A-level results day and UCAS clearing: Universities accept thousands fewer students as pass rates hit lowest level since 2010 - as it happened

Teenagers opened their A-level results across the country

Top ten universities in the UK for student satisfaction, according to Times Higher Education

Tens of thousands of teenagers received their A-level results across the country amid major changes to exams.

The number of students who secured pass grades at A-level dropped to its lowest point in eight years - but the proportion of students who received top grades (A* or A) rose slightly.

Last year, grades were awarded in the first 13 reformed A-level subjects in England - which have moved towards final exams after two years. Students received grades in a further 11 reformed subjects on Thursday.

See below how we covered A-level results day

For the second year running, boys outperformed girls at the top grades. Experts had predicted that the linear structure of the new qualifications – with less coursework and AS levels no longer counting towards the A-level grade - would favour boys.

Tens of thousands of courses were still available in clearing on the morning of results day – including at the Russell Group, which are considered to be the top universities.

Key Points

• Tens of thousands of students opened their A-level results 
• A-level pass grades (A* to E) hit an eight-year low amid major exam reforms
• More students took Chinese at A-level than German as uptake of languages continued to decline
• Fewer students have been accepted on to UK degree courses this year, figures showed
• Thousands of university courses were still available through clearing

[16 August 2018 10:05 · Eleanor Busby]

Decline in modern foreign languages

The number of students opting to study the traditional modern foreign languages of French, German and Spanish has declined by 7.9 per cent in 2018 - continuing a general trend.

But entries to other foreign languages have increased by 3.1 per cent.

Notably, entry rates for Chinese stand at 3,334 - an increase of 8.6 per cent compared with 2017 - which means Chinese is now a more popular A-level choice than German.

[16 August 2018 10:32 · Eleanor Busby]

Boys do better at A-level than girls 

Boys continue to outperform girls at the highest grades at A-level, the figures show.

Overall, 26.6 per cent of boys' entries awarded at least an A grade, compared to 26.2 per cent for entries from their female peers.

[16 August 2018 10:54 · Eleanor Busby]

Politicians have offered their congratulations to A-level students accepting results today:      

[16 August 2018 11:22 · Eleanor Busby]

A-level reforms impact on mental health 

On today's results, Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: "The sheer weight of these reforms has placed an intolerable additional strain on staff and students and we have no doubt that this has affected the mental health and wellbeing of a proportion of young people and teachers.

"The government must pay heed and ensure that any future reforms are introduced in a more manageable and considered manner."

[16 August 2018 11:51 · Eleanor Busby]

Grime artist Stormzy has announced he will pay for two black British students to attend the University of Cambridge.

The rapper, whose real name is Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr, announced the plans today at his former school, the Harris City Academy in Croydon.

[16 August 2018 12:18 · Eleanor Busby]

Research out from the Chartered Institute of Marketing reveals that nearly a third of school leavers (29 per cent) feel pessimistic about their career prospects.

The figures, which have been released on A-level results day, show that 17 to 19-year-olds living in London are the most pessimistic about today’s job market.

The research also shows a gender split - with women more pessimistic (32 per cent) about their job prospects than men (21 per cent).

[16 August 2018 13:04 · Eleanor Busby]

More students are opting to do Chinese at A-level than German - as ministers have pushed for Mandarin to be taught in schools. Read more here: 

[16 August 2018 13:38 · Eleanor Busby]

A-level geography entries hit four-year low 

A-level geography was dealt a substantial blow this year, with entries hitting the lowest level for four years.

In total, there were 33,538 entries for the subject, down 11.3 per cent on 2017, undoing the gains made over the last few years.

A Press Association analysis shows that this year's fall is the biggest year-on-year drop in entries for A-level geography for a decade.

(PA)

[16 August 2018 14:00 · Eleanor Busby]

[16 August 2018 14:20 · Eleanor Busby]

A number of celebrities - including Jeremy Clarkson -  told A-level students not to worry if they did not get the grades that they wanted.