Latest news with #AlanSmithers
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Could bumper A-level grades this year could be the 'new normal'?
As hundreds of thousands of pupils are set to get their GCSE and A-level results, here is everything you need to know about what it all means. The number of students getting top A-level grades is likely to be higher than before the pandemic. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has predicted a 'pretty straightforward year'. However, it has also been suggested that grade inflation could be creeping back in. Professor Alan Smithers, the director of education at the University of Buckingham, who forecasts exam results each summer, said last year's bumper A-level grades were likely to continue in 2025. In a report published ahead of A-level results day, he said that the proportion of A-level entries scoring top grades this summer is likely to be higher than pre-COVID years, and could be the "new normal". The rate of A*s handed out at A-level had been gradually declining since the exams regulator was introduced in 2010 to clamp down on grade inflation. However, top grades surged during the pandemic when formal exams were replaced by teacher assessments, leading to the proportion of A*s nearly trebling between 2019 and 2021, with almost one in five A-levels awarded the top possible grade four years ago. So what is on the cards for students this year? What date are exam results for A-levels released? A-level and AS results are out on 14 August, while GCSE results will be released on 21 August. Pupils in England will also receive results for T-levels – which were launched to provide high-quality technical alternatives to A-levels – on 14 August, and pupils taking vocational technical qualifications (VTQs) will also get their results this month. Scotland has a different qualification system and students received their results on 5 August. What time are A-level results released? A-level results are expected to come out at 8.00am BST on 14 August, and can be collected in person from this time, while GCSE results also come out at 8.00am BST on 21 August. A-level students may also receive an email from their chosen university on the day the results come out. What is expected of A-level results this year? Last year, 27.8% of UK A-level entries were awarded an A or A* grade, up from 27.2% in 2023. It was the highest proportion of entries scoring top grades outside the pandemic-affected years of 2020-22. In 2019 – the last year that summer exams were taken before the pandemic – 25.4% of entries were awarded A or A* grades. The COVID pandemic led to a marked increase in top A-level and GCSE grades in 2020 and 2021, with results based on teacher assessments instead of exams. Prof Smithers said that grade inflation could be "creeping back in again", saying: 'A-level grades have a chance to settle down this year after the volatility of Covid and its aftermath. They are likely to be close to last year's, where top grades were a percentage point or two above pre-Covid levels." He said although last year's results made this year's harder to predict, 'my best guess is that the grade pattern in 2024 could be the start of a new normal', adding: 'It may be that grades never get back to what was regarded as the norm before the Covid crisis, and 2024 has set the new benchmark." What happened to A-level and GCSE results during COVID? In-person exams were cancelled during the pandemic, with those due to sit A-levels and GCSEs in 2020 and 2021 instead having their results based on teacher assessments. As such, the results for both A-levels and GCSEs shot up during these two years - with 38.1% of A-level entries in England achieving A and A* in 2020, and 44.3% of A-level entries achieving A and A* grades in 2021 (up from 25.2% in 2019). However, the following two years saw these results decrease, to 36.4% of A and A* grades in 2022 and 27.2% of A and A* grades in 2023, with last year's results closer to pre-pandemic levels (at 27.8%). Is COVID still affecting the way pupils sit exams? Exam aids have been given to GCSE pupils in England in maths, physics and combined science since 2022 to limit the impact of COVID on learning. In October last year, the education secretary asked England's exams regulator Ofqual to continue providing formulae and equation sheets to GCSE pupils in these subjects in 2025, 2026 and 2027. Most pupils who took their GCSE exams this summer were in Year 6 when schools closed after the national lockdown in 2020. What do the results mean for university places? A record number of 18-year-olds are likely to be successful in securing their first choice of university this A-level results day even if they narrowly miss their grades, the head of Ucas has suggested. Jo Saxton, chief executive of the university admissions service, told the PA news agency it was a 'good year to be a UK-domiciled 18-year-old' that wants to go to university, as British universities are keen to recruit UK school and college leavers due to 'uncertainty' around the international market. Nearly 22,700 courses with vacancies for undergraduate students living in England were available on the Ucas clearing site as of Wednesday last week – eight days before results day, a PA analysis showed. A sample of 129 of the UK's largest higher education providers showed 17 of the 24 elite Russell Group universities had more than 3,600 courses with vacancies for English residents on clearing. What can students do if they do not get their first-choice university? If you don't get the grades to win a place at your first choice university, you can go through "clearing". Students who did not receive any offers, or who have changed their mind about what or where they wish to study, and also those who have applied outside the normal application window, can also use the clearing process through Ucas. Applicants will be able to add a clearing choice from 1pm on results day. In England, if a student is unhappy with their grade they can ask their school or college to request that the exam board review the marking. If there are still concerns, the student can ask their school or college to appeal against the result.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Science
