A-level results: 'I've moved past Covid and got grades I'm really happy about'

Summary:

• Top A-level grades decrease as Covid-related disruption no longer considered by exam regulators.
• Mixed reactions among students as some feel unfairly judged due to challenging exam conditions.
• Differences in grading systems between nations could impact university admissions and future employment.
• Majority of students secure spots in their preferred universities.

They finally know what they've got. Oh my gosh. But for all the joy, the number of top A-level grades are down as the disruption caused by Covid is no longer taken into account by exam regulators.

Yeah, I do think perhaps they could have given us some sort of leeway considering we did have that interruption. I think for our year we're probably a bit more hard done by than the past couple of years because it's been back to the 2019 level of grade boundaries. Even though Covid and teacher strikes have had a big impact on our learning, I'm here today and I've still moved past that and gotten grades which I'm really happy about. The overall pass rate in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is at its lowest since 2008.

They've been called the unluckiest year group, but where you live could dictate just how unlucky you are because in England grades have fallen faster and more sharply than elsewhere. You sign into your account and you can download your exam results there. Rowan was one mark off an A in psychology and is considering challenging it. We have definitely been judged harsher. I'd say I know a lot of people who are unhappy with what they got, and they are very surprised and they came out of the exam. The paper's been really difficult, and they were quite shocked by that. The Westminster government says it's vital that the qualifications hold their value.

In the pandemic years, we did have 45% getting A's and A's stars, so we wanted to make sure that we got back to normal. University admissions officers know how to deal with the differences in the systems between the English system and the Welsh, Northern Irish, and Scottish systems, and they are different anyway. They have different awarding organizations, different curriculum, so they know how to adjust for those. But some think it will make it difficult for employers. I don't think employers are equipped to be able to have that level of detailed analysis of A-level results, what year they've come from, where the students studied, and where they've attained those A-level results. So I do feel that the students in the future employment market could be disadvantaged. The majority of teenagers have got into their first choice university. Those looking to go straight into work will have to hope that they're judged fairly.

Leetidao Sky News, Songhol.