A-level Results 2020

[ABB125]

Following this news article, I thought it might be a good idea to start a thread about A-level results.

Scottish school pupils have results upgraded

Image copyrightPA MEDIAImage captionSome pupils held protests against the downgrading
Tens of thousands of school pupils are to have their exam results upgraded after the Scottish government agreed to accept teacher estimates of scores.
The government u-turn follows an outcry from pupils after a moderation system saw 125,000 estimated results being downgraded.
All results that were downgraded will now be withdrawn and replaced by the original estimates.
The move affects about 75,000 pupils across Scotland.
There had been claims that the moderation system unfairly penalised pupils at schools which had historically not performed as well.
And many pupils said they had been given lower grades than they had achieved in prelim exams at the start of the year.

• Sturgeon 'sorry' over Scottish exam results
• Live: Latest on coronavirus in Scotland
• How grades were worked out for Scottish pupils

Education Secretary John Swinney said he was sorry for the "feeling of unfairness" caused by the downgrading, adding that it was "deeply regrettable we got this wrong".
Mr Swinney and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had both previously argued that basing grades on teacher estimates alone would damage the credibility of this year's results compared to previous years.
Opposition parties in the Scottish Parliament are pushing for a vote of no confidence in Mr Swinney, with Labour and the Conservatives calling for him to quit.

Media captionMr Swinney said 'all downgraded results will be withdrawn'
The coronavirus lockdown saw all of Scotland's school exams cancelled for the first time ever, with the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) drawing up a new system to calculate results.
This was to be based on teacher estimates for each of their individual pupils, based on their work during the school year.
But these estimates were then fed through an SQA moderation system, which downgraded the marks handed out by teachers to bring them closer in line with previous years.
This sparked an outcry from students, particularly when it emerged that the Higher pass rate for pupils from the most deprived backgrounds was reduced by 15.2 percentage points, but only by 6.9 percentage points for the wealthiest pupils.

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGESImage captionMs Sturgeon and Mr Swinney both insisted last week that it would not be credible to base the results on teacher estimates alone
Mr Swinney accepted there was "clear anger and frustration from young people and their families" about this, saying it had "left many young people feeling their future had been determined by statistical modelling rather than their own ability".
He said he would now direct the SQA to reissue grades "based solely on teacher or lecturer judgement".
Fresh certificates will be issued and the university admissions body informed of the changes so applications can be processed.
A review of what has gone wrong will also be held, as well as a longer-term study of how future qualifications should balance exams and teacher assessments.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had previously said that accepting teacher estimates without moderation would lead to an exceptionally high pass rate compared to previous years, which she said would not be "credible".
And Mr Swinney said last week that he believed teachers were often "optimistic and aspirational" about their pupils' abilities, while an exam system "does something different".
This year's Higher pass rate will now sit at 89.2%, up 14.4 percentage points on 2019, while the Advanced Higher pass rate is at 93.1%, up 13.7 points from the previous year.
At Ms Sturgeon's coronavirus briefing on Tuesday, she said she now believed concerns about the credibility of the unusually high pass rate were outweighed by the risk of students thinking the system was "stacked against them".
'My medical dream is alive again'

Image copyrightDAVID BIGGARTImage captionOlivia Biggart got A grades in her prelims but her final results did not reflect what teachers recommended
A Motherwell pupil whose dream of becoming a doctor appeared to have been shattered by downgraded Higher results will now get the five As that she needed.
Olivia Biggart believed she was downgraded to two As and three Bs because her school is in a deprived area.
The 16-year-old said she cheered at John Swinney's announcement that she would now get her original estimated grades.
She will now be able to apply for medical school in October.
"I am over the moon because finally there is justice and I can pursue my career," she said.
"I am happy with what he said - and glad he apologised to us."

• Read more here

Labour are pushing for a vote of no confidence in Mr Swinney, likely to be held at Holyrood later in the week.
The party's education spokesman Iain Gray said Mr Swinney had left students "twisting in the wind for a week", and urged him to "take full responsibility for it happening in the first place and resign".
Scottish Conservative MSP Jamie Greene said Mr Swinney's statement had been "the longest resignation speech in history, minus the resignation", and Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie said the education secretary was "part of the problem, not the solution".
The Scottish Greens said Mr Swinney had "refused to listen" to earlier concerns, but welcomed that he had met the conditions the party had set for backing him in any confidence vote - likely securing his future.

