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| A-level results show first rise in top grades in six years | A-level results show first rise in top grades in six years |
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| The proportion of top marks awarded at A-level has risen overall for the first time in six years and boys did better than girls at gaining A and A* grades. | The proportion of top marks awarded at A-level has risen overall for the first time in six years and boys did better than girls at gaining A and A* grades. |
| The published national results of 2017’s exams show that in the bulk of subjects the proportion of A and A* grades awarded went up to 26.3%, a rise of half a percentage point compared with 2016. | The published national results of 2017’s exams show that in the bulk of subjects the proportion of A and A* grades awarded went up to 26.3%, a rise of half a percentage point compared with 2016. |
| But students taking the new group of tougher reformed exam subjects such as English, history and sciences saw their chances of top grades recede. | But students taking the new group of tougher reformed exam subjects such as English, history and sciences saw their chances of top grades recede. |
| Experts from the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) – which represents the exam boards – said it was “not possible to draw accurate conclusions at this stage” for the different directions of the two groups of A-levels, but said the results could be influenced by a weaker track record among this year’s students taking individual subjects. | Experts from the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) – which represents the exam boards – said it was “not possible to draw accurate conclusions at this stage” for the different directions of the two groups of A-levels, but said the results could be influenced by a weaker track record among this year’s students taking individual subjects. |
| In the reformed subjects tested in England for the first time this summer sixth formers had fewer top grades, with A and A*s down by 0.7 percentage points compared with 2016. | In the reformed subjects tested in England for the first time this summer sixth formers had fewer top grades, with A and A*s down by 0.7 percentage points compared with 2016. |
| The two sets of exams showed wide variation in the relative performance of boys and girls. Overall, for the first time in at least seven years, boys outperformed girls in achieving A-A* grades, gaining 26.6% A and A*, compared with 26.1% for girls. Last year 25.7% of boys were awarded A and A*s – 0.3 points below girls. | The two sets of exams showed wide variation in the relative performance of boys and girls. Overall, for the first time in at least seven years, boys outperformed girls in achieving A-A* grades, gaining 26.6% A and A*, compared with 26.1% for girls. Last year 25.7% of boys were awarded A and A*s – 0.3 points below girls. |
| However, in the reformed subjects girls did better, with 7.3% awarded the highest A* grade compared with 7% of boys, while the A and A* grades combined were the same for both at 24.3%. | However, in the reformed subjects girls did better, with 7.3% awarded the highest A* grade compared with 7% of boys, while the A and A* grades combined were the same for both at 24.3%. |
| Overall the pass rate in the A*-E grades fell 0.2 points to 97.9%, with a larger fall among the reformed subjects of 0.5 percentage points. | Overall the pass rate in the A*-E grades fell 0.2 points to 97.9%, with a larger fall among the reformed subjects of 0.5 percentage points. |
| In Wales there was a much improved set of results after last year’s disappointing efforts. While just 22.7% of candidates received A or A*s in 2016, this year the proportion rose to 25%, helped by stronger results among boys. | |
| The proportion of students in Wales awarded A*-C grades rose above 75%, the highest since 2009. | |
| “These set of results show an encouraging increase in the number achieving the top grades, with improvement in results across maths, biology, chemistry and physics,” Kirsty Williams, the Welsh education secretary, said during a visit to a school in Newport. | |
| The results were the first for 14 reformed A-level subjects in Wales, with overhauled content but retaining integrated AS-level exams at the end of the first year. | |
| Michael Turner, the JCQ’s director general, said the overall UK picture was “steady” with small increases in the top grades. | Michael Turner, the JCQ’s director general, said the overall UK picture was “steady” with small increases in the top grades. |
| “There may be several factors influencing the performance of males and females in reformed A-levels in England, and of course it is too early to draw any firm conclusions,” said Turner. | “There may be several factors influencing the performance of males and females in reformed A-levels in England, and of course it is too early to draw any firm conclusions,” said Turner. |
| Mark Bedlow, director of regulation at the OCR exam board, warned against reading too much into the apparent improvement in boys’ performance. “There are some potentially interesting gender patterns, but it’s too early to draw any firm conclusions,” he said. | Mark Bedlow, director of regulation at the OCR exam board, warned against reading too much into the apparent improvement in boys’ performance. “There are some potentially interesting gender patterns, but it’s too early to draw any firm conclusions,” he said. |
