A-level grade appeals hit record in scramble for degree places

2022-08-20

A-level grade appeals hit record in scramble for degree places: Number of challenges to grades is expected to top 7,000 for the first time, following the biggest drop in A and A* grades in history

Exam boards aim to process appeals to results within a couple of weeks
But universities only hold places until the beginning of September
Volume of appeals could cause delays into new term- expected to hit 7,000

Sharp-elbowed parents are set to push A-level appeals to a record high this year over thousands of lost university places.

The number of challenges to grades is expected to top 7,000 for the first time, following the biggest drop in A and A* grades in history.

Figures from dataHE published today show the proportion getting AAB – the standard offer for many Russell Group universities – decreased from 51.4 per cent to 41.5 per cent. And those getting A*A*A, often demanded by Oxbridge, plummeted from 19.3 per cent to 14.5 per cent.

Next week, GCSE results are expected to plunge too – potentially leading to even more appeals.

Yesterday, Oxford University announced that despite the harsh grading, it had taken a record proportion of very disadvantaged pupils.

However, it is likely to be middle class pupils making up the bulk of grade appeals, as admissions tutors had no reason to be lenient if they missed grades.

The number of challenges to grades is expected to top 7,000 for the first time, following the biggest drop in A and A* grades in history. Pictured: A student opens his results on Thursday

Exam boards aim to process appeals within a couple of weeks, but universities usually only hold places until the beginning of September.

With such a large volume of appeals, it could mean delays into the new term.

The number of appeals reached 480 before the pandemic, but by last year this had soared to 6,800 – with a further rise expected this year. More than 20,000 students lost both their firm and insurance university places this year – up about 50 per cent on last year.

Students’ predicted grades were too optimistic because they were based on GCSE grades, which were vastly inflated because no exams were taken in the pandemic. Mark Cover, founder of dataHE, said: ‘University applicants typically lost a grade compared to what they would have got last year.’

Chris McGovern, former government adviser, said: ‘Appeals could hit a record high. It’s because expectations have been raised to an unprecedented levels. It will be pushy parents from middle class backgrounds – it’s inevitable.’

Alan Smithers, professor of education at Buckingham University, added: ‘Essentially, people have learnt that appealing works and ambitious parents, particularly, are reading up on this.

‘A lot of these appeals are successful, so the sharp-elbowed parents will get in there.’

It came as Oxford revealed it accepted its highest ever proportion of the most disadvantaged pupils. About 23 per cent of its 3,210 students will be from the most deprived families, up from 20 per cent last year. The university said: ‘They include applicants from across the UK, from areas of low progression to higher education and from areas of social and economic disadvantage. This figure has increased from 13 per cent four years ago.’

It has been using ‘contextual admissions’ – taking into account family background – to offer places to disadvantaged pupils where they have the right grades. The move has been controversial, with some saying it locks out the ‘squeezed middle’ who are neither overprivileged nor poor.

Less than half of Russell Group universities are left in Clearing, offering a fraction of the courses normally available. Only 24 hours after students got their A-level results, just 11 out of the 24 institutions can offer students who missed grades a place. On the eve of results day there were 22,685 courses open at top universities; yesterday there were 857. For the first time ever, Sheffield University closed its clearing process early – after just one day – due to unprecedented demand. Yesterday more than 50,000 students were in clearing, the highest number in a decade, as thousands missed grades.

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