The majority of parents believe their teenage children are getting a better education than their own generation (57%) and that education in England and Wales is heading in the right direction.

Twice the number of parents (25%) think that A levels are getting harder compared to those who think they are getting easier (12%). Parents' opinion on GCSEs was more divided with 26% who think they are getting harder compared to 21% who think they are getting easier. Parents say that their children have to study harder than they did to achieve good results in exams.

These are the findings from a major survey of parents whose children have sat GCSEs or A levels in the past three years. The Opinion Research Business survey commissioned by Edexcel, the examining board, is the first survey of confidence in the education system amongst parents whose children have just completed GCSE and A level exams.

'Parents are seeing that qualifications are the new wealth of a knowledge economy,' comments Dr Christina Townsend, Edexcel Chief Executive. 'This survey shows us that parents are seeing standards rising and their children working harder and smarter than their own generation. The best time for learning seems to be now.'

The survey reveals that the majority of parents have confidence in the education system (63%) and most think that education is heading in the right direction (61%). Most parents think that the general level of education in England and Wales had improved (38%) or at least remained constant (37%) across the last few years.

Parents' have a high level of satisfaction with the schools their children attended (87%) and believe the general level of education within the school has gone up in recent years (45%) or at least stayed the same (40%). Only 12% think it has gone down.

Nearly two thirds of parents (62%) believe their children have to work harder than they did to achieve good results in exams. This was especially true of parents who themselves had no qualifications (74%).

The recent increase in pass rates is believed to be the result of students working harder (41%) and more effective teaching methods (28%).

Parents were strongly in favour of the contribution of coursework towards the final exam mark (87%). They believe it is fairer and makes children less dependent on a single exam and encourages them to work more consistently throughout the course.

Most parents (43%) thought their children's exam results were about the same as expected but a significant number (39%) thought their children performed better than expected. The majority of parents of A level students said their child had obtained a place at the university of their choice (65%).

There was agreement among parents that A levels were an important exam (93%) and of a high standard (79%) but more than half felt it was possible to have a good career with other qualifications.

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