“,”elementId”:”fd26c9bb-9697-401c-a472-9af6f9d6792f”,”_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Our education editor writes:
“,”elementId”:”c3f85254-95c8-4215-a7e6-e7b95bb9b9c8″,”_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”
n
The bulk of this year’s school-leavers receiving their results are those whose GCSE grades were awarded by teacher assessment after exams were cancelled in 2021, with a record-breaking 30% of those entries receiving top 7s, 8s and 9s grades, equivalent to As and A*s.
n
The higher GCSE grades meant a bigger proportion of students qualifying to take A-levels in more subjects.
n
But the more generous grading of two years ago has been replaced by a policy of returning grades to the pre-pandemic levels of 2019, meaning a steep fall in the proportion of top grades awarded compared with the last three years.
n
“,”elementId”:”bbc165e1-7119-4b8a-a54a-2cde44d2dd87″,”_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
He adds:
“,”elementId”:”6ce55a92-99b3-4148-af3d-e0a86c7ad155″,”_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”
n
In 2021, 44.3% of A-level entries in England received As or A*s, while those who sat A-level exams last year saw 36.4% of entries awarded the top grades. By contrast, in 2019 just 25.8% received As or A*s.
n
Some forecasters have predicted that up to 50,000 students are likely to miss out on the top grades that they would have achieved had they taken their A-levels last year rather than this spring.
n
A-level results will also be published in Wales and Northern Ireland, where regulators have taken a more lenient approach. Qualification Wales said exams would be graded more generously to reflect the “long-term impact” of the pandemic, with a return to pre-pandemic levels next year.
n
“,”elementId”:”de34a918-9a31-483f-88b7-2c31576d3284″,”_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Read the full story here:
“,”elementId”:”49668056-bf8a-4dda-95ea-3a269ce5468d”,”_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement”,”url”:”https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/aug/17/a-level-students-in-england-may-miss-out-as-stricter-grading-returns”,”text”:”A-level students in England may miss out as stricter grading returns”,”prefix”:”Related: “,”role”:”thumbnail”,”elementId”:”d3751d55-7357-4781-be99-59974971b54b”],”attributes”:”pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false,”blockCreatedOn”:1692253317000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”02.21 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1692254230000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”02.37 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1692253958000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”02.32 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”02.32″,”title”:”A-level students in England may miss out as stricter grading returns”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Thu 17 Aug 2023 03.43 EDT”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Thu 17 Aug 2023 02.20 EDT”,”id”:”64ddb8be8f0800b618b8afc4″,”elements”:[“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Hello and welcome one and all to the Guardian’s A-level results live blog, where we will be keeping you up to date on all the trends from across the UK as well as sharing stories of magnificence from our young people. Our incredible team of education reporters and data specialists will be feeding into this blog, but please do get in touch if you think there are stories we have missed.
“,”elementId”:”c764d771-21c2-4b35-a49c-f58e42e6de2e”,”_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
There will be tales of exceptional achievements, of triumph over adversity, inevitably, plenty of photos of young people holding sheets of paper and jumping in the air. And we want to hear from you too!
“,”elementId”:”5f92720f-3973-4371-978b-0d0e4e2d928b”,”_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
If you are expecting your results today – how did it go? Did you get what you wanted? Parents and loved ones – this is your opportunity to boast, or commiserate, please do get in touch.
“,”elementId”:”31f662a8-ed95-496b-8e56-fe69ac4b2453″,”_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
You can comment below the line, email me on alexandra.topping@theguardian.com or on Twitter I am @lexytopping.
“,”elementId”:”79c8f5fc-a36e-4380-857f-570e8e9f1783″],”attributes”:”pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false,”blockCreatedOn”:1692253258000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”02.20 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1692253973000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”02.32 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1692253258000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”02.20 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”02.20″,”title”:”It’s A-Level results day!”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Thu 17 Aug 2023 03.43 EDT”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Thu 17 Aug 2023 02.20 EDT”],”filterKeyEvents”:false,”format”:”display”:0,”theme”:0,”design”:11,”id”:”key-events-carousel-mobile””>
Key events
Ah, here we go – I knew he wouldn’t disappoint. Adrenalin-junkie TV presenter turned zen-like farmer Jeremy Clarkson has posted his yearly encouragement to those who don’t get the results they want.
It’s not the end of the world if your A level results aren’t what you’d hoped for. I got a C and 2 Us and here I am today with my own brewery.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) August 17, 2023
“,”url”:”https://twitter.com/JeremyClarkson/status/1692071037125464478?s=20″,”id”:”1692071037125464478″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”d3ceecf4-af1f-4af4-8700-e2cb844e9e3d””>
It’s not the end of the world if your A level results aren’t what you’d hoped for. I got a C and 2 Us and here I am today with my own brewery.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) August 17, 2023
Here are some other classics of the genre.
It all started back in 2014, when Clarkson boasted that getting a C and 2 Us hadn’t stopped him getting a Mercedes Benz.
