The Office for Students (OfS) has opened investigations at three
higher education providers to examine the reasons for sharp
increases in the rates of students being awarded first class and
upper second class honours degrees.
This follows the publication earlier this year of analysis which
shows that the proportion of first class degrees awarded in
England has more than doubled, from 15.7 per cent in 2010-11 to
37.9 per cent in 2020-21. These proportions have become a focus
for public and sector concern even before the pandemic, with
steady increases in the rates of students awarded firsts and 2:1s
for more than a decade.
The investigations will examine the providers’ compliance with
condition B4 of the OfS’s regulatory framework. Condition
B4 requires universities and colleges to assess students
effectively, and to award qualifications that are credible
compared to those granted previously, and that are based on the
knowledge and skills of students. Grades should not be inflated
so that the same level of student achievement is rewarded with
higher degree classifications.
The OfS’s decision to open these investigations means that the
OfS has identified potential concerns that require further
scrutiny at the three providers. The fact that the OfS is
conducting these investigations should not be interpreted as
indicating that any form of wrongdoing has actually taken place
in any of the three providers concerned.
The OfS is not naming the universities and colleges under
investigation at this stage. However, we expect to publish
further details in due course, as our investigations
progress.
