70% of teacher-assessed A-levels were marked A or A* at private schools
The gulf between private and state schools has widened during the pandemic causing a ‘national disaster’ for Britain’s poorest students with fee-paying institutions accused of gaming the A-level system that handed teachers the power to grade their pupils with barely any moderation.
Today it was revealed that 70.1 per cent of teenagers at fee-paying schools received an A or A* in a subject in 2021 – compared to around 35 per cent in council-run comprehensives.
Education campaigners have said the pandemic has ‘compounded’ inequality in schools, especially for those in poorer areas, and there are also signs that middle class children in sixth-form colleges and grammar schools are falling further behind private school counterparts.
It came as rampant grade inflation fuelled by the pandemic today led to almost half of all A-level students gaining an A* or A grade from their teachers – a new record. And only one in five of any of today’s A-level results were scrutinised by exam boards this year, it emerged today, with even fewer disputed by Ofqual who said they was happy to ‘trust teachers’.
In total 44.8 per cent of UK entries to a subject were awarded an A or A* grade this summer – up by 6.3 per cent on 2020 when 38.5% achieved it – and one in five of all results was an A* this year, another record. It means that the number of top grades handed out has almost doubled in the two years since students last sat exams in 2019, when 25.2% got an A or an A*.
As private schools pulled further away from state counterparts, Conservative MP Robert Halfon, chair of the Commons Education Committee, warned the last year ‘has been nothing short of a national disaster for our disadvantaged pupils’.
He told BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme: ‘I do worry about the fact that we seem to have, in essence, baked a hard rock cake of grade inflation into our exam results. I would have preferred a system which had some kind of standardised assessment – and we wrote to the secretary of state, our education committee, in March urging that this would be done.’
He added: ‘Every effort from the Government should be to focus on reducing that attainment gap, I’d like to see the Prime Minister announce a serious long-term plan for education – the last year has been nothing short of a national disaster for our disadvantaged pupils.’
The number of teenagers getting top grades in A-Levels has risen across the board but private schools are pulling further ahead of state schools, almost doubling the number of As and A*s in the past two years since exams were postponed. Traditional schools are classed as secondary comprehensives, secondary modern, sixth form colleges and tertiary colleges. Selective grammar schools also appear to be edging away from state rivals
The Sutton Trust says that the pandemic has ‘compounded existing inequalities’ in the schools system
70% of private school students have been given an A* or A this year – compared to around 35% for a non-selective comprehensive school
Sir Peter Lampl, founder and chair of the Sutton Trust and chair of the Education Endowment Foundation, said: ‘Since March 2020, our research has consistently shown how much harder state schools – particularly those in less affluent areas – have been hit by the pandemic.
‘The pandemic has compounded existing inequalities and today’s results are a reflection of that. We’re seeing growing gaps between independent and state schools at the top grades’.
He added that university admissions should be weighted in favour of ‘lower income youngsters’ and ‘disadvantaged students’.
Experts have claimed that private schools tend to overestimate a student’s predicted grades and have taken advantage of the fact that these are unlikely to be challenged because of the pandemic.
Exams watchdog Ofqual signed off on the results saying that private school children in those schools tend to be ‘clustered’ around those top grades anyway.
MailOnline analysis of today’s results shows the number of children gaining top grades at all schools has exploded since they last sat exams in 2019.
Fee-paying independent schools appear to have benefitted the most, almost doubling in the past 24 months.
Two years ago, when there were last A-level exams, 44% of private school students gained an A or A*, growing to 60.8% last year and to 70.1% this year – an overall increase of 26.1% since 2019.
Secondary modern and high school students, which are generally in working class and poorer areas have seen the number of As and A*s head upwards from 17.3% in 2019 to 29.9% in 2020 and then 35.3% this year. This is a 18% rise in that time.
And often middle class children at often urban and semi-rural sixth forms have had the lowest rises in top grades of 13.4% since 2019.
In 2019 these students achieved 21.9% As and A*s, rising to 31.5% last year and 35.3% this year – the exact level of an average secondary modern that was previously lagging behind.
Today’s unprecedented results revealed:
- The number of students achieving an A or A* has increased to 44.8% – up from from 38.5%;
- Students achieving an A* is now at one in five, while the proportion receiving three A*s has also trebled to 6%;
- 70% of private school students have been given an A* or A this year – compared to around 39% for a non-selective comprehensive school;
- Girls have outperformed boys in terms of high grades and overtaken them in maths for the first time. Last year, girls led boys by 3.2 percentage points (39.9% girls, 36.7% boys). Boys briefly took the lead in 2017 and 2018, following a long period in which girls had been ahead;
- The overall pass rate (grades A* to E) was 99.5%. This is down very slightly from 99.7% in 2020. Some 88.5% received a C or above, up from 88.0% in 2020 and the highest since at least 2000
- The most popular subject this year was maths. It was taken by 97,690 entrants, up 3.6% on 2020. Psychology remains the second most popular subject. It was taken by 71,235 entrants, up 9.2% on 2020. Biology was once again the third most popular subject, taken by 70,055 entrants, a rise of 7.6%.
- Geography saw the biggest percentage jump in candidates of any subject with more than 1,000 entrants, rising by 16.8% from 30,203 to 35,268. Chinese had the largest fall in candidates from around 1,600 to 1,300;
- There were 824,718 A-levels awarded, up 5.1% on last year’s total (784,959);
The proportion of A-level entries awarded an A grade or higher has risen to an all-time high after exams were cancelled for the second year in a row due to Covid-19.
In total, more than two in five (44.8%) of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade this summer, up by 6.3 percentage points on last year when 38.5% achieved the top grades.
In 2019, when exams were last run before the pandemic, just 25.5% of entries achieved an A or above.
Justifying the light touch regulation of results, Ofqual interim chief regulator Simon Lebus said: ‘I don’t think it’s very meaningful to compare this year’s results with 2019.’
Asked if he was comfortable with the results, he told BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme: ‘Yes, I am. The approach this year was to trust teachers and to ask teachers to make the judgments on which we are going to base grades and that was based on the reality that there’s been significant disruption to learning.
‘It’s been uneven and we wanted to make sure that students had the opportunity to show what they were capable of and teachers are in the best position to make those judgments.
