Pupils braced for lower A-Level grades today after return to pre-Covid marking

PUPILS are facing a drop in A-level grades today with the return to pre-pandemic marking.

As few as a fifth are likely to hit their predicted level after exams replaced teacher assessments.

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Ministers insist returning to 2019 standards allows for a fair comparison of students over the years as teachers marked generously in 2020 and 2021 when a fifth of papers were graded A*.

But there are fears poorer pupils will bear the brunt of grade deflation as they missed more school during lockdown.

Schools minister Nick Gibb has urged universities and colleges to be mindful of disadvantaged students when awarding places.

Vivienne Stern, of Universities UK, advised pupils to have a back-up plan in case they fail to get their grades.

Those rejected from their first choice universities will scramble for 30,000 courses in clearing.

Many fear losing out to overseas students, who pay higher fees, after some unis urged them to grab clearing places before the A-level results were issued.

Meanwhile, more than 4,000 pupils will this week become the second year to get their T-level technical qualification results.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “Thousands will get the results they need to take hold of their future, whether at university, through an apprenticeship or in the world of work.”