Top A-level grades soar at private schools in widening divide with state students

The divide between private schools and state schools when it comes to achieving top A-level results has widened this year, sparking alarm among education leaders.

The increase in A grades awarded today is 50 per cent higher among private schools compared with secondary comprehensives, according to Labour analysis of government data.

The Ofqual data also shows that black students, those on free school meals and those living in areas of high deprivation were all less likely to achieve the top A or A* grades than their more advantaged peers.

Education experts said existing inequalities had been exacerbated by the pandemic this year – urging universities to address the “unfairness” by giving extra consideration to disadvantaged students this year.

“We’re seeing growing gaps between independent and state schools at the top grades,” said Sir Peter Lampl, chair of the Sutton Trust think tank. “The pandemic has compounded existing inequalities and today’s results are a reflection of that.”

Sir Peter added: “It’s of real concern that the gap between those from less affluent areas and those from well-off areas has grown. Given that disrupted learning has affected lower income youngsters more, we urge universities to give additional consideration to disadvantaged students.”

The Sutton Trust said disparities in remote learning and changes in assessment during the Covid crisis have hit those from the poorest backgrounds the hardest.

Many pupils spent large amounts of this year unable to study effectively due to lack of appropriate devices, access to the internet or acceptable space to study – factors not included when assessing this year’s results.

Private schools have seen an absolute increase in A grades of 9.3 per cent this year – compared to 6.2 per cent among secondary comprehensives. The increase in A grades at private schools was more than double the 3.8 per cent rise seen among students at sixth form colleges.

Independent, fee-paying schools have seen the biggest rise in the number of A or A* grades during the pandemic – soaring from 44 per cent in the year before the Covid crisis to 70 per cent this year. By comparison, secondary comprehensives had seen the number of A or A* grades rise from 20 per cent to 39 per cent over the past two years.

When it comes to achieving A or A* grades, the gap between black candidates, free school meal candidates, and candidates with a very high level of deprivation and other students has widened by 1.43, 1.42 and 1.39 per cent respectively this year.

Kate Green MP, Labour’s shadow education secretary, said the government’s “chaotic” last-minute decision on exams and assessment over the past year had “opened the door to unfairness”.

The Labour frontbencher added: “The increase in A grades is 50 per cent higher among private schools, while black students, students on free school meals and in areas of high deprivation are being increasingly out performed by their more advantaged peers.”

Research by The Sutton Trust found that independent, fee-charging schools are more likely than state schools to use a wider variety of assessments – including giving prior access to questions and “open book” tests, which allow pupils to refer to coursework notes.

Parental pressure is also more prevalent at private schools, research has shown. Some 23 per cent of parents at private schools said parents had approached or pressured them about their child’s grades this year, compared to just 11 per cent at the least affluent state schools, according to the Sutton Trust.

The Education Policy Institute (EPI) also warned of “inconsistencies” between assessment in different kinds of schools. A spokesperson for the EPI said: “The nature of private schools means their teachers are more directly accountable to parents, increasing the risk of pressure to increase grades.”

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 per cent) of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade this summer, up by 6.3 percentage points on last year.

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.

Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at Exeter University, said he was worried students from poorer backgrounds could lose out in the “intense” competition for degree courses.

“It is deeply concerning to see widening socio-economic divides in this year’s A-level results, confirming our worst fears – the pandemic has exacerbated educational inequalities outside and inside the school gates,” said Dr Major.

“The government urgently needs to set out its plans for a return to national exam system from next year that is fair to all pupils irrespective of what school they attend or home they come from. Unless universities up their game, we could see social mobility put back years.”

Tory MP Robert Halfon, chair of the Commons Education Committee, shared his concerns about the fierce competition for university places. “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.”

He told BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme said the rise in top grades could store up problems in the immediate years ahead. “I do think in the long-term, because of the huge increase in As and A*s, that we need to look at our exam system in general.”