Head of Ucas warns A-Level results day will not be `pain free`

With A-Level results due next week, there are fears that this year`s round of admissions could well be `the hardest in living memory.` There is a concerns the overall grades attained will be considerably lower than those of 2020 and 2021, and students are being warned that they should prepare themselves for the likelihood of being rejected by their chosen universities.

The problem is all down to the two years of higher grades awarded during the pandemic, where more students than ever attained the an A or A* in their A-Levels. During that difficult time all exams had to be cancelled, and grades were calculated by teacher assessment. The government has requested regulators set boundaries ensuring grades fall halfway between those of 2019 and 2020.

You may recall that last year saw record results, with nearly half of students (44.8%) attaining an A or A* at A-Level. In 2019 this figure was 25.5%, and it seems likely that the regulators will set a grade at a midpoint between these two levels.

The regulator Ofqual has demanded this readjustment, as it hopes to combat `grade inflation.` The previous Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has cautioned against the dangers of grade inflation, saying it could ultimately lead to degrees losing their value, and even becoming `worthless` to both students and employers.

If undergraduates` marks continue to drift upwards every year, we could be theoretically be left with over 90% of students attaining A or A* grades. On a superficial level this may sound like a good thing, but a more reflective view will remind us it`s the purpose of grades to help differentiate the ability of students and graduates. If virtually everyone attains the highest marks, universities and employers will not be able to make a judgement regarding academic competence.

When speaking to vice-chancellors the previous Education Secretary explained: `In 1997, when I graduated, 50 per cent of students gained a first or 2.1. Last year, (2018) 80 per cent of students did so.`

`In order to maintain our reputation, students need to be reassured that their degree will be worth something.`

For this reason A-Level results day is going to be particularly difficult for many students across the country. The head of the Universities Admissions Services has warned expectant students that this results` day was `never going to be pain-free,` and that they will have to prepare themselves for lower grades, and increased competition for university places.

Current estimates suggest there will be around 80,000 fewer As and A*s compared to last year, a figure that could see as many as 40,000 students failing to get into their university, or take their chosen course.

The clearing system will most likely be busier this year than it ever has been. The clearing system is run by UCAS, and helps students who haven`t attained their necessary grades to find a place on another course, at another university if necessary. With so many students expected to miss out on their necessary grades, there will probably be thousands of students forced to make late changes to their degree plans. This impending uncertainty is the legacy of the pandemic, which has interrupted the education of so many students; and one can only hope that with the adjustment of the grade boundaries this year we are seeing the end to its disruption in this sector.