The percentage of A* and A grades in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland has decreased for the second consecutive year, to 27.2% of all grades.
This is nearly at pre-pandemic levels.
It follows an increase in A+ grades in 2020 and 2021 when examinations were canceled due to the Covid virus.
The decrease is worse in England, where grades were projected to return to 2019 levels.
This year’s grades in Wales and Northern Ireland were always expected to be slightly higher.
Compared to 2022, there are 73,008 fewer high grades in 2019, but 31,834 more than in 2018.
Last week, the pass rate for exams in Scotland decreased but remained higher than before the pandemic.
Some students will be disappointed by the decline in high grades, but this has nothing to do with their performance.
It is part of a plan to return grades to pre-pandemic levels after sharp increases in 2020 and 2021 when exams were canceled and results were dependent on teachers’ evaluations.
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) reported that 79% of 18-year-olds who applied to university received a place at their top choice institution. This figure is lower than last year but higher than before the pandemic.
Another 9% did not gain admission to their firm or insurance-preferred university and are enrolled in a clearing, Ucas’s online system that advertises available courses.
A and A Grades Decline for Second Year in a Row*
Ucas has previously forewarned that spaces on certain courses at top universities would “go quite quickly” during clearing, due to the increasing number of 18-year-olds in the population and the slight increase in international applications to undergraduate courses compared to the previous year.
In Wales and Northern Ireland, students’ AS-level results will contribute towards their final A-level results next summer.
In addition, 3,448 pupils in England receive vocational T-level certifications. The passing rate was 90.5%, and 69.2% of students earned merit or higher.
Lara, age 18, plans to leave her family residence in London and attend college in the coming weeks.
She was disappointed with her A-level results in English literature, mathematics, and computer science. But she has since obtained a place through clearing.
“Fortunately, my parents and teacher were present to offer me assistance, and we called clearing immediately,” she said.
“Everyone should be proud of their accomplishments. And if you don’t get the grades you want, there are so many other options available.”
Lara is a registered young carer for her younger sibling, and relocating to college causes her “some anxiety.”
She said, “I’ll still be available by phone and in person, but there is apprehension that I’ll be leaving, and I don’t know how either of us will react to that.
Lara says she is prepared to take the next step with the support of her parents, family, and the Guardians Trust charity, and she would encourage other young guardians to reach out for assistance.
Shifting Grading Strategies in the Wake of Pandemic
“When I leave, my sister Hollie would like to convert my room into a Lego room,” she says. “She is very excited.”
Exams in 2020 and 2021 were canceled due to Covid. Instead of using a traditional grading system, students’ grades were based on instructors’ predictions, increasing the number of students achieving the highest grades.
Exams regulator Ofqual devised a two-year strategy to return A-level and GCSE results to pre-pandemic levels.
Since the outbreak of the pandemic, students took exams for the first time last year. It was deemed a “transition year” by Ofqual, with grades reflecting a midpoint between 2019 and 2021. Approximately 36.4% of A-level grades in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland were A* or A.
In the second phase of the strategy, English grades resemble those in 2019, when 25.4% of A-levels were top scoring.
Nick Gibb, minister of education, stated that bringing them back down would ensure that results carried “weight and credibility” with employers, universities, and colleges so that they know what the various grades imply.
However, this year’s A-level students were also negatively affected by Covid.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan stated that A-level and other Level 3 students confronted “unprecedented circumstances”
When the pandemic struck, the majority of them were in 10th grade, and their GCSEs were canceled. So this is the first time they have taken formal exams.
Challenges and Concerns Amidst Exam Disruptions and Changes
The achievement gap between disadvantaged and other students could take a decade to revert to pre-Covid levels, MPs warn.
Teacher strikes have also affected these pupils this year, though unions have tried to minimise the impact in exam years.
The Covid disruption has prevented a full return to normal.
Ofqual states that there was “protection built into the grading process” to ensure that students receive the grades they would have received if the pandemic had not occurred, even if they performed less well in their exams.
In addition, some Covid measures remained in force for this year’s examinations. A-levels were further apart than before the pandemic, allowing for more time for leisure and review.
However, unlike the rest of the UK, English A-level pupils were not told of the test themes.
This week, the Higher Education Policy Institute stated that “England probably made a mistake” by attempting to return to normal “too quickly.”
Jo Saxton, the head of Ofqual, stated that English students would not be at a disadvantage because universities had been informed beforehand that various nations would take different approaches.
According to the Association of School and College Leaders, the government must inform employers that different grade levels have been assigned to different year groups.