- The Independent
Why bumper A-Level results could be a problem
An education expert predicts that the proportion of A-level entries achieving top grades this summer will exceed pre-Covid levels. Professor Alan Smithers of the University of Buckingham warns that grade inflation may be re-emerging, with A or A* grades potentially settling at a new normal of 27-28 per cent. Last year, 27.8 per cent of UK A-level entries received an A or A* grade, significantly higher than the 25.4 per cent recorded in 2019 before the pandemic. Girls are expected to continue outperforming boys in overall top A-level grades, despite boys achieving a higher proportion of A*s. Provisional data indicates a decline in A-level entries for social sciences like psychology and sociology, while entries for mathematics, physics, and chemistry have increased.
Telegraph
4 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Bumper A-Level grades set to be ‘new normal'
Teenagers are set to receive top A-level grades next week as a high proportion of A*s and As becomes the 'new normal', analysis suggests. Prof Alan Smithers, the director of education at the University of Buckingham, who forecasts exam results each summer, said last year's bumper A-level grades were likely to continue in 2025. In a report published ahead of A-level results day next Thursday, he said grade inflation 'may be creeping back in again' following an explosion in top marks during the pandemic. 'A-level grades have a chance to settle down this year after the volatility of Covid and its aftermath. They are likely to be close to last year's, where top grades were a percentage point or two above pre-Covid levels,' said Prof Smithers. The rate of A*s handed out at A-level had been steadily declining since the exams regulator was introduced in 2010 to clamp down on grade inflation, until this trend was suddenly reversed during the pandemic. Top grades surged in 2020 and 2021, when formal exams ground to a halt during Covid lockdowns and were temporarily replaced with more generous teacher assessments. It resulted in the proportion of A*s nearly trebling between 2019 and 2021, with almost one in five A-levels awarded the top possible grade four years ago. Ofqual, the exams watchdog, has been working to gradually bring the rate of A*s and As back to pre-pandemic levels over the past few years, but pupils performed unexpectedly well last year and saw top grades tick back up slightly. More than nine per cent of A-level entries were awarded A*s last year and 18.5 per cent were handed As. This meant that 27.8 per cent of exam entries received the top two grades in 2024, up slightly from 27.2 per cent in 2023, and above the pre-pandemic rate of 25.4 per cent in 2019. Prof Smithers said that although last year's surprise top grade boost has made this year's results harder to predict, 'my best guess is that the grade pattern in 2024 could be the start of a new normal'. 'It may be that grades never get back to what was regarded as the norm before the Covid crisis, and 2024 has set the new benchmark,' he said. Figures covering A-level entries from students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be published by the Joint Council for Qualifications on Thursday. In his report, Prof Smithers suggested that 'girls will do better than boys,' once again by achieving top A-level grades this summer. Boys tend to make up a greater share of the very best marks in the country, as they gravitate more towards subjects such as further maths and physics. Pupils are more able to score marks close to 100 in these, compared to subjective subjects like the humanities. However, girls have consistently performed better than boys overall over the past few years. Last year, 28 per cent of A-level entries sat by girls received an A or higher, compared to 27.6 per cent of boys. 'Sadly, the under-performance of boys is no more likely than in previous years to receive the attention it deserves,' said Prof Smithers. 'They, and the country, would benefit considerably if ways could be found of ensuring that the potential of many boys is not wasted.' Universities are expected to open their doors this year to school leavers who narrowly miss out on grades as many institutions grapple with a worsening financial crisis. Jo Saxton, head of the university admissions service UCAS, said she expects 'a record number of 18-year-olds will wake up with confirmation' that they have been accepted at their top university choice next Thursday, adding: 'Quite possibly even where they are near-misses.' 'It's a really, really good year to be a UK-domiciled 18-year-old that wants to go to one of our world-class universities,' she said. Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute think tank, added that this year's cohort of school leavers are 'well placed' to get where they want to study, even if they score just shy of their university offers. He said: 'The financial plight of universities makes them very keen to fill their courses and they will be falling over themselves to sign up good potential students.'
