A-level A grades fall for the first time in 21 years as tougher marking rules are imposed

• 26.6% of exams were given an A or A*, down from 27% in 2011
• 0.4% drop is the biggest in the history of A-levels
• Boys overtake girls at A* grade for the first time
• Some 357,000 students had had their university places confirmed as of midnight, down from 384,000 at the same point last year
  
• Cost of taking a three-year university course estimated at £53,000

The proportion of A-levels scoring at least an A grade has fallen for the first time in 21 years after exam watchdogs introduced tougher marking rules.
In total, 26.6 per cent of exams were given an A or A*, down from 27 per cent last year - believed to be the biggest drop in the history of the qualification.
Official figures also show that boys overtook girls at A* grade for the first time.
The top mark was awarded to 8% of boys' entries and 7.9% of girls'.
The last time the proportion of A-levels scoring an A dropped was in 1991, when 11.9% of papers were awarded the grade compared to 12% in 1990.

Off to university: Pupils at Brighton College in East Sussex celebrate after 100 students at the school got either an A* or A in each exam they took. The proportion of A-level papers scoring at least an A grade has fallen for the first time in 21 years

Well done: Brighton College pupils (left to right) Holly Mizer-Jones, Abby Latham, Bethany Welch and Nico Howell-Green celebrate earning places at their first-choice universities

Success: Leora Taratula-Lyns (left), who has cared for her partially sighted mother, celebrates picking up three A* grades and an A at Brighton College, East Sussex, while Laura Powney (right) checks her results at Chelmsford County High School for Girls in Essex

The pass rate at A grade stalled in 1996 and 1997, when 15.7% of exams were awarded at least an A.
Today’s figures, published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), also show that fewer A-level exams achieved an A* this year.
Around one in 12 exams were given the top grade, which is awarded for the third time this summer, down from 8.2% in 2011.
The overall A* to E pass rate has risen for the 30th year in a row.
Some 98% of exams achieved at least an E, compared to 97.8% last year.
About 335,000 students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are receiving their A-level results today.
But while many will be celebrating, others still face a scramble to secure a university place.
Initial figures from UCAS show almost a 7% drop in the numbers of students who have already had their places confirmed.

Jumping for joy: Sarah Norris and Libby Miller celebrate their A-level results at Plymouth College in Devon

As of midnight, a total of 357,915 applicants had had their places confirmed, down from 384,649 at the same point in 2011 - a fall of 6.95 per cent.
Michael Turner, director of the JCQ, which represents exam boards, said: 'Today is about celebrating the successes of our young people and recognising the hard work that has gone in to achieving these results.
'They, and their teachers, can be proud of their achievements.
'The STEM subjects (science. technology, engineering and maths) continue to rise, with mathematics, biology, chemistry and physics all in the top 10 most popular subjects.
'Over the next few years, it will be interesting to see if, with the existence of the English Baccalaureate, the continued decline in students taking a foreign language is reversed.'

Top marks: Chelmsford County High School for Girls pupils Lavinia Dunsmore (left) and Claire Parker (right) are to study at Cambridge after scoring nine A* grades between them. But the proportion of A-levels scoring at least an A grade has fallen for the first time since 1991

Ziggy Liaquat, managing director of exam board Edexcel, insisted there was a 'very strong set of results' and said that students 'should be very proud'.
He added that the fall in A-grades was 'marginal' and said: 'The standard needed to reach an A-grade has not changed.'
Mr Liaquat highlighted the increase in the number of students taking STEM subjects.
He said: 'I think the focus really is around the pattern of entry. I think that is the strongest thing that comes through. There is a real move towards maths and sciences.'
Andrew Hall, chief executive of exam board AQA, said the drop in the number of people taking A-levels in modern foreign languages was 'a real worry'.

Happy: Chelmsford pupils Charlotte McGuinness and Georgia Herron (left), who were both 'Games Makers' during the Olympics in London, gained seven A grades between them, while Emily Wilson (right), a pupil at Central Newcastle High School, got the grades she needed to become a helicopter pilot with the RAF

He said: 'There is a crisis here in modern foreign languages. We have the euro economy in crisis - I think modern foreign languages are in the same place.'