This decision in Scotland puts the cat among the pigeons for exam results for the rest of the UK - where A-level results are due on Thursday.
If Scotland's students are given higher grades based on teachers' predictions, how will it be fair if they're competing for the same university places as students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland?
Will the newly-boosted grades of Scottish students bump others out of university places, whose results have been pushed down by the moderation process?
And if pegging pupils' results to the previous achievement of their school is unfair in Scotland, how will it be fair for those getting A-levels in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
These grades are for life, important for jobs as well as higher education. And it raises the question which is more important, fairness for the individual, or the smooth running of the exam system?
Scotland's change of heart will pile on the pressure for changes in the rest of the UK - but like turning an ethical Rubik cube - any change will generate other patterns of unfairness.
In England using teachers' predictions would have meant almost 40% getting an A* or A at A-level this year - and below that average there will be some teachers that have been very tough and others very generous. That would risk creating even more inequalities that could fill court rooms for years.
Until now England's Department for Education has rejected any change of plan, but the stakes have been raised.

I wonder what the impact will be on English results on Thursday?
I'm one of the people waiting to hear what the system will give me, but luckily my first choice university (Birmingham) decided to give me an offer of CCC if I put them as my first choice (I'm not sure why they decided to do this though), and even then the alternative offer was a not-particularly-ambitious (for me) AAB; however, I appreciate that for many students their results this year could have a major impact. What do people in a similar position on here think?

I've put this thread in the general discussion section rather that coronavirus section because whilst COVID-19 has caused the current situation, it's not an integral part of the discussion of the system and the results produced

 

[GRALISTAIR]

If the standards get lowered there will be consequences down the line one way or another

 

[scotrail158713]

It’ll certainly be interesting to see how it goes. I was talking with my Dad about it the other day (he is a secondary teacher). The part that surprised me most was the SQA were changing results without looking at a pupils work from throughout the year. I think that’s what’s caused the controversy up here - results seemed to have been changed to fit statistics, and not based on any work.

I'm one of the people waiting to hear what the system will give me, but luckily my first choice university (Birmingham) decided to give me an offer of CCC if I put them as my first choice (I'm not sure why they decided to do this though), and even then the alternative offer was a not-particularly-ambitious (for me) AAB; however, I appreciate that for many students their results this year could have a major impact. What do people in a similar position on here think?

Good luck. I hope you get what you’re looking for.

 

[Journeyman]

The big question is, how high will the pretty girls be jumping this year?

I'm sure the Mail and the Express will keep us posted.

 

[Typhoon]

It’ll certainly be interesting to see how it goes. I was talking with my Dad about it the other day (he is a secondary teacher). The part that surprised me most was the SQA were changing results without looking at a pupils work from throughout the year. I think that’s what’s caused the controversy up here - results seemed to have been changed to fit statistics, and not based on any work.

I have every sympathy for students, parents, teachers, employers, HE institutions

Before I retired, I worked in an FE college but was Director of HE courses so received UCAS forms. Most of our students were local so I got to know which institutions tended to be very optimistic. That didn't matter too much once the grades came in, it was easy to resist the '(s)he was predicted to get a ...'. Now it is crucial, how do you account for changes in staff, ethos in the school, late developers, students reaching their ceiling, students adapting/ failing to adapt to a new subject, the greater concentration on method rather than fact? I'm glad I'm well out of it. There has been a concentration on those who won't achieve the necessary grades; there must also be some concern about those given a higher grade than they might have got, end up in a prestigious institution with an exacting programme of learning who drop out after six months. Now if only there was an examination at the end of year 12, testing part of the syllabus so there would be rather more to base the estimate on!

 

[GRALISTAIR]

--- there must also be some concern about those given a higher grade than they might have got, end up in a prestigious institution with an exacting programme of learning who drop out after six months.