Powys County Times
4 days ago
- General
- Powys County Times
Top A-level grades may remain higher this year than pre-pandemic levels
The proportion of A-level entries scoring top grades this summer is likely to be higher than pre-Covid years, it has been suggested. An education expert has predicted that a higher percentage of UK A-level entries awarded an A or A* grade – compared to before the Covid-19 pandemic – may be the 'new normal'. Professor Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research (CEER) at the University of Buckingham, has raised concerns that grade inflation 'may be creeping back in again'. Last year, more than a quarter (27.8%) of UK A-level entries were awarded an A or A* grade, up from 27.2% in 2023. In a report, published ahead of A-level results day, Prof Smithers said he believes this year's results 'are likely to be close to what they were in 2024'. It was the highest proportion of entries scoring top grades outside the pandemic-affected years of 2020-22. In 2019 – the last year that summer exams were taken before the pandemic – 25.4% of entries were awarded A or A* grades. The Covid-19 pandemic led to an increase in top A-level and GCSE grades in 2020 and 2021, with results based on teacher assessments instead of exams. Ahead of A-level results day on Thursday next week, Prof Smithers said the grade pattern in 2024 'could be the start of a new normal'. He added that the proportion of UK A-level entries awarded A or A* grades – of between 27% and 28% – could be the 'new norm' for results. Figures covering A-level entries from students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be published by the Joint Council for Qualifications on Thursday. Ofqual brought A-level grading standards back in line with pre-Covid levels in England in 2023, and exam regulators in Wales and Northern Ireland aimed to return to pre-pandemic grading last summer. Prof Smithers said A-level grades should have been 'back to normal' last year, but he added that they rose to a level higher than pre-Covid years. He added: 'There has to be the suspicion that the inflation which bedevilled A-level grades in the days before the regulator, Ofqual, may be creeping back in again.' In his report, Prof Smithers also suggested that 'girls will do better than boys' once again at the top A-level grades. Last year, the proportion of girls' A-level entries awarded A or higher was 28.0%, which was 0.4 percentage points higher than the equivalent figure for boys' entries (27.6%). But the proportion of boys' entries awarded A* was 9.5% – which was 0.4 percentage points higher than girls (9.1%). Prof Smithers has suggested that the success for boys at A* will 'continue to be overshadowed in 2025 by the longstanding superior results of girls overall'. He said: 'Sadly, the under-performance of boys is no more likely than in previous years to receive the attention it deserves. 'They and the country would benefit considerably if ways could be found of ensuring that the potential of many boys is not wasted.' Reflecting on provisional exam entries data for England, Prof Smithers said a decline in the social sciences this summer 'could be an early sign that they have been rumbled' in promising more than they deliver. A-level entries for psychology and sociology are down, but entries for mathematics, physics and chemistry are up, according to provisional figures from Ofqual in June. Prof Smithers said: 'The swing towards maths and the physical sciences could be a response to the former government's promotion of them.' He added: 'I wonder if there is growing recognition that these social sciences promise more than they deliver, whereas the quantitative may be hard but they are meaningful.' A Department for Education spokesperson said: 'These claims are completely false. 'It is vital that qualifications are rigorous, and we are confident in Ofqual's work, as the independent regulator, to manage the risk of grade inflation and ensure this is not impacting standards. 'This suggestion demonstrates a lack of understanding of Ofqual's role and the work they do every year to ensure fairness, with this year being no different.'
