The number of A-level entries receiving top grades has gone down slightly this year – but the figure is still higher than it was before the coronavirus pandemic.
Pupils awaiting their results this morning faced increased anxiety as Ofqual, the exams watchdog for England, said it would impose tougher grade boundaries this year.
Fewer pupils are set to receive their predicted results this year, as Ofqual aimed to return to pre-pandemic grading.
In 2020 and 2021, the number of top grades awarded increased as results were based on teacher assessments instead of exams.
Pupils receiving their A-level results today didn’t sit GCSE exams, and were given teacher-assessed grades.
This year, 27.2% of entries were awarded an A* or A grade – down by nearly 10% on last year when 36.4% got the top grades.
But 2023’s results are still higher than in 2019 – the last year summer exams were taken before the pandemic. Four years ago 25.4% of entries got A* or A grades.
The overall pass rate, however, has dropped to its lowest level since 2008.
The number of entries graded A* to E has fallen to 97.3%. That’s lower than both last year (98.4%) and 2019 (97.6). In 2008 the pass rate was 97.2%