If your A level results aren't joyous take comfort from the fact I got a C and two Us. And I have a Mercedes Benz.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) August 14, 2014
“,”url”:”https://twitter.com/JeremyClarkson/status/499876794364092416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E499876794364092416%7Ctwgr%5Eb58530c667994a85199d30ff4b94a55e1c215dc7%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mirror.co.uk%2F3am%2Fcelebrity-news%2Fjeremy-clarksons-annual-bragging-level-27755909″,”id”:”499876794364092416″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”d0400350-034d-4bab-9a5d-c1cb54420ddc””>
If your A level results aren’t joyous take comfort from the fact I got a C and two Us. And I have a Mercedes Benz.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) August 14, 2014
The following year he noted:
If your A level results aren't great, be cheered by the fact that I got a C and two Us. And I'm currently sitting in a villa in St Tropez.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) August 13, 2015
“,”url”:”https://twitter.com/JeremyClarkson/status/631715075175370752?s=20″,”id”:”631715075175370752″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”b61bf17b-799f-45ac-a5ca-7f2022bcbd28″”>
If your A level results aren’t great, be cheered by the fact that I got a C and two Us. And I’m currently sitting in a villa in St Tropez.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) August 13, 2015
And it goes on…year..after year…after year. In 2021 Clarkson was criticised for suggesting that teachers were “giving grades” to students who had been forced to work on their own at home for much of the academic year.
If the teachers didn’t give you the A level results you were hoping for, don’t worry. I got a C and 2Us and I’ve ended up happy, with loads of friends and a Bentley.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) August 10, 2021
“,”url”:”https://twitter.com/JeremyClarkson/status/1424988174502277135″,”id”:”1424988174502277135″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”e956c731-5763-4855-b07d-b78d3bbe2a90″”>
If the teachers didn’t give you the A level results you were hoping for, don’t worry. I got a C and 2Us and I’ve ended up happy, with loads of friends and a Bentley.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) August 10, 2021
Last year saw a return to simple bragging:
Don’t worry if your A level results are disappointing. I got a C and 2 Us and I’m currently holidaying on this boat. pic.twitter.com/f7BQxi86wS
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) August 18, 2022
“,”url”:”https://twitter.com/JeremyClarkson/status/1560177232781496322?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1560177232781496322%7Ctwgr%5Ea00f6687ad501d4a4575805d606da648495d2564%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthetab.com%2Fuk%2F2022%2F08%2F18%2Fhes-back-heres-jeremy-clarksons-cursed-a-level-results-day-2022-tweet-268837″,”id”:”1560177232781496322″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”b36cfeb6-aaaa-4922-a65f-d6511f59a919″”/>
Great encouragement Jeremy!
(Just leaving this tweet from Politics Home editor Alan White here, without comment)
Celebrities realising it’s A level results day and they can do an inspirational tweet about their life achievements pic.twitter.com/5ByqYFQ3O0
— Alan White (@aljwhite) August 17, 2023
n”,”url”:”https://twitter.com/aljwhite/status/1692064046067978456?s=20″,”id”:”1692064046067978456″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”64c34e54-85b9-4e11-bd76-3f938e32ba73″”/>
If you are concerned about missing your grades today – don’t miss this moving and thoughtful piece from Dorothy Dunn, who didn’t get the grades she needed a decade ago.
She writes:
If you open that envelope today and realise you haven’t got your first choice of university, don’t make the same mistake I did. Clearing can be brilliant – lots of people find courses on there that are perfect for them. But take the time you need to work out if that’s actually the case, or whether you feel pressured to opt for something just to escape a sense of failure that you shouldn’t have to feel in the first place.
A-level students in England may miss out as stricter grading returns
Many students in England opening their A-level results on Thursday morning should be braced for disappointment, write my colleague Richard Adams – especially as many will be those who enjoyed a bumper set of GCSE results two years ago.
Our education editor writes:
The bulk of this year’s school-leavers receiving their results are those whose GCSE grades were awarded by teacher assessment after exams were cancelled in 2021, with a record-breaking 30% of those entries receiving top 7s, 8s and 9s grades, equivalent to As and A*s.
The higher GCSE grades meant a bigger proportion of students qualifying to take A-levels in more subjects.
But the more generous grading of two years ago has been replaced by a policy of returning grades to the pre-pandemic levels of 2019, meaning a steep fall in the proportion of top grades awarded compared with the last three years.
He adds:
In 2021, 44.3% of A-level entries in England received As or A*s, while those who sat A-level exams last year saw 36.4% of entries awarded the top grades. By contrast, in 2019 just 25.8% received As or A*s.
Some forecasters have predicted that up to 50,000 students are likely to miss out on the top grades that they would have achieved had they taken their A-levels last year rather than this spring.
A-level results will also be published in Wales and Northern Ireland, where regulators have taken a more lenient approach. Qualification Wales said exams would be graded more generously to reflect the “long-term impact” of the pandemic, with a return to pre-pandemic levels next year.
Read the full story here:
It’s A-Level results day!
Hello and welcome one and all to the Guardian’s A-level results live blog, where we will be keeping you up to date on all the trends from across the UK as well as sharing stories of magnificence from our young people. Our incredible team of education reporters and data specialists will be feeding into this blog, but please do get in touch if you think there are stories we have missed.
There will be tales of exceptional achievements, of triumph over adversity, inevitably, plenty of photos of young people holding sheets of paper and jumping in the air. And we want to hear from you too!
If you are expecting your results today – how did it go? Did you get what you wanted? Parents and loved ones – this is your opportunity to boast, or commiserate, please do get in touch.
You can comment below the line, email me on alexandra.topping@theguardian.com or on Twitter I am @lexytopping.