Imperial already took matters into their own hands a few years back. The standard is high and they were not prepared to lower theirs. They decided A Level maths in particular did not prepare students for what lay ahead in the engineering, materials science and similar disciplines. So Imperial went to mainly 4 year degrees and offered loads of remedial maths courses. A levels should prepare people for degrees which should prepare people for the job market and the real world imho. Thank god, quite a few marks are offered these days for presentation skills to fellow pupils etc and other stuff such as team building skills.

 

[scotrail158713]

I do (for the first time in my life ) feel some sympathy towards John Swinney.
I think he was in a no-win situation, as no moderation of results would have led to results reaching sky-high levels, and there would have been claims of inaccurate results as teachers gave unrealistic estimates. The opposite ultimately occurred though, as SQA moderation led to a large percentage of results being downgraded, and there were claims of statistics leading to the downgrading of estimates given by teachers who have worked with pupils all year.
Ultimately, I don’t know what the ideal solution would have been - these were unprecedented times after all . So I am trying to restrain my criticism, as I know criticising whilst offering no solutions is the easiest thing in the world to do.
I realise this is a thread for A-Level results - I may have drifted OT with discussion of Scottish results.

 

[NorthOxonian]

One thing to bear in mind (particularly for anyone getting results or the family of someone in that position) is that universities do have some discretion once results come out.

I remember getting my A Level Results - my heart immediately sank because I didn't quite make my offer. After a bit of back and forth, they relented and I ended up at Oxford rather than Loughborough. I expect that most universities will understand that these are exceptional circumstances and that these results might not reflect ability as well as previous years.

 

[ABB125]

One thing to bear in mind (particularly for anyone getting results or the family of someone in that position) is that universities do have some discretion once results come out.

I remember getting my A Level Results - my heart immediately sank because I didn't quite make my offer. After a bit of back and forth, they relented and I ended up at Oxford rather than Loughborough. I expect that most universities will understand that these are exceptional circumstances and that these results might not reflect ability as well as previous years.

I agree; with many potential students considering a deferred entry, and a likely lack of much more lucrative foreign students, universities will be trying to get as many £9250 cheques students through the doors as possible, so are probably likely to accept students who just miss their offer

 

[Typhoon]

I do (for the first time in my life ) feel some sympathy towards John Swinney.
...
I realise this is a thread for A-Level results - I may have drifted OT with discussion of Scottish results.

Swinney is unlucky in that the Scottish results come first. I will fully expect that much the same dilemma facing Ofqual. The results are due Thursday, I would have had access to the results of students I had accepted two days earlier through our partner University; Ofqual would have had to react pretty smartly if their feared the same reaction. There WILL be disappointed students, there always are but they will have more grounds for complaint this time around.

 

[si404]

If the standards get lowered there will be consequences down the line one way or another

The standard hasn't been lowered - it's a different standard. This unfortunate cohort were always going to have 'a star' next to its results due to their not being allowed to sit exams.

It doesn't matter whether it's a teacher-assessed grade that's at least an assessment of individual merit (though less objective than ideal), or a teacher-assessed grade that has been altered by how good/bad your school was last year that is more an assessment of the year above you at your school - it's a different standard.

Penalising good students at bad schools doubly - the normal one of them having to work harder to get a grade that reflects their worth, and the added one of lowering their grades because the school is bad (or rather was), is horrific. Glad the Scots have seen sense, and hopefully the other nations follow suit.

Hopefully this cohort will be allowed to be judged by the standard that everyone else has been and will be and sit exams in 2021 if they want (perhaps more so the GCSE cohort than A-level). Of course, it wouldn't be such an issue if we didn't make these exams (or however its chosen to work this year) at 16 and 18 such cataclysmic judgement and sorting on these kids futures.

 

[Typhoon]

I agree; with many potential students considering a deferred entry, and a likely lack of much more lucrative foreign students, universities will be trying to get as many £9250 cheques students through the doors as possible, so are probably likely to accept students who just miss their offer

"However uncertain today looks,
Tomorrow is still yours
Chat to us about Clearing"
(University of Portsmouth)​

Advert just below this entry as I type. Universities will be in financial difficulties unless they can really keep their numbers. As you write, in previous years they have depended on overseas students, just under 500,000 in the year 2018/2019. The countries sending most students to the UK in the academic year are China, India, USA, Hong Kong, Italy, Malaysia, France. For a variety of reasons, the numbers coming are likely to be fewer or much fewer. I suspect you were right first time, money (and therefore students) will be critical, I fear that some HE institutions will be very vulnerable.