‘In particular, we wanted to make sure that students were treated fairly and that meant ensuring that they weren’t being tested or assessed on material that they hadn’t learnt.’
Hundreds of thousands of students have been given grades determined by teachers, rather than exams, with pupils only assessed on what they have been taught during the pandemic.
Girls performed better than boys at the top grades, and female maths students overtook boys for the first time in the number of A* grades achieved, figures for England, Wales and Northern Ireland show.
Overall, the proportion of entries awarded the top A* grade this year has surged to 19.1%, compared with 14.3% in 2020 and 7.8% in 2019.
On Tuesday, Ucas said a record number of students have secured a place on their first-choice university course following the bumper year for results.
But youngsters who missed out on the grades required to meet their offers are likely to face greater competition for a place at top institutions as there could be fewer courses on offer in clearing.
The figures, published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), cover A-level entries from students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Scottish Highers results were also released on Tuesday.
School results in Scotland are consistently lower than last year but have shown a sharp rise since 2019, before the pandemic.
For Highers, the rate of students receiving between and A and a C, known as the attainment rate, fell from 89.3% to 87.3%, while the attainment rate for Advanced Higher dropped to 90.2% from 93.1%.
But the figure for Higher qualifications is significantly above the 2018-19 level, which was just 75%, while the Advanced Higher rate increased from 80%.
This year, teachers in England submitted their decisions on pupils’ grades after drawing on a range of evidence, including mock exams, coursework and in-class assessments using questions by exam boards.
According to an analysis by Ofqual, some 6.9% of students in England were awarded three A*s this year, compared with 4.3% in 2020 and 1.6% in 2019.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has defended this year’s results amid concerns over grade inflation, as he called on people to celebrate young people’s success during a difficult year.
Jill Duffy, chief executive of OCR exam board, said that the higher grades reflected the fact that pupils had ‘multiple chances’ to show their knowledge and they were less likely to have a ‘bad day’ in an exam.
She told a media briefing: ‘Teachers will have used their experience to assess all students in 2021 against the same standards that would apply when exams take place.
‘However, in this unusual year, fewer students are likely to have had a bad day when taking assessments, and they have multiple chances to show what they know and can do.
‘And so a greater proportion than usual will have achieved higher grades.’
Last summer, the fiasco around grading led to thousands of A-level students having their results downgraded from school estimates by a controversial algorithm before Ofqual announced a U-turn.
This year, no algorithm was used to moderate grades.
Instead, schools and colleges in England were asked to provide samples of student work to exam boards, as well as evidence used to determine the grades for the students selected, as part of quality assurance (QA) checks.
Random and targeted sample checks of evidence were also carried out after grades were submitted.
Ofqual said that student work from 1,101 centres in England, around one in five schools and colleges, was scrutinised by exam boards.
In a stark graph, it shows how the proportion of students getting an A or an A* has gone from 17.8% in 2000 to 44.8% this year
For 85% of the schools and colleges whose students’ work was scrutinised as part of QA checks, the regulator said the subject experts were satisfied that the evidence supported the teacher-assessed grades that were submitted.
For the remaining 15%, professional discussions took place between teachers and curriculum leads in schools and colleges with external subject experts and, where necessary, centres reviewed and revised their grades.
This represented less than 1% of all the grades issued on Tuesday, according to the exams regulator.
But Ofqual said that, at the time of writing its report, exam boards were in continuing discussions with ‘a small number of centres’ and grades would be withheld for these schools should concerns remain unresolved on results day.
Mr Williamson has said ’employers can have real confidence’ in the grades awarded to pupils.
Speaking to Sky News, the Education Secretary said: ‘This is a culmination of 13 years in education, I think we should be incredibly proud of their achievements, incredibly proud of the grades that they achieve.’
Asked about concerns about grade inflation, he told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: ‘These grades are absolutely worth so much, they are the key for those youngsters to take that next step.
‘But we do have to recognise that, as we come out of this pandemic, we will equally have to take steps and take a glide path back to a more normal state of affairs.’
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders’ union, said: ‘Our advice is to ignore the chat about grade inflation.
The grades awarded in 2021 are a holistic judgment based on work which students have produced.
‘These evidence-based decisions are very different to the normal way grades are awarded through exams.
‘Students should be confident that they are getting the grades they deserve and that reflect the standard of achievement they have demonstrated.’
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: ‘It is important to understand that the system used to assess students this year is different from both formal exams and the approach that was used last year too, when an attempt to use an algorithm to standardise grades nationally went wrong and had to be abandoned.
‘It is therefore invidious to make direct comparisons with other years and vital that we celebrate the achievements of this year’s cohort who have had to endure so much over the past 18 months.’
Record results for class of Covid: 45% of A-level pupils got A or A* in teacher-assessed grades today – nearly DOUBLE the number when they last sat exams in 2019 – as gap between private and state schools reaches all-time high
Rampant grade inflation fuelled by the pandemic today led to almost half of all A-level students gaining an A* or A grade from their teachers today – a new record – after exams were abandoned for the second year in a row with 2022 now looking increasingly likely to be the same.
In total 44.8 per cent of UK entries to a subject were awarded an A or A* grade this summer – up by 6.3 per cent on 2020 when 38.5% achieved it – and one in five of all results was an A* this year, another record.
It means that the number of top grades handed out has almost doubled in the two years since students last sat exams in 2019, when 25.2% got an A or an A*.
And there are growing concerns about the record gap in results between private and state schools, with 70.1% of fee-paying students gaining an A or above in their exams – compared to around 35% in a comprehensive.
Sir Peter Lampl, founder and chair of the Sutton Trust and chair of the Education Endowment Foundation for social mobility, said: ‘The pandemic has compounded existing inequalities and today’s results are a reflection of that. We’re seeing growing gaps between independent and state schools at the top grades’.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson defended the increase in top grades as ‘deserved’ after teenagers forced to stay at home in lockdown but admitted there will have to be a ‘glide path’ back to ‘a more normal state of affairs’.
He also admitted that because of the disruption in schools there may not be exams next year, allowing teachers to decide on grades.
They were allowed to submit their decisions on pupils’ grades after drawing on a range of evidence, including mock exams, coursework and in-class assessments using questions by exam boards.
Only one in five of those results were scrutinised by exam boards, according to regulator Ofqual, who also barely disputed any of the grades, it emerged today.