| “In reformed subjects females are performing as well, if not better than males though there is a narrowing of the gap in results between males and females at those high grades.” | “In reformed subjects females are performing as well, if not better than males though there is a narrowing of the gap in results between males and females at those high grades.” |
| He said it was too early to say whether the scrapping of teacher-assessed coursework and reliance instead on end-of-year exams, was working in boys’ favour and pointed out that in Wales, where A-levels are still assessed on a modular basis, boys’ performance had also improved. | He said it was too early to say whether the scrapping of teacher-assessed coursework and reliance instead on end-of-year exams, was working in boys’ favour and pointed out that in Wales, where A-levels are still assessed on a modular basis, boys’ performance had also improved. |
| The emerging pattern may be more to do with prior attainment, rather than gender, said Bedlow, adding: “It will be interesting to see as we progress through the reforms whether this pattern becomes a trend and whether the gender gap at A-level closes.” | The emerging pattern may be more to do with prior attainment, rather than gender, said Bedlow, adding: “It will be interesting to see as we progress through the reforms whether this pattern becomes a trend and whether the gender gap at A-level closes.” |
| On the relatively better performance of students sitting unreformed subjects, Bedlow said prior attainment had also played a part. Maths and further maths, for example, are still unreformed and traditionally attract high-performing candidates who achieve higher grades. | On the relatively better performance of students sitting unreformed subjects, Bedlow said prior attainment had also played a part. Maths and further maths, for example, are still unreformed and traditionally attract high-performing candidates who achieve higher grades. |
| One of the key changes in science subjects in particular is the increase in the mathematical content in the new qualifications, which may have had an impact on performance. | One of the key changes in science subjects in particular is the increase in the mathematical content in the new qualifications, which may have had an impact on performance. |
| Chris Keates, the general secretary of the NASUWT teachers’ union, praised students and their teachers. “These results have been achieved by the hard work and commitment of young people and their teachers,” she said, “despite the upheaval to syllabuses and year-on-year cuts to resources.“In the face of such turbulence, it is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of teachers and students that standards overall have been maintained.” | Chris Keates, the general secretary of the NASUWT teachers’ union, praised students and their teachers. “These results have been achieved by the hard work and commitment of young people and their teachers,” she said, “despite the upheaval to syllabuses and year-on-year cuts to resources.“In the face of such turbulence, it is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of teachers and students that standards overall have been maintained.” |
| The statistics show sharp falls in the number of students sitting English and history, but there were sharp increases in the numbers taking political studies, up 13%, as evidence of a “Corbyn effect” among 17- and 18-year-olds. | The statistics show sharp falls in the number of students sitting English and history, but there were sharp increases in the numbers taking political studies, up 13%, as evidence of a “Corbyn effect” among 17- and 18-year-olds. |
| There were also further rises in the so-called Stem subjects, with maths, further maths and geography all rising despite a fall in the number of 18-year-olds nationally. | There were also further rises in the so-called Stem subjects, with maths, further maths and geography all rising despite a fall in the number of 18-year-olds nationally. |
| The schools minister, Nick Gibb, welcomed the increase in sciences and maths entries as a way of improving access to higher education. | The schools minister, Nick Gibb, welcomed the increase in sciences and maths entries as a way of improving access to higher education. |
| “There has been a strong uptake in core subjects, such as maths, which continues to be the most popular A-level with maths and further maths having nearly 25% more entries than in 2010,” Gibb said. | “There has been a strong uptake in core subjects, such as maths, which continues to be the most popular A-level with maths and further maths having nearly 25% more entries than in 2010,” Gibb said. |
| “This and increasing entries to science, technology, engineering and maths subjects bodes well for the economic prosperity of our country. It will help to grow our workforce in these sectors, allowing young people to secure well-paid jobs and compete in the global jobs market of post-Brexit Britain.” | “This and increasing entries to science, technology, engineering and maths subjects bodes well for the economic prosperity of our country. It will help to grow our workforce in these sectors, allowing young people to secure well-paid jobs and compete in the global jobs market of post-Brexit Britain.” |
