I wanted to wish students the best of luck as A level students receive their results today. It has been a difficult year for students, so I am particularly pleased to see that 44.8% of students have achieved A* or A Grades, the highest record yet.
The government has worked to make sure each an every student is treated fairly and that they get the results they deserve. Young people have worked hard through these challenging circumstances and I hope are rewarded with the grades they need and deserve to go on to University, an apprenticeship or for whatever they choose to do in life.
Though I believe overall, exams are the best form of assessment, I think it was the right decision for exams not to go ahead considering the impact of the pandemic. Instead, grades will be determined by those who know them best, their teachers. Teachers have drawn on a range of evidence to determine grades, including questions from exam boards, mock exams, coursework and other essays and class room testing. This goes for not just A levels but also GCSE’s and vocational courses.
The Government is also to ensure that no child is left behind and that everyone is giving the support they need to succeed. To make up for lost learning we are launching an Education Recovery Plan to deliver long-term support, delivering 6 million 15-hour tutoring courses to those most in need. We are also investing over £3 billion in catchup support and have invested £400 million to boost remote education which includes the purchasing of 1.3 million laptops and tables for students in need, eliminating the barrier of digital exclusion.
It is vital that we continue to support students and teachers so that no one’s education suffers. Seeing such fantastic results today shows the dedication and commitment of young people and teachers. Congratulations to you all and good luck.