South Wales Argus
4 days ago
- General
- South Wales Argus
Top A-level grades may remain higher this year than pre-pandemic levels
An education expert has predicted that a higher percentage of UK A-level entries awarded an A or A* grade – compared to before the Covid-19 pandemic – may be the 'new normal'. Professor Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research (CEER) at the University of Buckingham, has raised concerns that grade inflation 'may be creeping back in again'. Last year, more than a quarter (27.8%) of UK A-level entries were awarded an A or A* grade, up from 27.2% in 2023. In a report, published ahead of A-level results day, Prof Smithers said he believes this year's results 'are likely to be close to what they were in 2024'. It was the highest proportion of entries scoring top grades outside the pandemic-affected years of 2020-22. In 2019 – the last year that summer exams were taken before the pandemic – 25.4% of entries were awarded A or A* grades. The Covid-19 pandemic led to an increase in top A-level and GCSE grades in 2020 and 2021, with results based on teacher assessments instead of exams. Ahead of A-level results day on Thursday next week, Prof Smithers said the grade pattern in 2024 'could be the start of a new normal'. He added that the proportion of UK A-level entries awarded A or A* grades – of between 27% and 28% – could be the 'new norm' for results. Figures covering A-level entries from students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be published by the Joint Council for Qualifications on Thursday. Ofqual brought A-level grading standards back in line with pre-Covid levels in England in 2023, and exam regulators in Wales and Northern Ireland aimed to return to pre-pandemic grading last summer. Prof Smithers said A-level grades should have been 'back to normal' last year, but he added that they rose to a level higher than pre-Covid years. He added: 'There has to be the suspicion that the inflation which bedevilled A-level grades in the days before the regulator, Ofqual, may be creeping back in again.' In his report, Prof Smithers also suggested that 'girls will do better than boys' once again at the top A-level grades. Last year, the proportion of girls' A-level entries awarded A or higher was 28.0%, which was 0.4 percentage points higher than the equivalent figure for boys' entries (27.6%). But the proportion of boys' entries awarded A* was 9.5% – which was 0.4 percentage points higher than girls (9.1%). Prof Smithers has suggested that the success for boys at A* will 'continue to be overshadowed in 2025 by the longstanding superior results of girls overall'. He said: 'Sadly, the under-performance of boys is no more likely than in previous years to receive the attention it deserves. 'They and the country would benefit considerably if ways could be found of ensuring that the potential of many boys is not wasted.' Reflecting on provisional exam entries data for England, Prof Smithers said a decline in the social sciences this summer 'could be an early sign that they have been rumbled' in promising more than they deliver. A-level entries for psychology and sociology are down, but entries for mathematics, physics and chemistry are up, according to provisional figures from Ofqual in June. Prof Smithers said: 'The swing towards maths and the physical sciences could be a response to the former government's promotion of them.' He added: 'I wonder if there is growing recognition that these social sciences promise more than they deliver, whereas the quantitative may be hard but they are meaningful.' A Department for Education spokesperson said: 'These claims are completely false. 'It is vital that qualifications are rigorous, and we are confident in Ofqual's work, as the independent regulator, to manage the risk of grade inflation and ensure this is not impacting standards. 'This suggestion demonstrates a lack of understanding of Ofqual's role and the work they do every year to ensure fairness, with this year being no different.'