| As expected, there were sizeable increases in the top grades awarded to students taking modern foreign languages, with A and A*s rising by 2.5% in Spanish and 1.8% in German and 1.7% in French – after years of complaints that the exams were graded too harshly. | As expected, there were sizeable increases in the top grades awarded to students taking modern foreign languages, with A and A*s rising by 2.5% in Spanish and 1.8% in German and 1.7% in French – after years of complaints that the exams were graded too harshly. |
| The improved performance came after the exam regulator in England, Ofqual, adjusted the proportion of top grades awarded to candidates, following research showing that native speakers taking the subjects had skewed the results. | The improved performance came after the exam regulator in England, Ofqual, adjusted the proportion of top grades awarded to candidates, following research showing that native speakers taking the subjects had skewed the results. |
| Among the outstanding results this year were those of two brothers, Mujahid and Mustaqueem Shiffa, who both received three A*s after studying at the Nottingham University Academy of Science and Technology, a university technical college. | Among the outstanding results this year were those of two brothers, Mujahid and Mustaqueem Shiffa, who both received three A*s after studying at the Nottingham University Academy of Science and Technology, a university technical college. |
| The two boys are both refugees, and Mustaqueem is just 16 years old. The pair plan to study for physics and chemistry degrees at Nottingham University later this year. | The two boys are both refugees, and Mustaqueem is just 16 years old. The pair plan to study for physics and chemistry degrees at Nottingham University later this year. |
| For the hundreds of thousands of pupils hoping to go on to higher education this autumn, Thursday morning’s A-level results will have determined whether they were successful in meeting conditional offers based on their final grades. | For the hundreds of thousands of pupils hoping to go on to higher education this autumn, Thursday morning’s A-level results will have determined whether they were successful in meeting conditional offers based on their final grades. |
| Last year more than 65,000 students found places on undergraduate courses through the clearing and adjustment process. | Last year more than 65,000 students found places on undergraduate courses through the clearing and adjustment process. |
| In most cases they had received results that were lower than they had expected. But in an increasing number of instances students have taken advantage of better than expected grades to gain places on courses they had previously thought to be out of reach. | In most cases they had received results that were lower than they had expected. But in an increasing number of instances students have taken advantage of better than expected grades to gain places on courses they had previously thought to be out of reach. |
| This year a large number of universities – including members of the selective Russell Group of universities – report places still available on a wide range of courses, as they seek to expand despite a fall-off in applications from older students and those from elsewhere in the EU. | This year a large number of universities – including members of the selective Russell Group of universities – report places still available on a wide range of courses, as they seek to expand despite a fall-off in applications from older students and those from elsewhere in the EU. |
| The results were the first involving reformed A-levels that have been decoupled from AS-levels in England taken midway through the two-year course, and examining new content. The figures showed a further steep decline in the number of pupils sitting AS-levels, which are now optional, down by nearly 40%. | The results were the first involving reformed A-levels that have been decoupled from AS-levels in England taken midway through the two-year course, and examining new content. The figures showed a further steep decline in the number of pupils sitting AS-levels, which are now optional, down by nearly 40%. |
| This year 13 exam subjects had been overhauled, including English, psychology, history, biology, chemistry, physics, economics and sociology. | This year 13 exam subjects had been overhauled, including English, psychology, history, biology, chemistry, physics, economics and sociology. |
| Next year geography, music and Spanish will be among the new-style exams. Reformed maths and further maths will be taught from this September and examined for the first time in 2019. | Next year geography, music and Spanish will be among the new-style exams. Reformed maths and further maths will be taught from this September and examined for the first time in 2019. |
| Sally Collier, the head of Ofqual, has sought to reassure students that the grades for the reformed courses had been awarded in the same way as previous years. | Sally Collier, the head of Ofqual, has sought to reassure students that the grades for the reformed courses had been awarded in the same way as previous years. |
| “We have overseen the A-level awarding process in the same way as in previous years and have not intervened to ask any exam board to change the grade boundaries they have set this summer,” Collier said. | “We have overseen the A-level awarding process in the same way as in previous years and have not intervened to ask any exam board to change the grade boundaries they have set this summer,” Collier said. |