Government warned of exam ‘chaos’ ahead as clearing places at top universities fall by one-third

Boris Johnson’s government has been warned of a second consecutive year of “chaos” over exam results in England, as experts warned of the desperate scramble ahead for university places.

Students awaiting A-level results next week face a highly-competitive battle to win spots at the country’s top universities, with some institutions expecting more grade inflation after last year’s exams fiasco.

Analysis carried out by The Times has revealed that the number of courses in clearing among Russell Group universities has fallen by one third, from 4,500 last year to only 3,000 this year.

Former universities minister Lord Willetts said top universities are “less likely” to offer a place to A level students who have underperformed by a grade – predicting “less flexibility in the system” this summer.

Lord Willets told Times Radio on Saturday: “I think there is a specific pressure point for applicants who don’t get their predicted grades. I think universities, especially the selective ones, are less likely this year to offer you a place if frustratingly you’ve underperformed, you’re one grade down or something.”

He added: “I think there’s going to be less of that flexibility in the system. Of course, there will be other places at other universities and teaching can be of high quality across the system.”

The latest UCAS data shows a record 311,000 18-year-olds had applied for university places before the end of June deadline – a 10 per cent increase on last year.

Russell Group universities are believed to have become more cautious about awarding places this year, after more applicants than expected gained entry results in 2020 following significant “grade inflation”.

Even higher results are predicted for this year, after exams were replaced by a combination of teacher-assessed grades and course work.

Education secretary Gavin Williamson faced calls to quit and students protested over last year’s A-level results – after pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds were found to have suffered more the biggest reduction in grades from an “algorithm” system.

Labour MP Kate Green, shadow education secretary, responded to news of a squeeze on clearing places by urging the government to come up with a contingency plan for students who do not get the grades they are expecting.

“Young people getting their results have worked incredibly hard in unprecedented circumstances but have been repeatedly let down by the Conservatives’ chaotic decision making and systematic refusal to learn lessons from their mistakes,” said the Labour MP.

“The Conservatives dismissed our calls for a contingency plan on exams, resulting in a second year of chaos that is putting students’ university places and future opportunities at risk.”

Calling on the prime minister to explain what action will be taken to avoid the exam result scandal of 2020, Ms Green added: “A repeat of last year’s fiasco cannot, and will not, be tolerated.”

Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, said some of last year’s university applicants have acceptances agreed for this year – further squeezing the number of places available.

“Last year’s bulge entry cohort is still working its way through the system,” he said. “There are just more 18-year-olds this year.”

Lord Willis said the competition for places at selective universities may become so fierce that institutions could traduce their own entrance exams.

“I would be surprised if we went down that route,” he said. “I mean, there is an irony. Britain doesn’t have a conventional school leaving exam at the age of 18, unlike many other advanced countries.

“What we have instead is A-Levels which were designed by universities. So it will be as if universities themselves started trying to find some alternative route.”