Why bumper A-Level results could be a problem

Opinion
9 Aug 2025 • 9:37 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

image is not available

  • An education expert predicts that the proportion of A-level entries achieving top grades this summer will exceed pre-Covid levels.
  • Professor Alan Smithers of the University of Buckingham warns that grade inflation may be re-emerging, with A or A* grades potentially settling at a new normal of 27-28 per cent.
  • Last year, 27.8 per cent of UK A-level entries received an A or A* grade, significantly higher than the 25.4 per cent recorded in 2019 before the pandemic.
  • Girls are expected to continue outperforming boys in overall top A-level grades, despite boys achieving a higher proportion of A*s.
  • Provisional data indicates a decline in A-level entries for social sciences like psychology and sociology, while entries for mathematics, physics, and chemistry have increased.

IN FULL

Newswav Malaysia Best News App

Newswav is an online content aggregator and obtains its content from different online sources. The content in the app do not belong to Newswav nor do they reflect the opinions of Newswav and its staff. Your use of this app indicates your understanding and acceptance of this information.

Newswav Sdn. Bhd. (201701008480 (1222645-M)) 2026 All Rights Reserved