Mr Williamson, who repeatedly refuses to reveal his A-level grades claiming he’d forgotten them, said: ‘This is an exceptional year. It is unlike any other year, and hopefully will be unlike any other year in the future, but I believe this is the right thing for children.
‘I do expect to see youngsters getting better grades this year than maybe they have in previous years, but they have worked incredibly hard for those grades, wherever they have been, right across the country, and I think we should be celebrating that, and it gives them the opportunity to take that next step.’
Today around 250,000 students received their A-level results today – and they achieved higher grades than any cohort in British history.
And according to an analysis by Ofqual, some 6.9 per cent of students in England were awarded three A*s this year – compared with 4.3 per cent in 2020 and 1.6 per cent in 2019, the last time they sat exams, as critics warned the education system had descended into the ‘wild west of grading’.
Overall, the proportion of entries awarded the top A* grade this year has surged to 19.1% – the highest proportion since the top grade was first introduced in 2010.
And private schools managed to more than double the number of children gaining As or A*s, breaking the 70 per cent barrier for the first time, while the level at comprehensives was at 39 per cent.
Girls performed better than boys at the top grades, and female maths students overtook boys for the first time in the number of A* grades achieved, figures for England, Wales and Northern Ireland show.
It came as the total number of students accepted on to UK degree courses has risen five per cent on the same point last year, with 435,430 taking up places so far, initial Ucas figures show, but on the most popular courses up to a third of students may be rejected or have to go through clearing due to the number of people getting the required grades.
Faith Bryant (back) and Abbie Hollis (front) are hugged at Archbishop Blanch School in Liverpool, as students receive their record-breaking A-Level results
Shalayna Morton reacts with joy as she finds out her A-level results at the London Academy of Excellence, Tottenham
Students at Nottingham High School get their A level results on a record day where teachers decided on grades because of covid
Gavin Williamson today defended this year’s record high A-level grades – but the Tory minister admitted there may still not be exams next year with teachers allowed to decide the results again.
The Education Secretary said students ‘deserve to be rewarded’ after a year of disruption as teachers decided marks for a second year following the cancellation of exams, and said: ‘We do expect students to get better grades this year’.
He said: ‘These grades are absolutely worth so much, they are the key for those youngsters to take that next step. But we do have to recognise that, as we come out of this pandemic, we will equally have to take steps and take a glide path back to a more normal state of affairs.’
And hinting at more teacher-decided grades next year he said: ‘We also recognise that those students who will be looking at taking exams in 2022 will also have had their education disrupted as part of that; that’s why, as part of that extensive consultation that we did in the last academic year, we set out some mitigations in order to be able to support those children.’
Ofqual interim chief regulator Simon Lebus said: ‘I don’t think it’s very meaningful to compare this year’s results with 2019.’
Asked if he was comfortable with the results, he told BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme: ‘Yes, I am. The approach this year was to trust teachers and to ask teachers to make the judgments on which we are going to base grades and that was based on the reality that there’s been significant disruption to learning.
‘It’s been uneven and we wanted to make sure that students had the opportunity to show what they were capable of and teachers are in the best position to make those judgments.
‘In particular, we wanted to make sure that students were treated fairly and that meant ensuring that they weren’t being tested or assessed on material that they hadn’t learnt.’
Hundreds of thousands of students have been given grades determined by their schools and sixth-forms, rather than exams, with pupils only assessed on what they have been taught during the pandemic.
The figures, published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), cover A-level entries from students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
This year, teachers in England submitted their decisions on pupils’ grades after drawing on a range of evidence, including mock exams, coursework and in-class assessments using questions by exam boards.
According to an analysis by Ofqual, some 6.9% of students in England were awarded three A*s this year – compared with 4.3% in 2020 and 1.6% in 2019.
Last summer, the fiasco around grading led to thousands of A-level students having their results downgraded from school estimates by a controversial algorithm before Ofqual announced a U-turn.
This year, no algorithm was used to moderate grades.
Instead, schools and colleges in England were asked to provide samples of student work to exam boards, as well as evidence used to determine the grades for the students selected, as part of quality assurance (QA) checks.
Random and targeted sample checks of evidence were also carried out after grades were submitted.
Ofqual said that student work from 1,101 centres in England – around one in five schools and colleges – was scrutinised by exam boards.
For 85% of the schools and colleges whose students’ work was scrutinised as part of QA checks, the regulator said the subject experts were satisfied that the evidence supported the teacher-assessed grades that were submitted.
The Education Secretary said: ‘This year is a year we can’t compare to other years. No other cohort of students have experienced this before, being kept from the classroom not once just twice’.
Mr Williamson has said the Government will consult on a contingency plan ‘largely based around’ teacher-assessed grades for next year, but with a hope to move back to an examination system.
Despite criticism about grade inflation, Mr Williamson insisted that ‘we must support these students in looking to the future’ and insisted universities and employers can have ‘confidence’ in the grades awarded today.
But critics are concerned that middle class parents with ‘sharp elbows’ might have the upper hand when it comes for appeals, with the ‘have nots’ suffering disproportionately this year because they are more likely to be marked down and not appeal their results.
Robert Halfon, chairman of the education select committee, said: ‘There’s likely to be grade inflation. The government has got to make sure the appeals system is fair and easy to engage in and not just accessible to those with barristers for parents.’
The Scottish Highers results were also released on Tuesday.
School results in Scotland are consistently lower than last year but have shown a sharp rise since 2019, before the pandemic.
For Highers, the rate of students receiving between and A and a C, known as the attainment rate, fell from 89.3% to 87.3%, while the attainment rate for Advanced Higher dropped to 90.2% from 93.1%.
But the figure for Higher qualifications is significantly above the 2018-19 level, which was just 75%, while the Advanced Higher rate increased from 80%.
According to an analysis by Ofqual, some 6.9% of students in England were awarded three A*s this year, compared with 4.3% in 2020 and 1.6% in 2019.
Asked on Sky News what the contingency plans are for next year’s exams, Gavin Williamson said: ‘In the last academic year we have conducted an extensive consultation as we move back to examinations, and in a few weeks’ time as we go back into the winter period we will be doing another extensive consultation as to the contingency, which will be largely based around teacher-assessed grades, but we very much hope that we will be moving to a system of where we are able to move into the more normal pattern of examinations from next year, but always conscious that this pandemic, we have not always been able to predict the course of it, it has continuously changed, and it’s absolutely right that we have contingencies there, as we always do.’