He said he was 'quite worried' that the fall had been reported 'year on year on year'.
The number of grades awarded in French is down 5.2% from last year, and 13.6% since 2007 while German has seen a 7.6% drop, 24.3% since 2007.
Spanish entries have fallen 3.4% from last year but increased overall by 5.8% since 2007.
Mr Hall asked: 'Is this going to be like the euro, a risk of going into freefall?'
He said there was no 'magic bullet' to fix the problem but said he was encouraged by the move to introduce modern languages in primary schools.
Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the drop in A grades was a 'minor fluctuation'.
He said: 'The important point here is, if you look at the trend of improvements in schools, the numbers now succeeding at GCSE and accessing A-levels has been a success story of our education system.'

A-Level Results GRAPHIC

Mr Lightman added that there were more people taking A-levels this year and large numbers of students getting 'very good results', and that the fall in the very top grades was not significant.
He said: 'All of these trends are positive. The minor fluctuation is not a significant issue to worry about.
'It is a minor fluctuation which you will get in a system that has so many millions of entries each year.'
It comes after watchdogs introduced tough rules aimed at preventing year-on-year grade rises.
The new approach to grading will intensify the scramble for university places through clearing, as more sixth-formers miss out on the grades they need.
Youngsters who miss their required grades of AAB are expected to be worst hit. This is because universities are able to recruit as many students with AAB grades or better as they can, but face strict controls on the numbers they can take with lower grades.
Mary Curnock Cook, chief executive of university admissions service Ucas, said: “More than 300,000 applicants whose places are dependent on their grades are waiting to hear if they have been accepted today.
'Despite the fall in applications this year, entry to higher education remains competitive and we expect to see an active clearing period.'
More than 25,000 courses currently have vacancies for UK applicants. Last year, more than 50,000 people got a place at university through clearing.
Ms Curnock Cook went on: 'It is important that all students research course requirements thoroughly and think carefully before making a decision that is likely to affect their future career.
'Anyone considering applying again next year can research 2013 courses on our website now.'
Universities Minister David Willetts said the number of students going into higher education would be broadly comparable to previous years.
'There is long-term trend for more and more people to aspire to go to university and for more and more employers to look to employ people with higher education qualifications and I personally don’t think, taking the long view, that trend has suddenly stopped,' he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

BOY, 14, SCORES 100% IN PHYSICS AND WILL BECOME ONE OF YOUNGEST UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

A 14-year-old boy who scored 100 per cent in A-level physics will read economics when he becomes one of the UK's youngest ever university students.

Wajih Ahmed picked up the top A* grade in physics and also scored 93 per cent in AS-level economics.

The results, together with previous A* success in A-level maths, further maths and an A in A-level chemistry, have earned him a place at Southampton University.

Wajih, who got an A* in maths GCSE at the age of nine, picked up his results today at Barton Peveril College in Eastleigh, Hampshire.

Admissions staff at Southampton University were so impressed by his exam performances before today that they gave him an unconditional offer, guaranteeing him a place.

Wajih, from Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire, is believed to be the youngest pupil the university has ever had.

And if all goes to plan he could have a degree by the time he is 17, after which he plans to move on to do a PHD before starting a career as an actuary.

His father Usman, 46, who works for the Ministry of Defence, said: 'When I look back at my childhood, I couldn’t even have dreamed of gaining the achievements that Wajih has managed.'

'What we are seeing at the moment is there has actually been a slight decline in the number of 18-year-olds - there is a slight shrinkage in the size of that cohort - so what we are doing is we are maintaining university places broadly flat.
'There are going to be about 350,000 places in English universities this year which is comparable to the last few years.'
Speaking at the UCAS call centre in Cheltenham, Mr Willetts said he was not worried by the 7% drop in the number of students that have been accepted onto their university course compared to the same time last year.
'We'll have to see how things pan out during the day, but my understanding is that we've got almost 300,000 perspective students who have now had their places confirmed and I think that is great progress for this time in the day,' he said.
'We will have to see how things develop, but we're optimistic that the system will work in the way that it will and that through clearing perhaps people that haven't necessarily got their university first choice are still able to secure a place.'
He also insisted that despite this year's dip in applications the number of 18-year-olds applying to go to university was at its second highest level.
'The very big factor (in the drop of applications) is the decline in the number of 18-year-olds, because the number of young people is declining because of a fall in the birth rate about 20 years ago.
'When you look behind that, you see that the rate of applications amongst 18-year-olds - the crucial group leaving school or college - is its second highest level ever and today here, after all those stories last week about people who weren't applying, I'm afraid the reality today is we are being reminded that getting to university is a competitive process, where there are still more applicants than there are places.'
Reacting to fears bright students may miss out on a place at university following changes to the admissions process, Mr Willetts said he was confident the clearing process would find places for most students hoping to go to university.
He said: 'We will see how the system works out during the day, the clearing system is in place to help people who haven't got the grades that they hoped for and I very much hope that today we will see the UCAS clearing system come into its own and the people who haven't got the grades they were hoping for getting their places in that way.'

