HUNDREDS of thousands of nervous A-level students across the country are eagerly waiting to discover their results today.
These grades will determine whether they can progress to university, secure apprenticeships, or enter the workforce.
AlamyStudents will discover their grades today[/caption]
A-Levels, also known as Advanced Level qualifications, are typically split into two parts: the AS level and the A2 level, which together form the full A-Level.
Last year, more than a quarter (27.2 per cent) of UK A-Level entries were awarded an A or A* grade, marking a significant drop from the previous year, when 36.4 per cent of students achieved these top grades.
This decrease reflects the ongoing adjustments in grading standards following the pandemic disruptions – with results gradually returning to pre-pandemic levels.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson this morning congratulated students receiving their results and said they can be “really proud of what they’ve achieved”.
Speaking to Times Radio, she said: “I do just want to say a huge congratulations to all of those young people.
“They’ve been through an awful lot in recent years and they’ve shown tremendous resilience, and they’ve had fantastic support from the staff and teachers within their schools and colleges, and it’s a big and exciting day for them.”
It comes as top UK universities were last week scrambling to fill thousands of empty spots , with nearly 3,900 vacancies at prestigious Russell Group institutions.
Some experts are predicting the proportion of top A-level grades awarded in England this year may be lower than in 2023, meaning “high tariff” universities may have to set more lenient entry requirements.
Mike Nicholson, the University of Cambridge’s director of recruitment, admissions and participation, said: “I think the impetus this year will be to take a student who’s narrowly missed [their required grades], and then if you need some more students on top of that, go into clearing.
“But if you can fill your places on students who’ve got the grades and those who’ve narrowly missed, and then not have to bother with clearing, then for a university that’s probably a stronger position to be in.”
No extra help for A-level students hit by Raac concrete crisis
MORE than a quarter of teens will get top A-level results today — despite many of them enduring disruption in the concrete crisis.
About 75 per cent are projected to receive a C or above, with 26 per cent bagging an A or higher.
But 7,600 out of 825,000 pupils were in buildings made from faulty material RAAC — with many being forced to work remotely.
A one-off lift to marks has not been granted despite calls.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Young people deserve enormous credit for what they have achieved in the face of huge disruption of recent years.”