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Published:
This is an archived release.
School points are increasing
From 2009, the average school points have steadily increased to this year’s average of 41.2. From 2015 to 2016, the marks increased in every county, regardless of social background and immigration category.
| 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower secondary school points | English, written | Mathematics | Norwegian first-choice form | |
| All pupils | 41.2 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.8 |
| Sex | ||||
| Boys | 39.0 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 3.5 |
| Girls | 43.4 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 4.2 |
| Parents' educational attainment level | ||||
| Primary, lower secondary or no formal education | 34.7 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 3.1 |
| Upper secondary education | 38.8 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 3.6 |
| University and college education, 4 years or less | 43.0 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 4.0 |
| University and college education, more than 4 years | 46.2 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.4 |
| Unknown | 35.9 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 3.2 |
In recent years, we have seen a positive development in school points, which also applies to the 60 720 pupils completing lower secondary school with school points in 2016. The national average has steadily increased from 39.5 in 2009 to this year’s average of 41.2. Girls achieve an average of 4.4 school points more than boys.
Increases in every county, and mostly among immigrants
School points are increasing in every county, except in Aust-Agder where the average remains stable from 2015 at 40.6 points. Since these statistics were first published in 2009, 2016 is the first year where every county has achieved an average of more than 40 points. In Finnmark, the average has risen by almost one point since the previous school year, from 39.2 to 40.1.
The marks are also increasing in all immigration categories. The highest average is among Norwegian born to immigrant parents from the EU/EEA, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, with 43.5. Since 2009, the average has increased more among immigrant pupils, with 2.7 points. The equivalent increase among pupils with no immigrant background is 1.7.
Impact of parents’ education
As we have seen in recent years, pupils with highly educated parents get higher marks. In every year from 2009, the average is divided between pupils with parents with and without tertiary education. Whilst children of parents with tertiary education achieve an average of more than 40 school points, others achieve an average below 40. Meanwhile, we see that average marks are increasing amongst all pupils regardless of their parents’ education level.
Greater disparities in mathematics
Mathematics is the subject with the lowest average mark, and is also where we see the greatest disparities between pupils based on parents’ level of education. While children of parents with a longer tertiary education achieve an average of 4.3 in mathematics, the corresponding average for those with parents with no tertiary education is 2.7. As in the previous school year, it is in physical education and food and health where the marks are least affected by socio-economic factors. In these subjects, all groups achieve an average of around 4.
Optional subjects are included in the calculation of school points.Open and readClose
As from the school year of 2014-2015, optional subjects are included in the calculation of school points. Source: The Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training.
Contact
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Rachel Ekren
E-mail: rachel.ekren@ssb.no
tel.: (+47) 95 83 89 67