Asked if he was ruling out teacher assessments for this time next year, he said: ‘What we are saying is you will probably have seen our consultation in the last academic year, we are very much planning to move back to examinations as a form of assessment, but we always have to have a contingency plan in place, and that’s why we will be consulting in the next academic year on those plans.’
Mr Williamson has said ’employers can have real confidence’ in the grades awarded to pupils.
Speaking to Sky News, he said: ‘This is a culmination of 13 years in education, I think we should be incredibly proud of their achievements, incredibly proud of the grades that they achieve.’
He said: ‘We do have a rigorous system of grading and awarding. People have been awarded this grade on the basis of evidence.
‘We took a difficult decision, and that decision was children were to be assessed on what they had been taught. We have seen various amounts of disruption around the country and children’s experiences have been different.
‘But still, you have a very clear grading system, you still see children who are achieving A*s, As, Bs, Cs, have really achieved so very, very much, and I think employers can have real confidence in the grades that they get. Let’s not forget this is an unprecedented year.’
Writing in The Daily Telegraph he said: ‘Because of the extraordinary conditions we have faced as a country, we announced in January that exams would not go ahead this year – it would have been unfair on students who had already given up so much in the battle against coronavirus.
‘Their hard work, however, deserves to be rewarded with a qualification. We must support these students in looking to the future, because their whole lives are in front of them.’
Last night, Ofqual’s interim chief regulator Simon Lebus said that traditional tests only provided a ‘snapshot’ of a pupil’s ability and the new system allowed a fairer assessment gauged over a longer time period.
A-Levels and Scottish Higher results this year will be based on the in-school grading for the second year in a row due to Covid restrictions.
Speaking to the BBC Mr Lebus admitted that grades may be slightly higher this year, adding: ‘I think a good way to think of it is exams are a bit like a snapshot, a photograph – you capture an instant, it’s a form of sampling.
‘Whereas teacher assessment, it allows teachers to observe student performance over a much longer period, in a rather more complex way, taking into account lots of different pieces of work and arriving at a holistic judgment.
‘I think, from that point of view, we can feel satisfied that it’s likely to give a much more accurate and substantial reflection of what their students are capable of achieving.’
Meanwhile Mary Bousted of the NEU told the Times: ‘I think there was a political decision to put teachers in the firing line.
‘We think there will be a rise in the top grades but I’ve been assured by government that they won’t say teachers have been too generous.’
On average students receiving results today will achieve almost a grade higher than they would have in 2019, a source said.
It comes as Tory peer Lord Lucas predicted that private school pupils will get short shrift in admissions because universities are prioritising the disadvantaged.
Girls have extended their lead over boys in the top grades in this year’s A-level results, with female students overtaking their male counterparts for the first time in maths.
The proportion of girls who achieved an A grade or higher was 46.9% – 4.8 percentage points higher than boys at 42.1%, figures for England, Wales and Northern Ireland show.
This widens the gap between the genders since last year when female students led their male peers by 3.2 points. Boys briefly took the lead in 2017 and 2018 after a long period in which girls had been ahead.
In maths, female students overtook their male counterparts for the first time this year in the number of A*s – with 29.1% of girls achieving the top grade, compared with 28.5% of boys.
Hundreds of thousands of students have been awarded grades determined by their teachers, rather than exams, with pupils only assessed on what they have been taught during the pandemic.
Exam boards said that while it is difficult to know why female pupils have performed better than their male peers overall, there is evidence that girls often perform better in continuous assessment such as coursework.
Jill Duffy, chief executive of awarding body OCR, told a briefing with journalists that it was ‘very early to say exactly what the reasons are’.
She added: ‘Previous research has shown that girls tend to perform better in more continuous assessment, boys tend to pull it out of the bag, if you like, when they come to an exam.
‘But we also know the pandemic has had wider impacts not just on education but also on mental health, and recent reports have suggested that has hit young men more than females.’
She added that the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) does not publish data for students who identify as non-binary but ‘it is something the exam boards are continuing to work to support in the future’.
The editor of the Good Schools Guide said yesterday that institutes will be ‘pretty cautious’ about giving places to fee-paying youngsters who missed their grades as they had ‘all the chances’ to succeed.
Instead, they will give leg-ups to pupils who experienced ‘challenges’ such as having ‘nowhere to work’ during lockdown.
But despite alleged grade inflation, individual pupils could lose out and there is likely to be variability between schools.
Last summer, the fiasco around grading led to thousands of A-level students having their results downgraded from school estimates by a controversial algorithm before Ofqual announced a U-turn.
This year, no algorithm was used to moderate grades.
Instead, schools and colleges in England were asked to provide samples of student work to exam boards, as well as evidence used to determine the grades for the students selected, as part of quality assurance (QA) checks.
Random and targeted sample checks of evidence were also carried out after grades were submitted.
Ofqual said that student work from 1,101 centres in England, around one in five schools and colleges, was scrutinised by exam boards.
For 85% of the schools and colleges whose students’ work was scrutinised as part of QA checks, the regulator said the subject experts were satisfied that the evidence supported the teacher-assessed grades that were submitted.
For the remaining 15%, professional discussions took place between teachers and curriculum leads in schools and colleges with external subject experts and, where necessary, centres reviewed and revised their grades.
This represented less than 1% of all the grades issued on Tuesday, according to the exams regulator.
But Ofqual said that, at the time of writing its report, exam boards were in continuing discussions with ‘a small number of centres’ and grades would be withheld for these schools should concerns remain unresolved on results day.
Mr Williamson has said ’employers can have real confidence’ in the grades awarded to pupils.
Speaking to Sky News, the Education Secretary said: ‘This is a culmination of 13 years in education, I think we should be incredibly proud of their achievements, incredibly proud of the grades that they achieve.’
Asked about concerns about grade inflation, he told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: ‘These grades are absolutely worth so much, they are the key for those youngsters to take that next step.
‘But we do have to recognise that, as we come out of this pandemic, we will equally have to take steps and take a glide path back to a more normal state of affairs.’
