In England this year sees the national grade profile for A levels return to the boundaries that prevailed for the decade before the pandemic.
What that means is that this cohort, though undoubtedly equally as smart as their older siblings, will see lower grades awarded for the same level of effort and understanding when compared to those who gained level 3 qualifications in 2020, 2021 and (to an extent) 2022.
It’s a peculiarly British disease. No other developed nation spends the last two years of school with such narrow and specialised courses capped off with high stakes all-or-nothing examinations. And with a full return to norm-referenced grading (the “mutant algorithm” of lore), the performance of peers is as important as your own performance.
When you’re 18, your A level grades – and the potential futures they may and may not unlock – feel all-important. Certainly everything we tell young people makes them feel like the difference between a B and a C is the difference between a good university course and a not-so-good one: between lifetime success and lasting disappointment.
