A-level results worst in four years with top grades down and a massive scramble for uni clearing places
PUPILS are receiving the worst A-Level results in four years today – with thousands scrambling to grab leftover university places after missing out on their top choices.
Marks have returned to 2019 levels after pandemic-era teacher assessments were ditched and normal exams were brought back.
It means the number of entries awarded an A or A* plunged 9.2 per cent to 27.2 compared with 36.4 last year- a drop of 73,000 top grades.
And the proportion of students clinching a pass mark above an E dipped to 97.3 per cent from 98.4 per cent in 2022. It is also the lowest pass rate since 2008.
Following their results, 19,000 teenagers have been rejected from their top two university preferences and are competing for Clearing courses.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan this morning downplayed the importance of A-Levels in someone’s career.
READ MORE ON RESULTS DAY
She said: “Somebody asked me, ‘What will people ask you in 10 years’ time?’ They won’t ask you anything about your A-level grades in 10 years’ time.”
And Rishi Sunak agreed that your A-Level results are “not necessarily a deal-breaker”.
In key developments:
- The gap between richer and poorer teens going to university slightly increased
- The drop in grades was steeper in England than in Wales and Northern Ireland
- International students fell back although China grabbed the most uni spots
- Economics surged in popularity to knock Geography out of the top 10 A Levels
- The UCAS website crashed this morning leaving students awaiting their fate
- 30 per cent of results in London were A or A* – compared to 22 per cent in the North East
- 90.5 per cent of T Level students achieved a pass or above in the second year of the technical qualification
The drop in A-Level marks was engineered by regulators who insist returning to 2019 standards is vital for bosses to fairly compare cohorts across the years.
Generous grades dished out by teachers in 2020 and 2021 saw a fifth of papers marked A*.
The 335,437 teenagers receiving A-Level results today got 8.9 per cent A* entries compared with 14.6 per cent in 2022 – but higher than 7.7 per cent in 2019.
Some 3,820 brainbox teens in England alone scored three A*grades – down from around 8,000 last year but more than before lockdown.
Boys have pulled ahead of girls at the top grade this year after female entries were in front for the last three years, with A* grades at 9.1 per cent for the former compared with 8.8 per cent for the latter.
A total of 414,940 applicants have gained a place at university or college – down 2.6 per cent on the same point last year, according to data published by the university admissions service.
‘BRUISING’
Geoff Barton, of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the worse results would be a blow to teenagers.
He said: “This adjustment is a return to normality after the pandemic which necessitated the use of different approaches to grading.
“Whatever the rationale, however, it will feel like a bruising experience for many students, as well as schools and colleges which will have seen a sharp dip in top grades compared to the past three years.”
Ms Keegan defended returning to 2019 grading standards as a matter of fairness.
She told Times Radio: “It’s a couple of years now since the pandemic and it is fair to do that.
“And it actually will be better for all of the students because these will be highly respected. And they’ll hold their value and they’ll be back exactly to 2019.”
“In ten years’ time, no one will be looking at your A-level results. They’ll be looking at what you’ve done since, how you’ve achieved in the workplace.
“What you did at uni will be the next thing. What you did in your degree apprenticeship if you go on that route.”
Rishi Sunak retweeted former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson who continued his annual tradition of announcing that he got a C and 2 Us, adding that “it’s not the end of the world if your A level results aren’t what you’d hoped for”.
The Prime Minister said: “Jeremy has made a career of being the exception not the rule but he does have a good point here – results day is important, but not necessarily a deal-breaker.”