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders’ union, said: ‘Our advice is to ignore the chat about grade inflation.
The grades awarded in 2021 are a holistic judgment based on work which students have produced.
‘These evidence-based decisions are very different to the normal way grades are awarded through exams.
‘Students should be confident that they are getting the grades they deserve and that reflect the standard of achievement they have demonstrated.’
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: ‘It is important to understand that the system used to assess students this year is different from both formal exams and the approach that was used last year too, when an attempt to use an algorithm to standardise grades nationally went wrong and had to be abandoned.
‘It is therefore invidious to make direct comparisons with other years and vital that we celebrate the achievements of this year’s cohort who have had to endure so much over the past 18 months.’
Last night, regulator Ofqual defended the system, claiming the results are ‘more accurate’ than if exams had been held mid-pandemic.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: ‘Students have worked incredibly hard during an extremely challenging time. We know exams are the fairest form of assessment but in their absence this year there is no one better placed to judge their abilities than their teachers.’
Suggestions that almost half of today’s grades will be an A or A* were reported in The Times.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson wrote to all teachers, thanking them for their ‘hard work’ on grading. The Association of School and College Leaders stressed that qualifications had not been ‘devalued’.
Lord Lucas said anyone not getting the grades they need for university should call the admissions tutor.
But he added that ‘tutors will say the hardest time has been had by state schools but by and large, independent schools have got through Covid pretty well’.
Today’s grades have been based on coursework, mini-assessments and classroom performance.
Most pupils will benefit from it but research by Ofqual shows teachers sometimes show bias.
Moment Gavin Williamson repeatedly refuses to reveal his A-level grades and claims he’s ‘FORGOTTEN’ them… after fondly reminiscing his ‘walk up to college and absolute delight at opening envelope’
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson failed history this morning as he claimed he could not remember the results of his own A-levels.
As hundreds of thousands of students received their own grades, Mr Williamson vividly recalled the day 27 years ago and painted a detailed picture of how he received his results.
But pressed on what they actually were, he insisted that his memory failed him, although he acknowledged he did not get top marks.
‘I didn’t get three A*s, it’s fair to say,’ he said
‘I have forgotten, it is so long ago. It is 27 years ago.
‘You probably can’t remember what was happening last weekend,’ he added to LBC’s Nick Ferrari.
Ferrari quizzed: ‘Why won’t you tell me? Is it a state secret?’
Mr Williamson aged 17 the year before he would take his mysteriously-graded A-levels
Earlier Mr Williamson was able to remember how he went to his sixth form college in Scarborough to pick up the envelope with his grades.
He recalled his ‘absolute delight’ when he saw the results and realised ‘all my dreams of doing social science at Bradford University’ had been achieved.
‘For a lad growing up in Scarborough, Bradford was the most exotic and exciting place in the whole world,’ he said.
‘It opened up the pathway to those next steps and I was absolutely delighted.’
Listeners seemed unconvinced he was unable to recall his grades, given his role in Government.
Colin Holmes said: ‘I’m the same age as Gavin Williamson. My memory is generally pretty poor.
Students react receiving their A-level exam results at Kingsdale Foundation school in London
John Ryder did not mince his words appraising Mr Williamson’s recall skills over his A-levels
Colin Holmes was similarly unimpressed with the Education Secretary’s memory powers
‘I can remember what I got. I can also remember that A* wasn’t a thing back then.
John Ryder said: ‘How can the Education Secretary forget the answer to such an obvious question to an Education Secretary? Gavin Williamson is incompetent and should be nowhere near education.’
Speaking on Tuesday morning before the results were officially announced, Gavin Williamson defended an increase in the proportion of higher grades, describing an ‘exceptional year’ and saying students have worked ‘incredibly hard’ and the results should be ‘celebrated’.
Hundreds of thousands of students have been given grades determined by teachers, rather than exams, with pupils only assessed on what they have been taught during the pandemic, following a second year in a row when exams were cancelled due to Covid-19.
The proportion of A-level entries awarded an A grade or higher has risen to an all-time high. In total, more than two in five (44.8%) of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade this summer – up by 6.3 percentage points on last year when 38.5% achieved the top grades.
The figures, published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), cover A-level entries from students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Mr Williamson told Sky News ‘we very much hope that we will be moving to a system of where we are able to move into the more normal pattern of examinations from next year’.
He told ITV’s Good Morning Britain that as the pandemic ends there will have to be a ‘glide path back to a more normal state of affairs’.
He said students ‘have worked incredibly hard for those grades, wherever they have been, right across the country, and I think we should be celebrating that’.
Asked about concerns over grade inflation for A-levels, Mr Williamson said: ‘These grades are absolutely worth so much, they are the key for those youngsters to take that next step.
‘But we do have to recognise that, as we come out of this pandemic, we will equally have to take steps and take a glide path back to a more normal state of affairs.’
‘This year is a year that we can’t truly compare to any other year,’ Mr Williamson told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
‘No other cohort of students have experienced a situation where they haven’t been able to go into the classroom for a sustained period of time, not just once, but actually twice, and we have seen people having different experiences.’
What can students do if unhappy with grades, can they still sit an exam and how does clearing work? Vital Q&A as teacher-assessed A-level grades are released TODAY
Tens of thousands of teenagers will find out their A-level results this morning, with unions urging parents and students against using law firms to challenge their results and appealing if they miss out on grades needed to meet their university offers.
Today’s results have been set by teachers after exams were cancelled for a second year in a row due to Covid restrictions, with reports last night anticipating nearly half are to be graded at A* or A.
It is hoped the school-based assessments system will be a major improvement on last year’s computer algorithm fiasco which saw a massive public outcry over some unfairly low marks.
However, it is feared that there could be fierce competition for places at leading institutions among students who miss out on the grades needed to meet their university offers, as there could be fewer selective courses available in clearing.
Unions representing school leaders and teachers have even urged parents and students against using law firms to challenge their results – and appealing against grades just ‘for the sake of appealing’.
Here, MailOnline breaks down what students should do if they are unhappy with their final grades, and what to expect today.
Tens of thousands of teenagers will find out their A-level results this morning, with unions urging parents and students against using law firms to challenge their results and appealing if they miss out on grades needed to meet their university offers (stock image)
What should students do if they are unhappy with their final grades?
