The CII have recently released the R0 pass rates for 2021 and if you’re anything like us, they make for interesting reading. Particularly those for R03 and R04, both of which had a significant drop from the 2020 rates. (R03 decreased from 65% to 57%, and R04 from 61% to 57%).
You might be thinking what are the reasons for this drop? Because if anything, the consensus is that the exams are generally easier, and the calculations aren’t as long as they used to be…Well. At first glance over the last few years, it looks like the pass rates for those exams are just returning closer to where they were prior to 2020. What was the difference in 2020? Well, the pandemic had to be a factor – exams had to be sat online at home, many people were either furloughed or working remotely, so may have had more time to study. Could more hours at home stuck inside have contributed to a greater dedication to study? Has reduced travel time given that freedom for extra revision? Do people manage better with an online exam rather than the added pressures of a test centre?
Skipping forward to 2021/22, everyone is so busy now – workloads seem to have massively increased, and we’ve found with our students that people are finding it harder than ever to study, whether it’s finding the time, or even the inclination, or has getting back to normality has switched up some peoples’ priorities?
We’ve also been aware of the nightmare that since returning to real life exams, there have been many cases where students turn up to a test centre to be told that it isn’t a test centre anymore! So, does that count as a failure against the student as they ‘didn’t turn up’?
With all that being said, there are a multitude of factors that contribute to the drop in pass rates, we’ve just got to look towards the future and focus on what we can do to ensure each and every student is feeling prepared and given the best possible opportunity to smash their exams.Are you nervous about your upcoming exam? Just drop our team a message and they'll help you find the best tools to help you feel confident again!
