School and college leavers will wake up to their long-awaited A-level grades on Thursday. Hundreds of thousands of students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are receiving grades to help them decide whether to progress to university, an apprenticeship or work.
Results day comes amid a crisis in the number of young people not in education, employment or training (Neet). The Department for Education estimates that nearly 58,000 18-year-olds in England will get no results on Thursday because they have dropped out of education and training, although some are working.
Neet numbers reach record high
The latest data, published in May, showed the number of young people aged 16 to 24 neither working nor learning surpassed one million for the first time since 2013, reaching 1.01 million in the three months from January to March.
The Education Secretary told the Press Association she is focused on a “revolution” in technical and vocational pathways to answer the “clarion call” of the Neets crisis. In a statement ahead of results day, Lucy Powell said: “My priority is making sure every young person has the skills, knowledge, and confidence to thrive in the jobs of the future.
“That’s why we’re giving technical education the respect it deserves by rolling out new V Levels to go alongside A Levels, introducing brilliant routes into the careers of the future from age 14, and fully funding apprenticeship training for under-25s.”
University places and clearing
For many students, receiving their exam results on Thursday will also bring confirmation of university places. Last week, Jo Saxton, head of Ucas, suggested a record number of 18-year-olds could be successful in securing their first-choice university on results day, with record highs also expected to accept places through, and apply directly to, clearing.
But leaders in the sector warned that a “growing pressure” on student finances and cost-of-living concerns will be a prominent influence behind the choices students make through clearing, amid a rise in students considering living at home and working alongside their studies.
Ms Powell said: “For those off to university, we’re increasing maintenance loans and reintroducing maintenance grants to ensure no one is held back by their background.
“Whether you’re going into an apprenticeship or job, are off to one of our world-class universities, or are still working out your next steps, there are brilliant options and exciting opportunities ahead.”
Clearing vacancies and grade trends
On the day before A-level results day, a PA sample of 131 of the UK’s largest higher education providers showed there were 22,698 courses with vacancies for undergraduate students living in England on the Ucas clearing site – which matches applicants to university places yet to be filled. Eighteen of the 24 Russell Group universities, which represent some of the most selective UK institutions, had vacancies on courses for English residents – a total of 3,483 courses between them.
Clearing is available to students who do not meet the conditions of their offer on A-level results day, as well as those who did not receive any offers. But prospective students who have changed their mind about what or where they wish to study, and also those who have applied outside the normal application window, can also use clearing.
Last year, 28.3% of UK A-level entries were awarded an A or A* grade – the highest proportion outside the pandemic-affected years of 2020-22. The Covid-19 pandemic led to an increase in top A-level grades in 2020 and 2021, with results based on teacher assessments instead of exams. In 2019 – the last year that summer exams were taken before the Covid-19 pandemic – 25.4% of UK A-level entries were awarded top grades.
Students who are receiving their A-level and level 3 vocational and technical qualification results were in Year 7 when schools closed because of the pandemic.
Scottish results
Scotland has a different qualification system and students received their results on Tuesday last week. Figures showed the number of passes at National 5 reached record levels. Pass rates for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher increased across the board, to 79.2%, 76.7% and 77.6% respectively. The proportion of pupils who achieved an A also rose for National 5 and Higher to 40.3% and 20.9%, while the rate for Advanced Higher fell to 30.9%.
