The News London 365
  • Breaking News
  • Lifestyle
  • Coronavirus
  • Food
  • Politics
  • Sport
Monday, June 27, 2022
London
+10°C
Privacy Policy
Copyright
Contact us
No Result
View All Result
  • Breaking News
  • Lifestyle
  • Coronavirus
  • Food
  • Politics
  • Sport
No Result
View All Result
The News London 365
No Result
View All Result
Home Breaking News

COVID-19: Expected inflation of A-level grades mean top universities may introduce entrance exams | UK News

The News London 365 by The News London 365
August 6, 2021
in Breaking News
0
A-Level results day

A-level students are expected to be awarded even more top grades next week to compensate for the disruption to learning, a new report says.

The rise will prompt universities to set their own entrance exams, the Daily Telegraph reports.

Thousands of school leavers will find out their results next Tuesday but grades have been drawn up by teachers after exams were cancelled for the second year in a row.

Image:
Students protested last year over the government’s handling of A-level results and experts are warning that there could be another year of inflated grades

They calculated grades based on a range of evidence, including mock results coursework and in-class assessments.

According to Professor Alan Smithers, a director at the Centre of Education and Employment Research (CEER) at the University of Buckingham, said: “The early signs are that it will be another bumper year for grades, justified as compensation for all the disruption suffered.

“The danger is that the inflated grades, in other words, lower standards, will become the new norm.”

Last summer, a controversial algorithm downgraded thousands of grades but Ofqual, the education regulator, announced a U-turn after uproar from parents and students – with some threatening the government with legal action.

Image:
There will be no algorithm this year, with the government allowing teachers’ assessments to determine grades

The proportion of top grades surged to a record high after grades were allowed to be based on teachers’ assessments.

“The expansion of the A* and A grades means that a much wider range of abilities is bundled up in them, which makes it much more difficult for universities to select accurately and fairly,” Prof Smithers added.

“Some of those admitted may not be able to cope and will have wasted time and money, and some who are much more able will be missing out when they could have done really well.

“Awarding higher grades in compensation for lost learning can be killing with kindness.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Last year, Leyton Sixth Form College had 47% of A-levels downgraded from predicted grades, leaving many disappointed.

Last year, 38.6% of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grades following the U-turn, compared to 25.5% in 2019, according to statistics published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ).

Meanwhile, the proportion of entries in England, Wales and Northern Ireland awarded the top A* grade in 2020 surged to 14.4%, compared to 7.8% the year before.

Vice-Chancellors told the Daily Telegraph that there is growing frustration at the top universities and the lack of objective measures to judge the academic abilities of school leavers is leading to more universities introducing their own assessments for entrance.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Prime Minister Boris Johnson defended the last year’s A-level results as robust despite a backlash over the government’s algorithm

One university source told the Daily Telegraph that “it will be extraordinarily messy”.

“It literally could be a tsunami of A’s and that puts the Russell Group in a very odd position: how do you disaggregate the best students?”

A head teachers’ union said it is “unhelpful” to speculate on how the grades profile could look for this year’s A-levels.

In April, the National Education Union warned that the current assessment system for A levels and GCSEs is “high risk and does not enable all students to demonstrate what they know and can do”.

It called on the government to start preparing a fair method of grading students in the next academic year.

Follow the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

A Department for Education spokeswoman said: “Speculation like this is unfair on the thousands of students who have worked incredibly hard over what has been a very challenging 18 months due to the pandemic – and who next week will be walking away with high-quality qualifications that will take them on to the next stage of their lives.

“Exams are the best form of assessment but in the absence of those this year, there is no one better placed to judge young people’s abilities than their teachers, who see them day-in-day-out.

“Teachers have assessed multiple pieces of work, in turn giving students multiple opportunities to show what they know and can do.

“As in previous years, the government has been working closely with universities ahead of results day to ensure as many students as possible can progress if they get the grades they need.”

Previous Post

Senate Expected to Vote on $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Bill Next Week

Next Post

COP26: Climate minister under fire for jetting to 30 countries – including several on red list | Politics News

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

RECENT NEWS

Road closed after lorry crashes into bridge

Road closed after lorry crashes into bridge

June 27, 2022
Schauffele wins Travelers Championship after late Theegala blunder

Schauffele wins Travelers Championship after late Theegala blunder

June 27, 2022
British GP: Hamilton’s renewed hope but can anyone stop Verstappen?

British GP: Hamilton’s renewed hope but can anyone stop Verstappen?

June 27, 2022
Jumping and flat action on competitive Monday cards

Jumping and flat action on competitive Monday cards

June 27, 2022
Beth England: My Lionesses journey | ‘Sarina has taken England to new levels’

Beth England: My Lionesses journey | ‘Sarina has taken England to new levels’

June 27, 2022
US Vice President Tests Positive for COVID-19

US Vice President Tests Positive for COVID-19

June 27, 2022

Categories

Breaking News Coronavirus Daily Devotionals Food Health and Science Lifestyle Politics Sport What's On

Recent News

Road closed after lorry crashes into bridge

Road closed after lorry crashes into bridge

June 27, 2022
The News London 365

  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright
  • Contact us
No Result
View All Result
  • Breaking News
  • Lifestyle
  • Coronavirus
  • Food
  • Politics
  • Sport

© 2022 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT