Top A-Level Grades Up, Yet Stark Regional Disparities Remain in Education

Regional and School Type Gaps Remain Despite Rise in A-Level Top Grades

Many students in England received their A-level results on 15 August and the total number of high grades, As and A*s, has risen. This year's results not only outperformed those of the previous year but significantly exceeded pre-pandemic levels. However, there are still notable discrepancies, particularly between northern and southern England, as well as Northern Ireland and Wales, where performances have declined since last year and the same can be seen between private and state schools.

A-level and GCSE exams had reverted to prependemic level within 2 years, as during the epidemic, tests were cancelled and grades were allocated just based on predictions by professors, increasing top scores. Gradually the scores achieved their pre-2019 standards, as students observed a considerable reduction in top A-level results compared to the previous two years. Experts predicted that this tendency will continue and soon align closely with 2019 results, however, this did not happen in England. Instead, 9.3% of entries achieved A* marks, up from 8.6% last year and above the 7.7% recorded in 2019. In 2024, 27.6% of entries received A or A* grades, up from 26.5% the previous year and 25.2% in 2019. Ofqual, England's qualifications regulator, has rejected any concerns about grade inflation, attributing the improved results to the current student generation. This year's students, who took GCSEs rather than obtaining teacher-assessed results, were more informed when selecting A-level options.

In contrast, several parts of the UK resulted in a projected drop in attainment, after applying the pre-pandemic assessment norms with no changes in the exam system. In Northern Ireland, 30.3% of pupils received A or A* marks, down seven percentage points from 2023. In Wales, the share dropped from 34% to 27.6%, albeit both are still higher than in 2019.
Even though top grades have risen overall, there are still big regional differences in England. As usual, the north lags behind London and the southeast. London saw the highest percentage of A and A* grades at 31.3%, up by 1.3 percentage points from last year. On the other hand, the East Midlands had the lowest percentage at 22.5%, which is only a small increase of 0.2 points from 2023.
 

Myles McGinley, director of regulation at OCR, noted a positive development in the north-east, as the top grades there rose from 22% last year to 23.9% this year, which narrowed the gap with London and the south-east. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has highlighted regional disparities as a key issue and committed to addressing them on a priority basis. However, this year’s results suggest that any progress might be gradual. Even though students had the benefit of sitting GCSE exams this year, they still faced challenges from two years of Covid-related disruptions. Factors like low attendance, the rising cost of living, and the Raac crisis affected their performance. One of the principals observed that while their school's top grades had improved, there was a "squishy bit in the middle." This term describes students who might have received inflated GCSE grades in 2022 due to adjustments and are now disappointed with their A-level results as the assessments returned to normal standards.

Lee Elliot Major, a professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, expressed concerns that this year's A-level results might highlight widening academic gaps due to learning losses during the Covid pandemic, high school absence rates, and rising child poverty. Major warned that we might see notable differences in achievement between state and private schools, as well as regional inequalities. Additionally, there is apprehension about a decline in the number of disadvantaged students applying to university. This year’s A-level results reveal a significant rise in the popularity of mathematics, with entries surpassing 100,000 for the first time. Surprisingly, 17,000 students of maths marked a 20% increment from last year resulting in the highest year-on-year growth shown in maths. There were also more entries in physics, computing, and other sciences. English literature and French saw increases as well, possibly due to more language teachers being available.
 

While the surge in math’s popularity is encouraging, some concerns have been raised. Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, acknowledged the positive trend of maths becoming the top A-level subject but pointed out that other areas, such as creative arts, design, and technology, have struggled recently due to past government policies that marginalized these subjects. Di'Iasio also expressed worry about the significant drop in drama entries this year and hopes that the new government's curriculum and assessment reforms will better support and promote these crucial subjects, which are vital for both cultural and economic reasons.

Editor’s Note:

This year's A-level results presented a complex picture of academic success across the United Kingdom. While high grades, such as As and A*s, have increased noticeably, major regional differences remain. The disparity between North and South England remains large, and attainment levels in Northern Ireland and Wales range significantly from those in other regions. Furthermore, private schools continue to outperform governmental institutions. These continuing gaps highlight the importance of sustained attention and action to overcome inequality in our educational system. On one hand, Math showed popularity while other subjects such as arts, design, drama, and technology remained areas of concern. 

Skoobuzz hopes that new policies and reforms will show a significant change in the performance.