 38.3%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | A-level subject entriesOut of 624 | Source and full figures: Eton College, 2019 |
| Eton College 2015 | 36.4%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | A-level subject entries | Source and full figures: Eton College, 2015 |
| Eton College 2016 | 43.5%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | A-level subject entries | Source and full figures: Eton College, 2016 |
| Eton College 2017 | 42%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | A-level subject entries, rounded to whole percentages | Source and full figures: Eton College, 2017 |
| Westminster School 2015 | 49%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | A-level subject entriesOut of 583 | Source and full figures: Westminster School, 2015 |
| Westminster School 2016 | 49%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | A-level subject entriesOut of 570 | Source and full figures: Westminster School, 2016 |
| Westminster School 2017 | 47%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | A-level subject entriesOut of 469 | Source and full figures: Westminster School, 2017 |
| Westminster School 2018 | 48%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | A-level subject entriesOut of 460 | Source and full figures: Westminster School, 2018 |
| Westminster School 2019 | 47%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | A-level subject entriesOut of 454 | Source and full figures: Westminster School, 2019 |
| Eton College 2017 | 42%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | The publication doesn’t say who this counts | Source and full figures: Eton College, 2017 |
| Eton College 2018 | 42%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | The publication doesn’t say who this counts | Source and full figures: Eton College, 2018 |
| Eton College 2015 | 35%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | The publication doesn’t say who this counts | Source and full figures: Eton College, 2015 |
| Eton College 2017 | 42.1%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | A-level subject entries | Source and full figures: Eton College, 2017 |
| Westminster School 2019 | Unknown / not recordedA-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | The publication doesn’t say who this counts | Source and full figures: Westminster School, 2019 |
| Westminster School 2015 | Unknown / not recordedA-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | The publication doesn’t say who this countsOut of 583 | Source and full figures: Westminster School, 2015 |
| Westminster School 2016 | Unknown / not recordedA-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | The publication doesn’t say who this countsOut of 573 | Source and full figures: Westminster School, 2016 |
| Westminster School 2017 | Unknown / not recordedA-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | The publication doesn’t say who this countsOut of 469 | Source and full figures: Westminster School, 2017 |
| Eton College 2015 | 35.4%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | A-level subject entriesOut of 723 | Source and full figures: Eton College, 2015 |
| Eton College 2016 | 42.5%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | A-level subject entriesOut of 709 | Source and full figures: Eton College, 2016 |
| Eton College 2018 | Unknown / not recordedA-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | A-level subject entriesOut of 639 | Source and full figures: Eton College, 2018 |
| Eton College 2019 | Unknown / not recordedA-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | A-level subject entriesOut of 624 | Source and full figures: Eton College, 2019 |
| Westminster School 2015 | 49.7%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | The publication doesn’t say who this countsOut of 583 | Source and full figures: Westminster School, 2015 |
| Westminster School 2016 | 51.0%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | The publication doesn’t say who this countsOut of 573 | Source and full figures: Westminster School, 2016 |
| Westminster School 2017 | 47.1%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | The publication doesn’t say who this countsOut of 469 | Source and full figures: Westminster School, 2017 |
| Westminster School 2018 | Unknown / not recordedA-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | The publication doesn’t say who this countsOut of 460 | Source and full figures: Westminster School, 2018 |
| Westminster School 2018 | 48.0%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | The publication doesn’t say who this countsOut of 460 | Source and full figures: Westminster School, 2018 |
| Westminster School 2019 | 46.7%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | The publication doesn’t say who this countsOut of 454 | Source and full figures: Westminster School, 2019 |
| Westminster School 2019 | 46.7%A-level post-2010 A*–E · Grade awards | The publication doesn’t say who this countsOut of 454 | Source and full figures: Westminster School, 2019 |
Record details
Each figure’s status as recorded, the precision it was printed to, and its record code.