Data from https://www.studying-in-uk.org/international-student-statistics-in-uk/

 

[Typhoon]

Hopefully this cohort will be allowed to be judged by the standard that everyone else has been and will be and sit exams in 2021 if they want (perhaps more so the GCSE cohort than A-level). Of course, it wouldn't be such an issue if we didn't make these exams (or however its chosen to work this year) at 16 and 18 such cataclysmic judgement and sorting on these kids futures.

There is an Autumn Series for both A Levels and GCSEs in October and November although how useful they will be is debatable

Ofqual confirmed that exam boards must make exams available in all GCSE, AS and A level subjects. It also confirmed that exam boards must base results on students’ performance in exams alone and not on any non-exam assessment, with the exception of art and design qualifications.

AS and A level exams will take place in October and GCSE exams in November.

The Department for Education has also published guidance on centre responsibility for autumn GCSE, AS and A level exam series, which makes clear that we expect the exam centre that had entered the students for exams in the summer to enter them in the autumn if they wish to sit exams, even if the student is no longer enrolled at that centre.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ancellation-of-gcses-as-and-a-levels-in-2020

 

[si404]

There is an Autumn Series for both A Levels and GCSEs in October and November although how useful they will be is debatable

If FE colleges offer them - and the Government pays for them (the key bit) - the November sittings might be pretty popular. Especially if England/Wales/NI doesn't learn from Scotland's mistake and go with the unmoderated grades (if you have good grades off your teacher, you'd be less likely to, whereas if you were downgraded due to your school being not very good, you'd be more likely to).

Loads of people are going to defer uni anyway due to it not being normal - no typical uni experience even if physically there and a high likelihood of having to do it remotely. 2 months of study in September and October to replace 2 months of study you didn't have in April and May doesn't really hinder a gap year, especially one you were pushed into by circumstance, and now's not the time to do standard gap year fair of getting a job to raise money for uni or go backpacking anyway!

Of course the horse bolted: the exams should have been postponed, rather than scrapped.

 

[ABB125]

If FE colleges offer them - and the Government pays for them (the key bit) - the November sittings might be pretty popular. Especially if England/Wales/NI doesn't learn from Scotland's mistake and go with the unmoderated grades (if you have good grades off your teacher, you'd be less likely to, whereas if you were downgraded due to your school being not very good, you'd be more likely to).

Loads of people are going to defer uni anyway due to it not being normal - no typical uni experience even if physically there and a high likelihood of having to do it remotely. 2 months of study in September and October to replace 2 months of study you didn't have in April and May doesn't really hinder a gap year, especially one you were pushed into by circumstance, and now's not the time to do standard gap year fair of getting a job to raise money for uni or go backpacking anyway!

Of course the horse bolted: the exams should have been postponed, rather than scrapped.

The problem I (and many others) would have with doing an exam later this year is that I'm no longer in "school mode" and haven't done anything to do with schoolwork since April. As a result I have forgotten quite a lot of what I've been taught over the last two years, especially finer points (and most of further maths!), so I'm not really prepared in any way, unlike had I done exams at the normal time.

 

[Typhoon]

Looks like HMG is anticipating trouble:

A-level students in England are now being promised their final results will not be lower than their mock exams.

The Department for Education is announcing a "triple lock" - so results will be the highest out of their estimated grades, their mocks and a back-up written exam in the autumn.

It follows Scotland's decision to switch to teachers' predicted grades.

England's Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said this would be a "safety net" for students.

But head teachers' leader Geoff Barton was highly critical of this late change: "The idea of introducing at the eleventh hour a system in which mock exam results trump calculated grades beggars belief.

"The government doesn't appear to understand how mock exams work. They aren't a set of exams which all conform to the same standards. The clue is in the name 'mock'," said Mr Barton.

The heads' leader said mock results were not consistent between schools and were not intended to be used in public exams and attacked the decision as "panicked and chaotic".

From https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-53746140 - my italics.

If the results are coming out Thursday they will be with schools by tomorrow at the latest. Whilst the 'triple lock' might not be a bad idea in principle. it should have been introduced at least two months ago so someone could check the mock exams to ensure they are of the required standard (past papers would presumably go through on the nod).