Pupils in England who want to appeal against their grade must first request that their school or college reviews whether an administrative or procedural error was made.
Each school or college will set their own deadlines by which students must ask them to review a grade.
If the school or college rules no error was made, then students can escalate the appeal to the exam boards, which their school or college is expected to submit on their behalf.
In England, the deadline to send an appeal to the exam board is September 17. There is an earlier deadline of August 23 for priority appeals, for example, if a student has not got their first choice of university place confirmed.
Unions have urged parents and students against hiring lawyers to appeal the grades.
Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said: ‘Parents should be really warned not to hire lawyers to make the case for a different grade because it will impress no one, it won’t impress the exam boards.
‘Dressing up an appeal in legal language is not going to bolster that appeal, or make it more likely to succeed. So if you don’t want to waste your money, don’t do that.’
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: ‘There is certainly a worry that we are going to face more appeals than normal, but we just don’t know yet. Although the appeal system is there to bring a further level of confidence, spurious appeals or hopeful appeals will probably be a waste of time because the system that’s been brought in is a robust system for this year.
‘My only appeal to students and students’ parents is that a lot of work has gone into this assessment, you should be able to rely upon the assessment so simply putting an appeal in for the sake of appealing in the hope that your grade might move would be the wrong thing to do.’
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said ‘legal firms turning themselves into ambulance chasers and saying to parents for a certain fee they will run an appeal’ was unhelpful.
He said: ‘That seems to me incredibly misguided because appeals are there for anyone who wants to use them, but they’re based on two things: did the school follow due process, and was the grade awarded a fair grade. That will be down to the awarding organisation.
‘If you’ve got a concern then the process is there, but you really don’t need to be sending money to lawyers.’
Youngsters who miss out on the grades needed to meet their university offers are likely to face greater competition for a place at leading institutions as there could be fewer selective courses on offer in clearing (stock image)
How does clearing work?
Ucas, the university applications body, has said competition for places is tougher than ever thanks to inflated grades and a lack of courses.
It warned students going through clearing – which helps people find courses with places remaining – are likely to find it harder to get onto the courses they want as a greater proportion of people receive the top grades.
Clearing is a way for universities to fill any places they still have empty, while applicants who did not receive an offer have another chance at getting into higher education.
Around 90,000 students will be aiming to join different courses, with many trying to switch.
Applications chief Clare Marchant said a record number of students will take up places through clearing. She warned that ‘for those most selective courses at the most selective institutions, it is likely to be more competitive’.
Ms Marchant has urged students to make a decision about courses ‘in a matter of days’ rather than waiting weeks as she expects the system to be ‘active’.
Can students sit an exam if they do not like their results?
Students in England who are unhappy with their A-level or GCSE grades will have the opportunity to take exams in the autumn.
AS and A-level exams will be held in October, while GCSE exams will take place in November and December.
The higher grade will count for applicants who wish to take an autumn exam.
When will pupils receive their A-level and GCSE results?
Students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will receive their A-level and GCSE results this week.
A-level and AS level results day is Tuesday, August 10 and GCSE results day is Thursday, August 12.
Pupils should check with their school or college whether they are still required to pick up their results in person in the morning, or whether they will be sent out by email or post instead.
The Scottish Highers results are also being released on A-level results day.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson defended this year’s grade inflation, saying students ‘deserve to be rewarded’ after another year of disruption due to the Covid crisis
How have the grades been decided this year?
All four nations – England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland – adopted a system of awarding grades this summer based on teacher based assessment.
Teachers in England have been required to consider a range of evidence, including mock exams, coursework, and in-class assessments using questions by exam boards, to make decisions on pupils’ grades.
Headteachers had to submit a personal declaration that they believed grades to be accurate.
Schools and colleges were asked to provide samples of student work to exam boards, as well as evidence used to determine the grades for the students selected, as part of quality assurance (QA) checks.
Random and targeted sample checks of evidence were also carried out after grades were submitted.
In some cases, where the evidence did not support the grades submitted, schools and colleges have been asked to review their grades.
Last summer, the fiasco around grading led to thousands of A-level students having their results downgraded from school estimates by a controversial algorithm, before Ofqual announced a U-turn.
But this year, no algorithm will be used to moderate teachers’ grades.
What is the plan for the summer exams in 2022?
In England, ministers hope that exams will go ahead in summer 2022 after two years of cancelled exams.
But pupils taking GCSE and A-level exams next year could be given advance notice on the focus of exam papers to ensure they are not disadvantaged as a result of lost learning during the pandemic.
The proposals include giving schools and colleges some choice over the topics that students are assessed on, as well as providing exam aids, but final details will not be confirmed until the autumn term.
‘Time to BREAKDANCE!’: Hundreds of A-level pupils share their delight after record numbers achieve top grades and are set for university in September
Ecstatic teenagers across the UK have revealed their delight at receiving top A-level results today, with thousands of students set for university in September as teachers set grades for a second year following the cancellation of exams due to Covid restrictions.
Hundreds of thrilled students shared funny GIFs of celebrating footballers, break-dancers, a skit from Family Guy and even a cheering Jeremy Clarkson on Twitter today as they revealed that they received the grades necessary to meet their first-choice university offers.
Teenagers had spread good luck messages as they suffered a sleepless night yesterday ahead of results day, with one writing: ‘Funny how I said I wasn’t nervous but here I am awake at 5.45am #alevels2021’. Another said: ‘Me laughing to cover the fact I can’t sleep because I know I’m not gonna get into my dream university and am too nervous’.
Ecstatic teenagers across the UK have revealed their delight at receiving top A-level results today, with thousands of students set for university in September as teachers set grades for a second year following the cancellation of exams due to Covid restrictions
Students awaiting the grades which will get them to universities across the UK from this autumn said they ‘didn’t sleep a wink’ last night, with nearly half of today’s results expected to be graded at A* or A
Lottie Olive wiping away tears with mother Kate after she managed to get an A* at Peter Symonds College, Winchester
Students at Archbishop Blanch School in Liverpool, receive their A-Level results
Scenes of joy at Newcastle High School For Girls as pupils receive their A Level results this morning
A student at the London Academy of Excellence Tottenham (LAET) finds out his A-Level results in north London
Students at Nottingham High School get their A level results today
Lanre Dada poses with his grades at Kensington Aldridge Academy in London, as students receive their A-Level results
Students at Nottingham High School get their A level results today
Faith Bryant (back) and Abbie Hollis (front) are hugged at Archbishop Blanch School in Liverpool, as students receive their A-Level resultS
‘If the teachers didn’t give you the A-level results you were hoping for…’: Jeremy Clarkson posts annual exam tweet boasting he got a C and 2Us and ‘ended up happy…with a Bentley’
Jeremy Clarkson has boasted he has ‘loads of friends’ despite failing his A-Levels in his annual results day tweet.
