Top grade A-levels rise again in Wales

Great leap - Jacob Lewis, who was homeless for a while got four A* grades at Coleg y Cymoedd in Nantgarw and is now off to Cambridge University

By Arwyn Jones
BBC Wales education correspondent

The proportion of students in Wales achieving the top grade at A-level has risen again and is at its highest since being brought in five years ago.

A total of 7.3% of students got A* grades - up from 6.7% but still short of the UK average of 8.2%.

But the overall pass rate fell from 97.5% to 97.3% and Wales is lower than Northern Ireland, England and any of its regions.

More pupils took Spanish and computing; fewer took Welsh as a second language.

Education Minister Huw Lewis said it was "another strong performance in Wales".

He added: "This shows a real and growing trend for improvement amongst our most able learners."

As thousands of pupils received their results, it is now possible to compare Welsh performance with English regions and Northern Ireland for different grades.

And although pupils here still lag behind England as a whole, Wales marginally out performs comparable regions such as northern England and the Midlands.

Scotland has its own exams system.

Mike Dean/Eye Imagery

Students at Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan, Abergele, Conwy

Here are the highlights:

  • Only Wales and London saw a drop in the overall pass rate - grades A* to E

  • Students achieving A* rose for a second successive year but Wales is "mid table" - higher than the North East and North West of England, Yorkshire and Humberside and the East and West Midlands

  • At A*, the performance of boys was better than that of girls, with 7.8% of boys and 6.9% of girls gaining A*

  • But apart from at the highest grade, girls continued to outperform boys in Wales, with 97.9% of girls gaining A*- E grades, compared to 96.6% of entries by boys.

  • In 2014, 23.3% of pupils achieved an A*-A grade. This year the figure was slightly down to 23.1%

  • At AS level - the A to C pass rate was 57.5%.

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The UK picture

A-level performance has been fairly stable over the last few years

Wales compared with some of the regions of England and Northern Ireland

This year, the core element of the Welsh Bacc was also be graded for the first time, from A* to C following concerns about the usefulness of the old pass, fail or distinction system.

These results showed 12% got A*, 29.3% A and 30.3% B. Grade C: 20.4%. Not achieved - 7.8%.

Although the Bacc is now graded, pupils still only receive 120 Ucas points for passing the course regardless of their grade.

A party is lined up for 200 students at Coleg y Cymoedd in Nantgarw

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Education Minister Huw Lewis says the "forward momentum" continues

Mr Lewis said he was particularly encouraged to see the increase of A*s in Biology, Chemistry and Maths.

"These subjects are of real importance to a modern and highly skilled economy and I'm sure this success will offer real opportunities for our learners as they embark on further studies and future careers," he said.

Dr Philip Dixon, director of teaching union ATL Cymru said Wales was closing the gap at the very top grade but he warned of "one or two bumps on the road".

He said there was a noticeable decline in Welsh first language results and a fall in numbers taking Welsh second language which were "bound to call into question the Welsh Government's current approach."

Dr Dixon said the modest rate of increase in grade As overall in Wales had seen some English regions leap-frog us.

"We are obviously getting some things right but there are still some lessons for us to learn," he added.

Rex Phillips, NASUWT national official in Wales, said it was a time to celebrate success and achievement.

"It is hoped that the politicians of all parties at the Senedd will offer their congratulations to students and their teachers, rather than using the results as a political football," he said.

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