 

[Typhoon]

The problem I (and many others) would have with doing an exam later this year is that I'm no longer in "school mode" and haven't done anything to do with schoolwork since April. As a result I have forgotten quite a lot of what I've been taught over the last two years, especially finer points (and most of further maths!), so I'm not really prepared in any way, unlike had I done exams at the normal time.

And (if you had taken A Levels) your concern might well be your uni course or apprenticeship

 

[A Challenge]

If FE colleges offer them - and the Government pays for them (the key bit) - the November sittings might be pretty popular. Especially if England/Wales/NI doesn't learn from Scotland's mistake and go with the unmoderated grades (if you have good grades off your teacher, you'd be less likely to, whereas if you were downgraded due to your school being not very good, you'd be more likely to).

They aren't planning to currently, between £90 and £170 per subject at A level.

Raised upper bound of prices - didn't see it when first looking through the figures

 

[ABB125]

Looks like HMG is anticipating trouble:

From https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-53746140 - my italics.

If the results are coming out Thursday they will be with schools by tomorrow at the latest. Whilst the 'triple lock' might not be a bad idea in principle. it should have been introduced at least two months ago so someone could check the mock exams to ensure they are of the required standard (past papers would presumably go through on the nod).

It does seem a knee-jerk reaction (why am I not surprised?) but I'm firmly of the opinion that Scotland's announcement about "upgrading" results was timer as late as possible to cause maximum disruption and embarrassment to the UK government whilst making the SNP look like a Scottish student's best friend. Thus the UK government didn't really have a choice in that they needed to announce something in order to not have the same sort of outcry that occurred in Scotland.
I can sort of understand why mock results have been chosen, but the problem with that is that they aren't necessarily all to the same standard across the country and many students don't take them very seriously. There are also sometimes individual circumstances that can cause lower mock results than perhaps anticipated: for example, I and 19 others in my year group went on a (school organised) trip to New York and Washington DC for the whole of the February half term. As a result, I did precisely zero revision for the last set of mock exams the week after, and so didn't do as well as I could have. Therefore, for me mock results wouldn't really be ideal.

 

[Typhoon]

They aren't planning to currently, between £90 and £165 per subject at A level

Interesting. So when the Education Minister said on the Today programme that the purpose of the triple lock was not to disadvantage children(!) from poorer backgrounds, they maybe have not thought this through.

 

[si404]

The problem I (and many others) would have with doing an exam later this year is that I'm no longer in "school mode" and haven't done anything to do with schoolwork since April. As a result I have forgotten quite a lot of what I've been taught over the last two years, especially finer points (and most of further maths!), so I'm not really prepared in any way, unlike had I done exams at the normal time.

Hence why I suggested 2021 initially. November is an option though.

And (if you had taken A Levels) your concern might well be your uni course or apprenticeship

Might being the operative word, and one I discussed when I talked about some of this cohort maybe choosing to take exams and so have something judged by the same standards.

November is, in a normal year, resits, and often they are done by people who started another course in September but want to get it over and done with before their main course gets serious, rather than doing it in parallel until summer.

 

[GatwickDepress]

Good luck to anyone receiving their results today!

 

[The_Train]

Not really been following this much but I did read a story earlier of a student who'd obtained A-A-A in their mocks, were given predicted grades of A*-A*-A* by their teachers and got results (via this strange system I can't get my head around) of B-B-C. Really can't see how that can make any sense whatsoever

 

[Typhoon]

Good luck to anyone receiving their results today!

Unfortunately, I fear luck probably has had too much influence; it would be pleasing if it was down to ability.
But I echo your sentiments, the vast majority will have worked very hard!

 

[packermac]

Not really been following this much but I did read a story earlier of a student who'd obtained A-A-A in their mocks, were given predicted grades of A*-A*-A* by their teachers and got results (via this strange system I can't get my head around) of B-B-C. Really can't see how that can make any sense whatsoever

Yes I do not know if this is the government imposing rules or those "higher up the education food chain" believing teachers lie.

