OUR EXAM STATISTICS

Note: Since October 2006 (when ISEB changed the pass mark from 60% to 50%), Amberhawk has achieved a pass rate of 95% with an average pass mark of 61.7%.

IMPORTANT: HOW TO COMPARE STATISTICS

We are proud of our statistics which is why we publish all of them (and for completeness, they include our track record at Pinsent Masons). However, interpretation of statistics is always a difficult matter because they can easily be presented in a way that can mislead.

To compare statistics reliably you need three benchmarks: the number of delegates trained, the pass rate and the average pass mark.

For instance, you need to know the absolute number of delegates to understand the value of any percentage pass rate claimed. In our case, we have trained about 900 candidates for the data protection and FOI qualifications so our statistics demonstrate a consistently high standard over a long period. We do not pretend or claim to be a leading supplier – we can show statistically that we are the leading supplier.

Our pass rates for data protection and FOI exams can be seen to be very different. So we do not provide a combined pass rate that can mask what is happening at the individual subject level. We follow ISEB’s best practice and publish separate pass rate figures: one pass rate for data protection and one for FOI.

Another provider were to claim a pass rate of 75% you might think that it compares not badly with ours at 87% - but you’d be wrong. This is because a supplier who claims a 75% pass rate is actually admitting to a 25% failure rate (i.e. 1 in 4 of their candidates fail the exam). As our figures show below, we have a failure rate averaging close to 13% (1 in 8 fail). The same goes for a 90% pass rate (1 in 10) and our 95% pass rate (1 in 20). So in both cases it follows that we can legitimately claim that we are twice as good.

Another comparison could arise if a supplier were to claim to have an average pass mark of 59% when we have 65%. The fact that the marks are only 6 marks apart masks a 10% gap between the two performances.

We think that all statistical comparators will show you have a much better experience with us. For example,

• in data protection we estimate that, on average, other course providers who do not publish results have a failure rate of around 1 in 3 of delegates. Our estimates are worked out by subtracting our pass statistics from those published by ISEB, excluding the results of the ISEB courses run by the Information Commissioner for his own staff which have a 100% pass rate.

• in FOI, since 2006/7, the figures published on the ISEB website show that for all training providers for FOI there have been 144 passes and 45 fails. During this period Amberhawk delegates obtained 78 passes and 8 fails. That’s a pass rate of over 90%. So taking away our results, the collective performance of other training providers who do not publish result is revealed: a pass rate of 64% (about 66 passes and 37 fails)

These figures explain why we offer a remedial support course for those who have failed with other course providers.

A final comparison is not statistical but anecdotal. Look at the range of delegate organisations that provide testimonials to us. All statistics quoted on this page were updated after the January 2010 results; we update the statistics annually