Scramble for college locations after greatest ever drop in A-level outcomes
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tudents noticed the most important ever drop in A-Level outcomes in the present day as prime grades plunged by 1 / 4 as examination chiefs battle pandemic grade inflation.
Teenagers now face a scramble to safe college locations in one of the fiercely aggressive clearing rounds but.
Top grades dropped by 25 per cent in comparison with final 12 months, however are nonetheless greater than earlier than the pandemic.
It means there have been 73,000 fewer prime grades awarded this 12 months than final 12 months, however 32,000 greater than in 2019.
Results have been intentionally decrease for the second 12 months operating as exams watchdog Ofqual aimed to scale back grades that spiralled throughout the pandemic when exams have been cancelled and marks have been primarily based on trainer evaluation.
But in the present day’s outcomes are nonetheless seven per cent greater than in 2019, when exams have been final graded usually.
Today’s outcomes, printed by examination boards, present 27.2 per cent of A-levels have been graded A or A*. This is a 25 per cent drop from final 12 months when 36.4 per cent got the highest mark.
The outcomes are seven per cent greater than 2019 grades, which is the final 12 months exams have been taken and marked usually. Results have been intentionally decrease this 12 months in a bid to return grades to 2019 ranges, when 25.4 per cent of exams got the highest marks.
19,000 college students are in the present day and not using a college place after failing to get the grades wanted for his or her provide.
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Record drop in prime grades however greater than pre-pandemic ranges
The variety of college students awarded prime grades has fallen in a document drop in contrast with 2022, however stays above pre-pandemic ranges.
More than 1 / 4 of entries, 27.2 per cent, have been awarded both an A or A*, down from 36.4 per cent in 2022, however up from 25.4 per cent in 2019.
Around one in 11 college students obtained an A*, down from one in seven final 12 months, however greater than 2019’s determine, which was 7.7 per cent.
The general cross fee is the bottom determine since 2008, at 97.3 per cent. In 2022 it was 98.4 per cent and it 2019 it was 97.6 per cent.
The hottest topic was maths, psychology got here in second and economics entered the ten hottest matters for the primary time.
The figures, printed by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), cowl A-level entries from college students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Jeremy Clarkson makes ‘good point’ about examination outcomes, PM says
Rishi Sunak has agreed with Jeremy Clarkson’s recommendation that “it’s not the end of the world if your A level results aren’t what you’d hoped for”.
The broadcaster wrote on X, previously often called Twitter: “I got a C and 2 Us and here I am today with my own brewery.”
The Prime Minister informed college students: “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. Whatever results you got today, there are lots of options available to you.”
Reports of earlier Ucas web site crash
Students reported on social media that the Ucas web site crashed earlier on Thursday morning as hundreds tried to seek out out their outcomes.
The system, which is used to trace college purposes, was resulting from replace from 8am on Thursday.
But a number of college students reported a crash round that point on X, previously often called Twitter.
One individual wrote: “Ofc ucas had to crash this morning.” Another stated: “Standard ucas crash.”
The web site seems to be working as regular now.
Fairest approach of assessing college students ‘is definitely exams’, Education Secretary claims
The Education Secretary has claimed that the “fairest way” of assessing college students is “definitely exams”.
Gillian Keegan has pushed again at a vital report by the Social Mobility Foundation, which discovered that kids from deprived or low-income backgrounds in England have been much less prone to have obtained the assistance they wanted to revive studying misplaced throughout the pandemic.
“Under this government from 2010, we had closed that (disadvantage) gap for the first time by 9.1 per cent,” she informed ITV’s Good Morning Britain.
“So we were really pleased with the progress from 2010 to 2019. But it has stepped back with the pandemic, which is why we put that £5bn extra to help with tutoring to help with catch up.
“Actually it was the disadvantaged children that lost out in the teacher assessed grades as well. So the fairest way of assessing young people is definitely exams: everybody takes the same exam in the same conditions at the same time.”
79% college students have first alternative of college, Ucas says
There has been a slight drop within the variety of college students getting a spot at their first alternative of college.
Ucas chief government Clare Marchant informed the Today programme that 79 per cent of scholars had bought their first alternative, which means that they’ll “just go out and celebrate”.
She stated there was “a slight drop from last year, which is what we expected as we return to the normal grading but again significantly up from the 74 per cent back in 2019 and that is what we expected”.
When requested about recommendation for college students who didn’t get their first alternative, she added: “Just think about your next step. We have got 29,000 courses in clearing as I sit here today and around 8,000 apprenticeships on UCAS.
“There is plenty of choice. The really key thing if you’re students or a parent, or guardian, is to just take a little bit of time. If you haven’t already done the research to think through what’s right for you.”
Falling attendance greatest concern for Education Secretary
The Education Secretary has stated that college students’ attendance charges is “the thing that probably worries me the most”.
Gillian Keegan informed Sky News: “I’m worried about the attainment gap full stop. It’s the number one worry we’ve always had.”
She stated that the Government will use this September to encourage kids who stopped attending throughout the pandemic to get again to highschool.
“If you feel like you’re behind it only gets worse…it’s really much more looking at trying to resolve the issue and talking to the parents.”
Number of scholars accepted onto diploma programs falls
The complete variety of college students accepted on to UK diploma programs has fallen 2.6 per cent on the identical level final 12 months, preliminary Ucas figures present.
A complete of 414,940 are taking over locations to this point, in response to the figures.
What’s taking place in the present day?
- School leavers are waking as much as A-level ends in a 12 months when ministers need to restore pre pandemic grades.
- The proportion of prime A-level outcomes are anticipated to fall in contrast with final 12 months. Results are anticipated round 9.30am.
- Exams have been cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid. Pupils’ grades have been primarily based on academics’ predictions as a substitute, resulting in a spike in prime outcomes.
- England’s exams watchdog, Ofqual, set out a two-year plan to carry A-level and GCSE outcomes again all the way down to pre-pandemic ranges.
- Last 12 months was the primary time college students sat exams for the reason that begin of the pandemic.
- Ofqual known as it a “transition year”, with grades set to mirror a halfway level between 2019 and 2021.
- More than a 3rd of A-level entries have been awarded A or A* in 2022, in comparison with virtually 45 per cent in 2021 and 38.5 % in 2020.
Education Secretary: Students ‘worked so hard to get to this point’
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan stated all college students deserved “massive congratulations… because they have been through quite a lot to get to this point”.
“They have had quite a lot of disruption, and they’ve worked so hard to get to this point,” she stated on GB News.
Ms Keegan stated reverting to earlier grading fashions in England would guarantee exams “hold their value” however pressured that the variety of college locations remained unchanged.
She additionally denied that UK college students have been at an obstacle to worldwide ones, after “very misleading” reporting.
“Just to put it into context, about 15 per cent of undergraduate students will be international students, 85 per cent of our universities are basically filled with home students.”
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan
/ PA WirePre-pandemic grading for A-levels ‘doesn’t bode properly for deprived college students’
A social mobility charity has warned that the return to pre-pandemic grading for this 12 months’s A-levels “doesn’t bode well for disadvantaged students.”
Carl Cullinane, director of analysis and coverage on the Sutton Trust, stated: “Disadvantaged young people were impacted most by school closures and have faced further disruption through the cost-of-living crisis.
“With an approach to grading this year which doesn’t take account of these experiences, less well-off young people are facing a cliff edge.
“Universities should consider the disruption different young people have faced when confirming places on the back of A-level results.”