Yorkshire A Level pass rate increases but thousands in UK see results downgraded

The A-level pass rate for students in Yorkshire and the Humber has increased from last year.
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Figures show that students in the region receiving A*-E grades this morning is 98.4 per cent - up 0.6 from 2019, though slightly below the uptake across England (0.7).

Some 25.4 per cent of Yorkshire and the Humber students have received A* and A grades - up 2.2 from last year but again slightly below the national increase of 2.4 per cent.

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Lexi Crossley celebrates her results with mum Karen after getting an A*  and two As at The Crossley Heath School, Halifax. Picture: Bruce RollinsonLexi Crossley celebrates her results with mum Karen after getting an A*  and two As at The Crossley Heath School, Halifax. Picture: Bruce Rollinson
Lexi Crossley celebrates her results with mum Karen after getting an A* and two As at The Crossley Heath School, Halifax. Picture: Bruce Rollinson

The proportion of A-level entries awarded an A grade or higher has risen to an all-time high, with 27.9 per cent securing the top grades this year, figures for England, Wales and Northern Ireland show.

But exam boards downgraded nearly two in five (39.1 per cent) pupils' grades in England, according to data from Ofqual - which amounts to around 280,000 entries being adjusted down after moderation.

Teachers were told to submit the grades they thought each student would have received if they had sat the papers, alongside a rank order of students, after exams were cancelled amid the pandemic.

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Exam boards moderated these grades to ensure this year's results were not significantly higher than previously and the value of students' grades were not undermined.

Pupils collect their A-level Results at The Crossley Heath School, Halifax. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.Pupils collect their A-level Results at The Crossley Heath School, Halifax. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.
Pupils collect their A-level Results at The Crossley Heath School, Halifax. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.

In England, a total of 35.6 per cent of grades were adjusted down by one grade, 3.3 per cent were brought down by two grades and 0.2 per cent came down by three grades, figures from Ofqual show.

But overall, the proportion of entries in England, Wales and Northern Ireland awarded the top A* grade this year has surged to nine per cent - the highest proportion since the top grade was first introduced in 2010.

In total, 27.9 per cent of entries were awarded an A or A* grade this summer, which is up by 2.4 percentage points on last year when 25.5 per cent achieved the top grades.

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The figures, published by the Joint Council for Qualifications, cover A-level entries from students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland where around 300,000 students are receiving their results.

The Government announced late on Tuesday that students in England will have the "safety net" of being able to use mock exam results as the basis for an appeal if they are higher than the calculated grade.

Coun Imran Khan, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Education, Employment and Skills said: "“While it is too early to get a full picture of how this year’s grading system has affected our students, we are of course concerned that, as was shown in Scotland, children from more working class backgrounds may have been impacted more harshly.

“As a district with many improving schools, we have particular worries about the system factoring in schools’ past performance. We want to be sure that data reflects the current circumstances of schools.

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“It is vital that every student gets the grades they deserve and the opportunity to move onto their chosen next step and we will work with our schools and colleges to ensure that our young people have not been disadvantaged by the system.

“We understand that this is a situation no one wanted or saw coming but students in Bradford district need to be able to feel confident that their grades are a fair reflection of their ability and worth and that their life chances are not negatively affected by a situation that was not of their making.”

Coun Keith Aspden, Leader of City of York Council, said: "This year has seen many challenges, not least for young people coming to the end of their time at school and college.

“It is important that we recognise the effort and dedication that they have put in to their courses over the last two years.

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"Despite the challenges, I hope they are able to use their results as a stepping stone to the next phase of their lives, whether that’s university, work, apprenticeship or other opportunities.

"I wish them the very best of luck on the next stage of their journey.”