A Level results day 2021 latest – When and how to check your marks as students told they HAVE been treated fairly
BRITAIN's students are eagerly awaiting their A-level results this week - in turn shaping the course of their futures for years to come.
TENS of thousands of teenagers will receive the important news tomorrow on "results day" - and deciding if they will attend university or not.
A-level and GCSE exams were cancelled for 2021, because of the ongoing pandemic - but students will this week receive their predicted grade.
Grades were submitted by June 18 and will be released tomorrow.
Schools and colleges were asked to provide samples of student work to exam boards, as well as evidence used to determine the grades for the students selected, as part of quality assurance checks.
It is hoped this year's school-based assessments system will be a major improvement on 2020's botched computer algorithm disaster which saw huge public outcry over some unfairly low marks.
Read our A-level results blog below for the latest news and updates...
HOW ARE GRADES BEING AWARDED THIS YEAR?
GCSE and A-level exams have been cancelled for 2021, because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and third lockdown that saw schools closed.
The government decided to axe this summer’s testing regime with a Department for Education spokesperson saying in early January: “The Government position is that we will not be asking students to sit GCSE and A-Levels.”
On January 6, 2021, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said GCSE, AS and A-level exams in England will be replaced by school-based assessments. The Department for Education and England’s exams regulator Ofqual says teachers can draw on a range of evidence when determining grades.
This includes mock exams, coursework or other work completed as part of a pupil’s course, such as essays or in-class tests. Pupils will only be assessed on what they have been taught after months of school and college closures.
Schools and colleges will submit their grades to exam boards by June 18 to maximise teaching time.
ALMOST 50% OF ENGLISH A-LEVEL PUPILS SCORE A GRADES
Students have scored record A-Level results this year after the number of top grades almost doubled under teacher-assessment.
A whopping 44% of grades were at A* and A this year, sky-rocketing from the 25% registered when exams were last held in 2019.
The number of pupils getting a B and above has also risen sharply to 70% with pupils at private schools and in London the biggest winners.
But while the proportion of top grades has grown, the percentage of those at C to EU has remained “relatively stable”.
Officials admitted that the discrepancy is partly down to teachers giving their pupils “some benefit of the doubt”.
Just under one in five (19%) of all grades awarded was at the top A* level.
And a massive 12,945 students in England registered three A*s compared to 7,774 last year and just 2,664 in 2018.
HOW DOES CLEARING WORK THIS YEAR? (CONTINUED…)
There will be around 90,000 students aiming to join different courses, with many trying to switch after doing better than expected thanks to teacher-graded A-levels.
Applications chief Clare Marchant reckons a record number of students will take up places through clearing, but there will be highly sought-after “hotspots”.
She warned that “for those most selective courses at the most selective institutions, it is likely to be more competitive”.
Ms Marchant urged students to make a decision about courses “in a matter of days” rather than waiting weeks as she expects the system to be “active”.
HOW DOES CLEARING WORK THIS YEAR?
The official university applications body last week said competition for places is tougher than ever thanks to inflated grades and a lack of courses.
UCAS said students going through clearing – which helps people find courses with places remaining – are likely to find it harder to get onto the courses they want.
Hopefuls are able to search for a course against the subject they are interested in, or the university they would like to attend.
Clearing is a way for universities to fill any places they still have empty, while applicants who did not receive an offer have another chance at getting into higher education.
WHAT IS CLEARING PLUS?
Clearing Plus is a new personalised matching service that matches courses you may be interested in via your application to universities and colleges.
The service began in 2020 and works by looking at the original choices you applied for, combined with your qualifications and grades.
It then makes suggestions based on courses that universities have already specifically made available for Clearing Plus.
If you are unplaced or have started a new application, a button will appear in Track under “My matches”.
This will take you to your top 50 course matches, allowing you to easily indicate that you’re “interested” in universities courses.
If they still have vacancies and you meet their entry requirements, they may call you, but the call isn’t guaranteed so it’s best to get on it as soon as you can and use it alongside the traditional Clearing process.
EXPLAINED: WHAT ARE TEACHER ASSESSED GRADES?
Thousands of A-level students in England will receive their predicted grade on Tuesday, August 10 2021. GCSE pupils will receive their results two days later, on August 12.
Grades have been determined by teachers, with pupils only assessed on what they have been taught during the pandemic.
Decisions about the final grades are evidence-based and might include tests, class work, mock examinations etc.
Evidence covers a range of topics to demonstrate a student’s breadth of knowledge.
No algorithm has been used. Each school’s headteacher has had to sign off the results.
MORE THAN 200,000 STUDENTS HEADING TO UNIVERSITY
More than 210,000 students have had their university places confirmed with 192,000 getting their first choice, the Department of Education has said.
