A level results at top grades have fallen in Wales in the first year exams returned to pre-pandemic conditions. It is the first year since 2019 that exams have been held under “normal” conditions.
Results posted this morning show the percentage of entries graded at A* is 10.1% and A*-A 29.9*. That's a big dip compared to last year when 13.5% achieved the very top A* and 34% A*-A. Follow live updates as pupils collect their grades here.
The overall pass rate at grades A* to E is 97.4% which is almost identical to last year’s 97.5% and the last pre-pandemic exam year in 2019 when the overall pass rate was 97.6%. But is it significantly below the 99.9% passing at grades A* to E in 2020 and 99.1% in 2021 when results were awarded on teacher assessed grades. Join our WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone
Don't miss: Free food and other offers for people picking up A level and GCSE results
Read more: What you can do if you didn't get the A-level results you expected in Wales
The changes come after exam regulator Qualifications Wales said it was returning exams to “normal” conditions with no extra support for candidates after disruption caused by the pandemic. Qualifications Wales said that comparing exam results with those in recent years, or with those in England, are problematic owing to different approaches during Covid and post-pandemic. If any comparisons were to be made the most useful years to look at would be 2019 and the aim to be in line with that year seem to have been achieved. See how to contact Welsh universities through clearing here.
Results for 18 year-olds only are slightly different and this age group achieved less top grades. For 18 year-olds taking WJEC A levels, 9.7% achieved the gold standard A*. 29.7% got As and the overall pass rate A* to E was 97.7%.
Students and schools had been warned throughout the year by the regulator Qualifications Wales and exam board WJEC that results were likely to be lower as the system returns to "normal". Record results were achieved in 2020 and 2021 when exams were cancelled and grades awarded on teacher assessments and in 2022 and 2023 when candidates got extra support such as information on what topics to revise for - this was all to mitigate for lost learning during Covid. None of that support was offered this year.
Qualifications Wales said today's results "represent the final step in the Welsh qualifications system’s journey back to pre-pandemic arrangements" as this academic year saw the return to usual arrangements for qualifications in Wales."
READ MORE: A level results 2024: Grade boundaries for WJEC, AQA, OCR, Edexcel exam boards
Mathematics remains the most popular subject at A level while there were big falls in entries for biology (-104),digital Technology (-275), geography (-253) and psychology (-133)., English Literature (+130), Mathematics (+104) and Physics (+106) have seen an increase in entries.
Maths is also one of the subjects where the highest percentage of pupils get the top grades. Some 20.45 of pupils achieved A* grades in Maths and 31.1% achieved A*s in Further Maths. The figures for A and A* grades are 47.1% and 58.1% in Maths and Further Maths respectively - showing half of pupils get the highest grades.
In Wales, the overall pass rate for girls and boys is broadly similar with 96.4% of subject entries by boys achieving A* - E grades, compared to 98.1% of entries by girls.
Girls continue to outperform males at most grade points, for A*-A by 0.5 percentage points and A*-C by 6.6 percentage points, although boys outperform girls by 1.2 percentage points at A*.
At AS 22.1% of all grades awarded were A in Wales this year. The percentage of candidates achieving A - E grades were 90.2%.
The Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate is equivalent in size and demand to an A level. 98.1% of candidates achieved the qualification with 6.6% of candidates achieving an A*grade and 25.8% achieving grades A*-A.
This qualification aims to give students with an opportunity to demonstrate their ability in applying employability skills.
79.6% of candidates achieved a pass, which is expected to rise after GCSE results are published next week. Candidates achieve the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate by passing the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate and the required Supporting Qualifications which include a grade A*- C in GCSEmathematics or mathematics-numeracy, a grade A*- C in GCSE English Language or Welsh Language, and gaining grade A*-E in 2 GCE A levels or equivalent qualifications.
2024 (2023)
While summer 2023 results were set broadly midway between the last pre-pandemic results in 2019 and the results in 2022 when the first set of summer exams were sat again exam bosses said the return to normal arrangements this year restored fairness and trust in the system. Approaches this year were communicated to teachers and exam centres.
Philip Blaker, Chief Executive of Qualifications Wales said: "Arrangements for qualifications this year were the final stage of a gradual return to pre-pandemic processes that commenced when formal exams returned in 2022. Differences in approaches to awarding over the last four years mean that comparisons should not be drawn between annual outcomes during this period.”
“To prepare learners in taking their next steps, it’s vital that Welsh qualifications are trusted and valued across the UK and beyond, demonstrating what learners know and can do. hat’s why it was important to return to pre-pandemic arrangements for qualifications, to secure long-term fairness in the system, and ensure learners in Wales can progress with confidence to whatever lies ahead.”
Ian Morgan, Chief Executive of exam board, WJEC, said: “Congratulations to students’ collecting their results today, which reflects their hard work and determination shown throughout their studies.
‘On behalf of WJEC, I would also like to thank teachers, lecturers and teams working at schools and colleges across the country for their support and professionalism again this year; they’ve demonstrated huge commitment for their students every step of the way."
Receive the latest news on AI Financial Navigator 4.0