Vice-chancellor links high failure rate to grade inflation

A vice-chancellor in the United Kingdom has warned that students are increasingly failing exams after inflated pandemic A-level grades helped them win a place at university, writes Louisa Clarence-Smith for The Telegraph.

Universities found themselves scrambling to find enough places for students in 2021 after record grade inflation caused by teacher-assessed results meant that more students than expected met their offer conditions. However, some of those students are now dropping out because they are failing exams or failing to submit work, it has been suggested.

Dr Ben Calvert, the vice-chancellor of the University of South Wales, said there had been a 6.1% decrease in the number of students returning for the 2022-23 academic year compared to the previous year. In an internal email to university staff, he said: “Worryingly, there was a significant increase in the number of students who were discontinued at assessment boards, either for not submitting any, or parts of, their work or failing the assessments they submitted … We know that the suspension of A-level examinations and the so-called grade inflation from A-levels and other qualifications has had an impact; we also know that the trend of submitting only some assessments is mirrored in our local colleges.”
Full report on The Telegraph site