Its data shows more than 695,000 A levels have been awarded along with 340,000 vocational and technical qualifications.
The Department of Education also says the number of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds going to university had increased proportionally by 11%.
It report: 19% of entries are at grade A*, with 44.3% at grade A or above – up 4.6% and 6% on 2020 respectively.
UNIVERSITY ENTRY WILL BE ‘MORE COMPETITIVE’ THAN EVER THANKS TO INFLATED GRADES AND LACK OF COURSES
ENTRY to universities will be “more competitive” than ever thanks to inflated grades and a lack of courses, according to the official applications body.
With days until A-level results, UCAS said students going through clearing are likely to find it tougher to get on to the courses they want. Applications chief Clare Marchant warned that “for those most selective courses at the most selective institutions, it is likely to be more competitive”.
There will be around 90,000 students aiming to join different courses, with many trying to switch after doing better than expected thanks to teacher-graded A-levels.
Ms Marchant believes a record number of students will still take up places through clearing, but she warned there will be “hotspots” where it could be much more competitive this year.
She urged students receiving grades on Tuesday to make a decision about courses “in a matter of days” rather than waiting weeks as she expects the system to be “active”.
STUDENTS DESERVE GOLD MEDALS… NOT JUST A-GRADES AFTER COVID DISRUPTED THEIR LIVES
Sun exclusive comment by education secretary Gavin Williamson
Results week is here – and for thousands of young people and their families the wait is almost over. Getting your A-level, GCSE or vocational results is always a nerve-racking time.
But this year students overcame even greater challenges than normal. While the pandemic has caused disruption to everyone’s lives, young people have really had to dig deep.
Frankly, if there had been an Olympic medal for grit, our students would all have won gold.
We faced stark choices this year when a new variant of Covid meant schools had to close again for public safety as we locked down.
Some people argued loudly that we should put off the entire process — making students repeat the year, then take exams and receive their qualifications later. But putting all those futures on hold was not an option.
HOW MANY UCAS POINTS DO YOU GET FOR EACH A-LEVEL GRADE
Some universities and courses will make offers based on the total number of points you earn.
- A* – 56
- A – 48
- B – 40
- C – 32
- D – 24
- E – 16
EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS
If you haven’t got into the university you wanted, you can appeal over your results via your school. Let the university know you are doing this.
Another option is to sit the exams in the autumn. But think carefully. Your teachers know you best – are you really going to improve on the grade they have given you?
If you are set on going to university, then you will be able to go through Clearing.
On the UCAS site, Clearing Plus will suggest places and courses similar to your original choice.
Parents, you need to be on hand with your laptops and tablets to research any institutions your child likes the look of.
They then need to phone that university and get a verbal offer of a place before going back on to the UCAS site.
POSSIBLE RISE IN STUDENTS GAINING TOP RESULTS NOT A ‘DEVALUING OF GRADES’
A possible rise in the number of students achieving top A-level results does not represent a “devaluing of grades”, a school leaders’ union has said.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said this year’s students have suffered more disruption than any cohort and their results should be “celebrated”.
His comments came ahead of students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland receiving their A-level results on Tuesday after exams were cancelled for the second year in a row due to the pandemic.
Teachers in England submitted their decisions on pupils’ grades after drawing on a range of evidence, including mock exams, coursework and in-class assessments using questions by exam boards.
Concerns have been raised that “inflated grades” will become the new norm, making it more difficult for universities to “select accurately and fairly”.
EXPLAINED: HOW TO APPEAL A GRADE
Students will be able to appeal to the exam board via their school if there has been an error made in their grade calculation.
Students who are applying to higher education who did not attain the offer they accepted as their first choice, must appeal by August 16.
TAKE TIME OUT WITH A GAP YEAR
A gap year is always a good option. Employers look for life skills – and you will get plenty of those once you leave school and navigate your own path.
But have a plan, whether it is getting work experience, paid work, more studying or travelling.
If you have a university place for this year, and you want to defer, they will ask what you intend to do with the time – so have your answers ready.
If you plan to study maths and physics courses, they will want you to keep your hand in learning during your gap year.
You can keep studying with hundreds of short, free, online courses from Future Learn, .
UNIVERSITY ENTRY WILL BE ‘MORE COMPETITIVE’ THAN EVER THANKS TO INFLATED GRADES AND LACK OF COURSES
Entry to universities will be “more competitive” than ever thanks to inflated grades and a lack of courses, according to the official applications body.
With days until A-level results, UCAS said students going through clearing are likely to find it tougher to get on to the courses they want. Applications chief Clare Marchant warned that “for those most selective courses at the most selective institutions, it is likely to be more competitive”.
