The exams watchdog Ofqual deliberately cut grades, after they spiralled when exams were cancelled during the pandemic, and marks were based on teacher assessment.
As a result, top grades this year have plunged by a record 25%, and its estimated 19,000 students will need to secure a university place through clearing.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has defended the decision to return grading to 2019 levels, arguing that the grades’ value needed to be protected.
Our Education Editor Anna Davis examines the drop in top grades this year, and whether the return to pre-pandemic grading came at the right time.
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