- Eton College, 2018: Primary · 1 decimal place ·
fig:eton_alevel_primary_sheets:0 - Eton College, 2019: Primary · 1 decimal place ·
fig:eton_alevel_primary_sheets:1 - Eton College, 2015: Primary / Secondary · 1 decimal place ·
fig:eton_alevel_headline_gap_years:4 - Eton College, 2016: Primary / Secondary · 1 decimal place ·
fig:eton_alevel_headline_gap_years:5 - Eton College, 2017: Primary / Secondary · 0 decimal places ·
fig:eton_alevel_headline_gap_years:6 - Westminster School, 2015: Primary · 0 decimal places ·
fig:westminster_alevel:27 - Westminster School, 2016: Primary · 0 decimal places ·
fig:westminster_alevel:28 - Westminster School, 2017: Primary · 0 decimal places ·
fig:westminster_alevel:29 - Westminster School, 2018: Primary · 0 decimal places ·
fig:westminster_alevel:30 - Westminster School, 2019: Primary · 0 decimal places ·
fig:westminster_alevel:31 - Eton College, 2017: Primary · 0 decimal places ·
new:eton:2017:alevel-accounts - Eton College, 2018: Source disagreement · versions retained · 0 decimal places ·
new:eton:2018:a-level-annual-report-version - Eton College, 2015: Source disagreement · versions retained · 0 decimal places ·
new:eton:2015:a-level-annual-report-version - Eton College, 2017: Primary · 0 decimal places ·
new:eton:2017:a-level-final-table - Westminster School, 2019: Primary · As published; not an exact number ·
new:westminster:2019:sixth-form-published-equivalent:newsletter - Westminster School, 2015: Primary · As published; not an exact number ·
new:westminster:2015:isc:a-level-isc-population - Westminster School, 2016: Primary · As published; not an exact number ·
new:westminster:2016:isc:a-level-isc-population - Westminster School, 2017: Primary · As published; not an exact number ·
new:westminster:2017:isc:a-level-isc-population - Eton College, 2015: Verified primary publication; printed percentages · 0 decimal places ·
research:eton:2015:audit-al2015 - Eton College, 2016: Verified primary publication; printed percentages · 0 decimal places ·
research:eton:2016:audit-al2016 - Eton College, 2018: Verified primary publication; printed percentages · As published; not an exact number ·
research:eton:2018:audit-current-2018-Final-Statistics-A2 - Eton College, 2019: Verified primary publication; printed percentages · As published; not an exact number ·
research:eton:2019:audit-current-2019-Final-Summer-A2 - Westminster School, 2015: Source-defined table; date / version and scope retained · 0 decimal places ·
research:westminster:2015:existing-counts-new-westminster-2015-isc-a-level-isc-population - Westminster School, 2016: Source-defined table; date / version and scope retained · 0 decimal places ·
research:westminster:2016:existing-counts-new-westminster-2016-isc-a-level-isc-population - Westminster School, 2017: Source-defined table; date / version and scope retained · 0 decimal places ·
research:westminster:2017:existing-counts-new-westminster-2017-isc-a-level-isc-population - Westminster School, 2018: Source-defined table; date / version and scope retained · As published; not an exact number ·
research:westminster:2018:a-level-2018-school-subject-counts - Westminster School, 2018: Source-defined table; date / version and scope retained · 0 decimal places ·
research:westminster:2018:isc-shared-a-level-isc-population - Westminster School, 2019: Source-defined table; date / version and scope retained · 0 decimal places ·
research:westminster:2019:a-level-2019-school-subject-counts - Westminster School, 2019: Source-defined table; date / version and scope retained · 0 decimal places ·
research:westminster:2019:isc-shared-a-level-isc-population
- Eton · 2015: source disagreement; research observation outside matched schoolwide scope; incompatible definitions; unknown population basis
- Eton · 2016: source disagreement
- Eton · 2017: incompatible definitions; research observation outside matched schoolwide scope; unknown population basis
- Eton · 2018: source disagreement; research observation outside matched schoolwide scope; incompatible definitions; unknown population basis; missing value
- Eton · 2019: missing value
- Westminster · 2015: research observation outside matched schoolwide scope; incompatible definitions; unknown population basis; missing value
- Westminster · 2016: research observation outside matched schoolwide scope; incompatible definitions; unknown population basis; missing value
- Westminster · 2017: research observation outside matched schoolwide scope; incompatible definitions; unknown population basis; missing value
- Westminster · 2018: research observation outside matched schoolwide scope; incompatible definitions; unknown population basis; missing value
- Westminster · 2019: research observation outside matched schoolwide scope; incompatible definitions; unknown population basis; missing value
Where these figures come from
Each record gives the full definition, the documents it came from and what we checked.
Eton College, A level 2019: 38.3% of 624 entries graded A*
The A-level-only top-grade measure. Entries are examination subjects, not a pupil count.
Publications differ on A*–A. Checked against the original: A*–B.
Eton College, Pre-U 2019: 82.3% of 254 entries at D1–D3
A separate Pre-U grade band and subject population. This denominator belongs to the Pre-U table only.
We have not yet identified this figure’s source well enough to check the original. The research references are available in Record details.
- This comparison can’t show what teaching did, or any one pupil’s prospects.
- A grade mapping used in one historical publication need not hold for every comparison between the same qualifications.
About this answer
Written by The Schools Record from the sources identified above. The earlier research listed below helped us find the questions and passages to examine. Figures in the article come from the current record, so an older research document cannot substitute an earlier number.
- Figures Bible v15.3 · historical examination reconstruction · pages 16–17, 39–46
Reviewed for this edition on ; next review by . That review covers this reading of the cited evidence. It does not mean that every original historical publication has been checked again.
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