The former Top Gear presenter, 61, reveals every year he was awarded a C and two Us in his exams.
Today he wrote that he was ‘happy, with loads of friends and a Bentley’ despite the low grades he was given as a teenager.
Students were today handed their results based on in-school grading for the second year in a row due to Covid restrictions.
Mr Clarkson wrote: ‘If the teachers didn’t give you the A level results you were hoping for, don’t worry. I got a C and 2Us and I’ve ended up happy, with loads of friends and a Bentley.’
His 7.4million followers reacted with hilarity at the latest results day tweet, with one saying ‘it’s that time of year again lads’ while another added ‘makes me smile every year…University of life, the best university and woke free’.
The former Top Gear presenter, 61, reveals every year he was awarded a C and two Us in his exams
Today Mr Clarkson (pictured) wrote that he was ‘happy, with loads of friends and a Bentley’ despite the low grades he was given as a teenager
Last year the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? presenter wrote: ‘A level results not great? Don’t worry, I got a C and 2 Us and I’m currently building a large house with far reaching views of the Cotswolds.’
He added: ‘And I didn’t even get the chance to insist the government gave me three As instead.’
Twitter users were thrilled to find Mr Clarkson’s annual tweet on their timelines this morning.
One wrote: ‘The world is alright by me as long as this tweet appears each year.’
Another said: ‘It’s that time of the year again…’
One said: ‘I like this annual tweet, I pop back during the day to see just how many people have zero sense of humour….which is humorous in itself.’
‘Thank you for reminding kids again that exams aren’t the only thing that can drive someone to success, Jeremy. It’s such a valuable lesson,’ said another.
Another added: ‘I was really expecting you to say that you have a slightly bigger than average Lamborghini tractor, this is somewhat disappointing Clarkson..’
Teachers were less keen on the sentiment of today’s tweet, with one adding: ‘Really happy for you and I think it’s a good message overall. But could you change the wording about teachers giving the grades? It just makes it sound like we plucked it out of thin air when in fact we have to judge certain criteria to award grades.’
Anxious teenagers across the UK have today described suffering a sleepless night ahead of their A-level results being published at 8am.
Last year the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? presenter wrote: ‘A level results not great? Don’t worry, I got a C and 2 Us and I’m currently building a large house with far reaching views of the Cotswolds’
Clarkson posts the tweet to his 7.4 million followers on A-level results day every year
Students awaiting the grades which will get them to universities from this autumn said they ‘didn’t sleep a wink’ last night, with nearly half of today’s results expected to be graded at A* or A after a year of disruption amid school closures during the pandemic.
Among the hundreds of thousands of students and their parents unable to sleep last night, many took to Twitter to share their feelings and spread good luck messages, with one writing: ‘Funny how I said I wasn’t nervous but here I am awake at 5.45am #alevels2021’.
Another nervous teenager posted: ‘Me laughing to cover the fact I can’t sleep because I know I’m not gonna get into my dream university and am too nervous’. One tweeted: ‘It’s results day and after a night of absolutely no sleep I wish the best of luck to everyone, we’ll smash it’.
Around 30 per cent of the qualifications are expected to receive an A with 19 per cent getting an A*, it was reported last night. If more students gain top grades then it will be more difficult for top universities to differentiate between applicants, it has been suggested.
It comes after 38.6 per cent of A-levels were graded A or A* last year when exams were first cancelled.
Twitter users were thrilled to find Mr Clarkson’s annual tweet on their timelines this morning
Teachers were less keen on the sentiment of today’s tweet, with one adding: ‘Really happy for you and I think it’s a good message overall. But could you change the wording about teachers giving the grades’
A ‘don’t panic’ guide for parents on A-Levels results day: Education experts reveal what YOU can do to help your child – from finding a back up option to deferring for a gap year
Students across England will receive their A-level results today after a tumultuous 18 months that has seen their education disrupted due to Covid-19.
Rather than formal exams, which were cancelled due to the pandemic, grades have been decided by teachers’ estimates based on previous pieces of work and mock exams over the last year.
While some students will be looking forward to starting at university this autumn after securing their required results, there will be disappointment for others who fail to hit the mark.
But no matter what grades your child receives, it is important to be ready to give them the best advice possible.
Students across England will receive their A-level results today after a tumultuous year that saw their education disrupted due to Covid-19. Here, experts share their advice. Stock image
FEMAIL has spoken to higher education and exam experts, including Clare Marchant, chief executive of UCAS, to arm concerned parents and guardians with everything they need to know.
Offering words of encouragement to students receiving their results, Ms Marchant said: ‘Great opportunities for next year will be available to you, whatever situation you are in now, and any of them could be the beginning of a great story.
‘You might be soon studying an undergraduate degree in your original chosen subject, looking for a new course in Clearing, or exploring apprenticeships to get you set for a stellar career.
‘Whether your grades are higher, lower, or different to what you were anticipating, there is a route for you and we’re here to help navigate through your choices through straightforward, personalised information and advice.’
Remember: Don’t panic
Elaine Bowker, principal at The City of Liverpool College, explained the most important thing is to keep the results in perspective – no matter what they are.
‘The most important thing to remember is that the grades a student gets at A Level doesn’t determine how successful they will be in the future,’ she said.
‘If you’ve done well, that’s amazing, but don’t be disheartened if you didn’t get the grades you were hoping for.
‘I’ve met so many incredible people who either didn’t get the grades they wanted first time round so tried again and succeeded, or who took a completely different path and achieved great things.
‘Whatever happens, there are so many opportunities to take advantage of, so help them stay positive, move forward and keep going.’