 

[eMeS]

My granddaughter studied law at one of the universities in the north-west, and she kept me informed of the numbers still on her course, term-by-term. It seems that many more offers were made than expected to complete the year's course; and that weeding out was part of the course. In her case, she did well over the four years, and got a job in a solicitor's office on graduation.
Then she got furloughed, and then made redundant. She's now searching for a replacement job - with some success in early interviews.
At least her university seemed well aware that exam results weren't the only criterion for continued success.

 

[ABB125]

I'm happy with what I got today (A*AAB), particularly with getting an A in physics as I'm not sure I would have had I sat proper exams! Most people I spoke to were happy with their results (although some are planning to appeal grades which they feel may be borderline), although there were some who were rather less happy.
I didn't have any of my grades changed, but quite a few people did (often in slightly odd ways, for example maths going down but further maths going up).
Did anyone else on here get their results today, would you be willing to share your experience?

 

[Typhoon]

Yes I do not know if this is the government imposing rules or those "higher up the education food chain" believing teachers lie.

'Lie' is a very strong word! A grade in an examination paper is awarded, not on what the candidate knows nor how they use their knowledge (although that is fairly important), but on how their response, given on one or two particular days, fits the criteria set out in 'The Marking Scheme'. It is here, sadly, that some students fall down. I have been an Assistant Examiner (marker) for subjects I taught (Maths, Computing); fortunately these are fairly easy to mark although one year I was asked to remark another examiner's work. I worked out there was almost 10% difference between their mark and mine. If you take more descriptive subjects, it can be much more difficult to allocate marks. If I give a few quotes from two typical mark schemes (doesn't matter which ones - any arts or social sciences marking scheme will produce something similar):

There is a mostly consistent focus on the question. Generally accurate and detailed knowledge and understanding is demonstrated through most of the answer and is evaluated and analysed in order to reach substantiated judgements, but these are not consistently well-developed. (This covers a range of 4 marks)

Competent understanding of text and question with critical concepts and terminology used appropriately.
Straightforward arguments competently structured with clear writing in generally appropriate register. (This covers a range of 3 marks)

I have highlighted words and phrases which I find subjective. For instance, in the second set, 'good' replaces 'competent' for the next range up; I'm not certain whether I could distinguish between a 'good understanding' and 'a competent understanding' even after approaching 40 years in the classroom/ lecture hall. I reckon I could tell which centres (schools, colleges) had staff who were Assistant Examiners by the way their candidates answered the questions, they had had it drilled into them what they needed to do (not what the question would be, but how to answer it). For a young teacher marking mocks this will be horrific, especially as they have to do so much more other paperwork now. They may have some guidance from senior colleagues (who may not be that senior or may not have experienced these criteria before if it is a new syllabus) or been to training sessions (a day, you remember about a third if you are lucky) so their interpretation may be too generous or mean. We were also encouraged to be optimistic, anticipating that the candidate will do plenty of revision before the exam. I tended not to as I know I didn't!

It is, I believe, a misunderstanding of what is required (plus a tendency to err towards the generous) that, in general, leads to incorrect predictions.

If anyone is taking A Levels (or GCSEs), I would suggest that they look at the Marking Scheme and, in particular, the Examiner's Report for their syllabus. The latter often indicates why certain candidates did well/ badly in a particular exam.

 

[Typhoon]

I'm happy with what I got today (A*AAB), particularly with getting an A in physics as I'm not sure I would have had I sat proper exams! Most people I spoke to were happy with their results (although some are planning to appeal grades which they feel may be borderline), although there were some who were rather less happy.
I didn't have any of my grades changed, but quite a few people did (often in slightly odd ways, for example maths going down but further maths going up).

Congratulations. In particular can I thank you for your honesty with Physics. There will be winners and losers. Your teachers obviously had confidence in you.

 

[The_Train]

I'm happy with what I got today (A*AAB), particularly with getting an A in physics as I'm not sure I would have had I sat proper exams! Most people I spoke to were happy with their results (although some are planning to appeal grades which they feel may be borderline), although there were some who were rather less happy.
I didn't have any of my grades changed, but quite a few people did (often in slightly odd ways, for example maths going down but further maths going up).
Did anyone else on here get their results today, would you be willing to share your experience?

Congratulations on your results - very impressive!