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| Teenagers to find out A-level results | Teenagers to find out A-level results |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The long wait for A-level results is almost over for teenagers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. | The long wait for A-level results is almost over for teenagers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. |
| A drop in applications for university this year is expected to mean a "buyer's market" with more options available for those looking for places. | A drop in applications for university this year is expected to mean a "buyer's market" with more options available for those looking for places. |
| Changes to the qualifications system mean many A-levels are being decided by final exams, with no link to AS-levels. | Changes to the qualifications system mean many A-levels are being decided by final exams, with no link to AS-levels. |
| But the national results are expected to be kept similar to last year, when a quarter of entries received top grades. | But the national results are expected to be kept similar to last year, when a quarter of entries received top grades. |
| More than 400,000 university places are likely to be decided on Thursday - and tens of thousands more places will be available through the clearing system, which matches people looking for places with vacancies on courses. | More than 400,000 university places are likely to be decided on Thursday - and tens of thousands more places will be available through the clearing system, which matches people looking for places with vacancies on courses. |
| More exam changes | More exam changes |
| With a reduction in applications, a demographic dip in the number of 18-year-olds and uncertainty about the results from the new A-level system, many universities, including in the prestigious Russell Group, are expected to still have places on offer. | With a reduction in applications, a demographic dip in the number of 18-year-olds and uncertainty about the results from the new A-level system, many universities, including in the prestigious Russell Group, are expected to still have places on offer. |
| There are suggestions that universities will have to accept lower entry grades in the competition for students. | |
| This year's exams in England reflect the latest phase of changes to qualifications, which have cut down on coursework and become "decoupled" from AS-levels. | This year's exams in England reflect the latest phase of changes to qualifications, which have cut down on coursework and become "decoupled" from AS-levels. |
| Results for 13 subjects, including history, English, psychology, physics, chemistry and biology, will now depend on the final exams taken in the summer. | Results for 13 subjects, including history, English, psychology, physics, chemistry and biology, will now depend on the final exams taken in the summer. |
| Head teachers' leader Geoff Barton said the change would mean the "death knell" of AS-levels, with schools increasingly likely to abandon the exam, which would no longer count towards the A-level grade. | Head teachers' leader Geoff Barton said the change would mean the "death knell" of AS-levels, with schools increasingly likely to abandon the exam, which would no longer count towards the A-level grade. |
| AS-level entries have fallen by more than 40% this year, and Mr Barton, leader of the ASCL head teachers' union, said he regretted this "narrowing" of options. | AS-level entries have fallen by more than 40% this year, and Mr Barton, leader of the ASCL head teachers' union, said he regretted this "narrowing" of options. |
| He also warned of rushed changes to qualifications. | He also warned of rushed changes to qualifications. |
| But the exam reforms, and the move to final exams rather than modules, were defended by John Blake, head of education at the Policy Exchange think tank, | But the exam reforms, and the move to final exams rather than modules, were defended by John Blake, head of education at the Policy Exchange think tank, |
| "The changes to A-levels were designed to end a culture of endlessly re-sitting examinations, which was as painful and time-consuming for teachers as it was for students," he said. | "The changes to A-levels were designed to end a culture of endlessly re-sitting examinations, which was as painful and time-consuming for teachers as it was for students," he said. |
| "It led to less teaching time and made it harder to get a proper grasp of the subject. We should all be pleased that it is over." | "It led to less teaching time and made it harder to get a proper grasp of the subject. We should all be pleased that it is over." |
| 'Fairness' in results | 'Fairness' in results |
| There have been concerns from pupils who have been the first to take these revised exams. | There have been concerns from pupils who have been the first to take these revised exams. |
| A survey of A-level students from the Student Room website found worries about a lack of textbooks and practice papers for the new style of exams. | A survey of A-level students from the Student Room website found worries about a lack of textbooks and practice papers for the new style of exams. |
| Even if there is volatility in results for individual schools, the overall results are likely to be kept comparable to last year's. | Even if there is volatility in results for individual schools, the overall results are likely to be kept comparable to last year's. |
| Sally Collier, head of the exam watchdog, Ofqual, said the regulator would "ensure fairness between students over time and between boards". | Sally Collier, head of the exam watchdog, Ofqual, said the regulator would "ensure fairness between students over time and between boards". |
| "This is especially important when qualifications change," she added. | "This is especially important when qualifications change," she added. |
| Last year, 25.8% of entries were awarded an A* or A, down by 0.1% on the previous year. The overall pass rate remained unchanged at 98.1%. | Last year, 25.8% of entries were awarded an A* or A, down by 0.1% on the previous year. The overall pass rate remained unchanged at 98.1%. |
| There are also employers who are increasingly recruiting directly from A-level students, rather than only through graduate trainees. | |
| Financial firm Grant Thornton says its intake of A-level students has almost quadrupled compared with six years ago - with 70 places on offer this year, representing more than a quarter of the company's intake of trainees. |