There will be around 90,000 students aiming to join different courses, with many trying to switch after doing better than expected thanks to teacher-graded A-levels.
Ms Marchant believes a record number of students will still take up places through clearing, but she warned there will be “hotspots” where it could be much more competitive this year.
She urged students receiving grades on Tuesday to make a decision about courses “in a matter of days” rather than waiting weeks as she expects the system to be “active”.
CONSIDERING AN APPRENTICESHIP?
Apprenticeships are where you spend 80 per cent of your time in a job and 20 per cent in the classroom are becoming ever more attractive options.
You can do them in all sorts of subjects, from digital marketing to law and HR. You get a qualification as well as a salary.
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Check out websites , and
BEST GRADE PLANS
Students have scored record A-Level results this year after the number of top grades almost doubled under teacher-assessment.
A whopping 45% of grades were at A* and A this year, sky-rocketing from the 25% registered when exams were last held in 2019.
A staggering 44.3% of 18-year-olds achieved A-A* grades, whereas 44.8% of all students regardless of age got A-A*.
The number of pupils getting a B and above has also risen sharply to 70% with those at private schools and in London among the biggest winners.
But while the proportion of top grades has grown, the percentage of those at C to E has remained “relatively stable”.
JEREMY DOING WHAT JEREMY DOES BEST
A LEVEL STUDENTS SHARE HILARIOUS MEMES AS THEY CELEBRATE RECORD RESULTS
HOW MANY UCAS POINTS DO YOU GET FOR EACH A-LEVEL GRADE
Some universities and courses will make offers based on the total number of points you earn.
- A* – 56
- A – 48
- B – 40
- C – 32
- D – 24
- E – 16
ALMOST 50% OF ENGLISH A-LEVEL PUPILS SCORE A GRADES
Students have scored record A-Level results this year after the number of top grades almost doubled under teacher-assessment.
A whopping 44% of grades were at A* and A this year, sky-rocketing from the 25% registered when exams were last held in 2019.
The number of pupils getting a B and above has also risen sharply to 70% with pupils at private schools and in London the biggest winners.
But while the proportion of top grades has grown, the percentage of those at C to EU has remained “relatively stable”.
Officials admitted that the discrepancy is partly down to teachers giving their pupils “some benefit of the doubt”.
Just under one in five (19%) of all grades awarded was at the top A* level.
And a massive 12,945 students in England registered three A*s compared to 7,774 last year and just 2,664 in 2018.
A LEVEL STUDENTS HIT THE TOWN TO CELEBRATE BEST GRADES IN YEARS – AND SOME REALLY LET THEIR HAIR DOWN
Students hit the town across the country, downing cocktails and letting their hair down after two years of studying during the pandemic.
Pupils in Newcastle and Leeds got dressed up to the nines and made up for lost time as they got boozy with their pals.
Groups of girls were spotted making the most of cocktail offers and jumping for joy whilst out on the town.
Jeremy Clarkson also offered his yearly sage advice to anyone who might not have done as well as they had hoped.
Many pupils also took to social media and posted their highs and lows by using memes.
A whopping 45% of grades were at A* and A this year, sky-rocketing from the 25% registered when exams were last held in 2019.
MORE THAN 200,000 STUDENTS HEADING TO UNIVERSITY
More than 210,000 students have had their university places confirmed with 192,000 getting their first choice, the Department of Education has said.
Its data shows more than 695,000 A levels have been awarded along with 340,000 vocational and technical qualifications.
The Department of Education also says the number of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds going to university had increased proportionally by 11%.
It report: 19% of entries are at grade A*, with 44.3% at grade A or above – up 4.6% and 6% on 2020 respectively.
LONDON STATE SCHOOL GETS MORE OXBRIDGE OFFERS THAN ETON COLLEGE
Students at Brampton Manor Academy achieved a total of 55 Oxbridge offers.
This is 7 more than Eton College, the school Prime Minister Boris Johnson attended.
Eton College achieved 48 Oxbridge offers, down from 69 the previous year.
Most pupils at the London school have free school meals and are from an ethnic background with many being the first of their family to attend university.
HOW DOES CLEARING WORK THIS YEAR? (CONTINUED…)
There will be around 90,000 students aiming to join different courses, with many trying to switch after doing better than expected thanks to teacher-graded A-levels.
Applications chief Clare Marchant reckons a record number of students will take up places through clearing, but there will be highly sought-after “hotspots”.
She warned that “for those most selective courses at the most selective institutions, it is likely to be more competitive”.
Ms Marchant urged students to make a decision about courses “in a matter of days” rather than waiting weeks as she expects the system to be “active”.