Before your child checks their results…
Find a back up option
FEMAIL has spoken to higher education experts, including Clare Marchant, chief executive of UCAS, to arm parents and guardians with everything they need to know. Stock image
Dr Lisette Johnston, ex BBC World News Editor and Head of School at ScreenSpace, said it is worth your child spending some time considering and researching a ‘Plan B’ before receiving their results – just in case they aren’t quite what they are expecting.
‘Have a look for similar courses to their chosen one, they might find one with lower entry requirements,’ she said.
‘For example, if you’ve applied to do Film or Media Studies why not look at other courses that focus on film or media, such as Film and Screen Business, or for some courses check the requirements comparing a BA with a BSc – this works with courses such as Economics.’
If their heart is set on a particular university then consider getting a head start and registering through clearing to save time if he or she does need to go through the Clearing process.
Be prepared for phone calls
Make sure your child is ready to make Clearing calls today, advised Amy Smith, Associate Director of Admissions and Applicant Experience at Nottingham Trent University.
For parents or guardians, this involves taking a step back.
‘It is the student that universities want to speak to, and not their parents or advisers, so ensure they are ready to make the call themselves and have everything to hand that they might need – results, UCAS login, and a pen and paper to note down next steps and make sure they don’t miss any important information.’
If they haven’t achieved the grades they need…
Still check UCAS Track – you might have been accepted
Ms Smith said: ‘First thing to do when a student receives their results is to log on to UCAS Track.
‘Even if they have not done as well as they expected in their A levels or other qualifications, the university that they have applied to may have been able to accept them anyway, or made an alternative offer for a related course with lower entry requirements.
‘Students shouldn’t make any assumptions about the outcomes of their applications until they have logged on to UCAS to find out.’
Find a course through Clearing or Clearing Plus
Clearing
Clearing is how universities and colleges fill any places they still have on their courses. A student can apply for a course using Clearing if they are not already holding an offer from a university or college, and the course still has places.
There are around 30,000 courses to search in Clearing on UCAS.
A student can use Clearing if:
- they’re applying after 30 June
- they didn’t receive any offers (or none they wanted to accept)
- they didn’t meet the conditions of their offers
- they’ve declined their firm place using the ‘decline my place’ button in Track
The most important thing is to reassure your child that there is no need to feel unsettled or anxious if they find themselves in Clearing.
Last year, a record 58,000 people secured their place in Clearing after applying earlier in the year, and a further 25,000 applied directly into Clearing.
Combined, that means that almost 15 per cent of everyone accepted last autumn took this route.
Clearing Plus
If your child finds themselves in Clearing this year, the UCAS team will personally match them to courses they may be interested in, using what they have shared in their application, and what universities and colleges are looking for in a student.
This information will be fed to the student when they log in to UCAS Track. They will be able to see a personalised list of courses available to you.
If they see a course they are interested in, they can express and interest using Track and the university will be in touch.
Last year, over 20,000 people found their course by using the Clearing Plus service.
Defer a year and take a leap
Jo Caine, MD and specialist HR recruiter for Cathedral Appointments, said: ‘Just because your child thought they were going to go to university in 2021 doesn’t mean they have to go to university in 2021.
‘If their results didn’t quite hit the mark this year, they may be able to strike a deal with the university of choice and defer the place for a year. This scenario is more common than you may expect and may be the best decision.’
With a year out, your child can take the time to do something completely different.
‘Perhaps travelling the world could be on the agenda or volunteering with a charity – maybe work experience in their chosen field to give them an early step up on the career ladder,’ Ms Caine continued. ‘The list is endless.’
If their grades are better than expected…
If your child has exceeded their predicted grades, they don’t necessarily need to change anything. They can just rest easy knowing they’re all set for September. Stock image
‘First of all, they should be very proud of themselves,’ said Elaine Bowker, principal at The City of Liverpool College.
If your child has exceeded their predicted grades, they don’t necessarily need to change anything. They can just rest easy knowing they’re all set for September.
There is also the chance to reconsider where and what they study through UCAS Adjustment.
Ms Marchant explained: ‘Adjustment is a straightforward process and each year several hundred students use it to secure their place on a different course.
‘Follow the instructions within Track, and a student can hold only their confirmed place, while searching for a new one if they’ve achieved all the grades their conditional firm choice asked for, and at least one higher.
‘If they don’t find anything new that’s suitable, that’s ok. They will still have their place at their original firm choice.’
If they’ve had second thoughts on their original choice…
‘Clearing is also available if you’ve changed your mind on your original choices,’ explained Ms Marchant.
If your child had been planning to go to university and isn’t sure about what they want to do now, it’s important to think about the reasons why they wanted to apply to higher education originally, because they will still be valid in the future.
‘This year is clearly different to previous years, but I encourage students to progress as they originally planned. Universities and colleges continue to be incredibly flexible in response to the pandemic and are sharing stories of how they’ve supported their current students over the past 18 months.’
Ms Smith added: ‘Contact the university that they are interested in, to see if there are any spaces available.
‘Usually this is done over the phone, and students can look on university websites now to find the clearing hotline numbers that they might want to use on results day.’
It might also be possible to defer for a year to give them more time to consider.
If they are not sure they want to go to university…
Alternate routes
Ms Caine said: ‘Nowadays, university isn’t the be all and end all of higher education. Holding A-Levels gives you the opportunity to explore numerous pathways into further learning and careers and, more often than not, for a lot less money.
‘Apprenticeships, vocational studies, or alternate exam-based qualifications (such as the ACCA qualification for budding Accountants) are all options available.
‘Not only are they much more accessible than university, many of these choices will allow students to ‘earn while you learn’, giving valuable experience and allowing them to have financial independence – a luxury not many students have.’
Interim roles
‘It may be that when your child opens their results, university simply isn’t on the cards anymore – and that’s okay,’ said Ms Caine. ‘Some of the brightest minds of past generations have been those without a degree.
‘But this complete u-turn may mean they’re a little unsure of where to go in terms of getting their foot in the door with a career. This is where interim or temporary roles are invaluable. Working for a specific sector for a short period of time will give key industry experience and well as transferrable skills, but without the worry of being tied down for a long time.
‘Through short bursts of employment, a student can work out where their passions lie and what career path is perfect for them while also garnering brilliant knowledge and skillsets for their CV.
‘And, more often than not, once they’ve found that perfect role – an interim job has the opportunity to become a permanent placement.’