Disappointment: The new approach to grading will intensify the scramble for university places through clearing, as more sixth-formers miss out on the grades they need. Manchester University is pictured

Head teachers urged pupils to ‘be ready to act more swiftly than ever before on A-level results day this year’.
Louise Robinson, president of the Girls’ Schools Association, said: ‘University admissions are more of an unknown quantity this year, so students must be prepared to make quick decisions, pick up the phone and secure themselves a place if their results aren’t quite as expected.
‘Hours, rather than days, will make the difference.’
Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, called for university applications to be rescheduled until after results are known.
‘As our young people celebrate the exam successes that mean so much for their future choices, we should recognise that the current system of predictions, quotas and clearing has reached the end of its life,’ he said.

AN EXPENSIVE EDUCATION

The total cost of a three-year university degree will hit £53,330 for students starting courses next month, according to research.

Tuition fees alone will average £26,310 while £12,478 will be spent on student digs and £4,319 on food.

Socialising and leisure over the three years is expected to cost the average student £3,933, according to an analysis by finance giant LV=, which surveyed 2,000 parents.

The remaining £6,290 will be made up of energy bills, clothes and books.

One in five parents say they will foot the bill for their children’s university education, with 28 per cent saying they will fund part of the cost.

The sharp increase in the cost of university follows the near-tripling of tuition fees from next month, from a maximum of £3,375 to £9,000 a year.

Separate research has already shown that average government-backed student debt on graduation is expected to reach £37,658 under the new fees regime.

Scottish students attending Scottish universities can expect to spend £23,216 on average because they are not required to pay tuition fees.

‘There are many obstacles to reform, but we must make sure the system fits the needs of people rather than the other way round.’
Thirty years ago, pupils passed less than 10 per cent of exams at grade A. Since then, pass rates have risen every year. Last year sixth-formers passed 27 per cent of A-levels at grade A, or the A* grade designed to stretch the brightest.
Under the new approach to grading, outlined by exams watchdog Ofqual in guidance to examiners, this year’s A-level results will be matched more closely to the year group’s performance at GCSE in 2010.
Exam boards are being asked to provide much stronger justification for allowing grades and pass rates to stray far out of line with expected performance.
Under the so-called ‘comparable outcomes’ approach, ‘roughly the same proportion of students will achieve each grade as in the previous year’, according to Ofqual’s guidance.
But critics say that grades are being artificially held down – a claim denied by Ofqual.
Explaining the policy earlier this year Glenys Stacey, who leads Ofqual, admitted achievement had not previously been measured ‘in the most rigorous way’.
‘We have a new way of securing standards. Attainment at A-level, and in new GCSEs, stayed steady last year. Indeed, we’ll see what happens this year,’ she said.
‘Making the measurements of attainment more rigorous and robust will not make us popular. We do not aim for popularity. But I hope we will be respected.’
The first effects of the new policy were glimpsed last year when results edged up only slightly at grades A* and E, and stayed the same at grade A. The proportion of exams awarded other grades rose more sharply.
Professor Alan Smithers, an education expert at Buckingham University, said: ‘We know that what Ofqual is intending is that the pattern of results this year should be more or less the same as last year.
‘Other things being equal, they’ll be asking the exam boards stiff questions if there’s a big movement from the results last year.’
A series of major reforms to A-levels, which will increase the involvement of universities in question-setting and do away with a resitting culture, will be introduced from September 2013.
Research suggests that students at sixth-form colleges are significantly more likely to achieve top grades at A-Level than those who stay on at their schools.
Teenagers at colleges were 7 per cent more likely to be awarded A* or A, academics at Southampton University found.
Daniel Mujis, who led the research, told the Times that sixth-form colleges provided specialist teaching and offered a wider choice of subjects.
On the eve of results day, the Adecco Group released findings of a survey of 1,114 office workers which found two thirds believe the A-level ‘gold standard’ is failing to prepare young people for the workplace.