This year's A-level and GCSE results show a substantial increase in top grades compared to 2019, raising questions about how to measure future cohorts. While students should be proud of their achievements under difficult circumstances, the results are not directly comparable with pre-Covid outcomes.
The government opted for teacher assessments instead of in-person exams, which were deemed impossible in 2020. This approach, though more orderly than last year, led to variations in grading across schools. Teacher assessments may capture average or best performance across multiple pieces of work, rather than a snapshot from exams, contributing to higher grades.
However, teacher assessments may have disadvantaged some groups. Research shows Black Caribbean pupils are more likely to receive lower teacher-assessed grades than their externally marked test scores. Girls tend to outperform boys in coursework, while boys excel in exams. This year, girls saw larger improvements than boys compared to pre-pandemic levels.
The record high scores pose challenges for universities, which may rely more on personal statements to distinguish applicants—a method that can entrench disadvantage. Looking ahead, the question remains whether to return to 2019 grade distributions or maintain current levels. Returning to pre-Covid standards could see a sharp drop in top grades, a politically difficult move.
Future cohorts have also been affected by the pandemic, arguably more so than this year's students. Experts suggest designing more flexible exams to allow for pandemic-related learning loss, ensuring students are not unfairly penalised.
