Another record year for A-levels as 97% pass

STUDENTS achieved record results in their A-levels again this year as the national pass rate soared above 97 per cent for the first time.

Lizzie Antrobus and Maral Rouhani celebrate at Withington Girls School in Manchester Lizzie Antrobus and Maral Rouhani celebrate at Withington Girls School in Manchester

According to new figures from the Joint Council for Qualifications, 97.2 per cent of pupils across Britain scored A-E passes in their exams – up from 96.9 per cent last year.

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The number of students awarded A grades also rose with more than one in four gaining the top marks.

ELATED Emma Davies Lucy Sendall Emily Martin from Central High School in Newcastle ELATED: Emma Davies, Lucy Sendall & Emily Martin from Central High School in Newcastle

But predictions that A grades would hit 26 per cent were just wide of the mark with 25.9 per cent scoring top grades, compared to 25.3 per cent last year.

This has to be a day for celebration.

Jim Sinclair

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Northern Ireland teenagers blew their English and Welsh counterparts away as they pulled even further ahead in the A-level stakes.

An impressive 35.4 per cent achieved A grades - widening the gap from last year when the equivalent top pass rates were 33.2 per cent compared to 25.3 per cent in England and Wales.

Anne Marie Duffy, director of qualifications at the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessments, said: “The amount of work that is involved in preparing for A-level examinations cannot be underestimated.

Ms Duffy added: “For many years now Northern Ireland students have outperformed their counterparts in England and Wales and this year is no exception. Now is the time to celebrate their results and look forward to the future.”

Schools minister Jim Knight dismissed suggestions that A-levels were being dumbed down.

Figures from the exam boards showed traditional subjects are still firm favourites with English and maths as the top choices.

But sciences are becoming more popular with chemistry now the eighth most popular choice of subjects amongst sixth-formers.

Jim Sinclair, director of the Joint Council for Qualifications, said: “This has to be a day for celebration.”

“The results show not only an improvement in the grades achieved but also an increased entry to mathematics, sciences and languages - which are positive and encouraging developments all round.”

Fears that modern foreign languages would see a popularity slump proved unfounded as the numbers taking French and Spanish rose - but there was a decrease in German.

Girls continued to score better grades than boys although boys are continuing to close the gap at grade A.

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Teachers have appealed for students to be allowed to enjoy their day without complaints that exams are “too easy”.

Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said the focus should be on the “hopes and dreams of young people” rather than debates about “dumbing down” or comparisons with other qualifications.

She said: “The debate about qualifications is one worth having, but not today. Young people’s qualifications should not be used as political footballs to be booted into touch when it suits an older, more cynical generation."

Headmaster Paul Fisher of Loughborough Grammar School, which scored record results this year with 50 candidates obtaining three or more A grades, said better teaching explained the high pass rate.

“I don’t think the tests that the pupils face are easier but there’s a refinement of the teaching so perhaps it almost inevitable that there will be an improvement in the way students are prepared," he said.

“This is a particularly strong year group and we expected them to do well, so it would be a shame if their achievements were clouded by the fact that there had been grade inflation.

He added: “If there is incremental grade inflation then it’s a matter of a few decimal points.”

Asked whether he backed the new A* A-level grade which will be introduced this academic year he added: “It’s inevitable when 25 per cent of those taking exams are getting an A-grade that an A* grade will be introduced.

“You can understand why universities want grade clarification when pupils get an A-grade.

“It’s what we would expect and I don’t think there is anything to fear from it. It will probably reward good scholarship and good teaching and so I think it’s a good thing.”

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