Figures released by the Office for Students (OfS) today reveal
that the number of top grades awarded to students has fallen for
the first time since 2010-11, but has still not returned to
pre-pandemic levels.
Today’s figures show that half of first class degrees awarded to
students in 2021-22 cannot be explained by changes in students’
prior attainment or choice of subject when compared with
students’ attainment over a decade ago.
The report analyses degrees awarded to students between 2010-11
and 2021-22, with data presented at a sector and subject level,
and for individual universities and colleges. In 2010-11, 15.5
per cent of students were awarded a first class honours degree.
The proportion of students awarded the top grade has since more
than doubled, reaching 32.8 per cent of students in 2021-22. This
has dropped from 37.4 per cent of students in 2020-21. The report
also finds:
·
Half of first class degrees awarded are unexplained by
statistical modelling. Of the 32.8 per cent of students awarded
first class degrees, 16.4 per cent were unexplained after the OfS
accounted for various observable factors – including students’
prior entry qualifications and subject of study – which may
affect their attainment.
·
Rates of first class degrees have fallen for all students
compared to 2020-21, regardless of the qualifications students
held when starting higher education, although they are still
significantly higher than in 2010-11. In 2021-22, 56.2 per cent
of students who entered higher education with A-level grades of
AAA and above received a first class degree, compared with 60.7
per cent in 2020-21 and 33.6 per cent in 2010-11. Students
entering with A-level grades of AAB experienced the largest
increase in first class degrees between 2020-21 and 2021-22,
doubling from 22.6 per cent to 47.1 per cent.
·
For first class degrees, the recent changes in unexplained
attainment vary considerably at individual universities and
colleges, ranging from a 15.9 percentage point increase to a 31.9
percentage point decrease at particular higher education
providers. Overall, there was a decrease in unexplained
attainment of 4.8 percentage points for the sector as a
whole.
Susan Lapworth, chief executive of the OfS, said:
‘Today’s report suggests that progress is being made in tackling
the increases in top grades being awarded at universities and
colleges that we have seen over the past decade. That’s very
welcome. But, we’re not out of the woods yet as half of first
class degrees cannot be explained by students’ entry
qualifications or the subject of study. Inflation of grades that
does not reflect actual student achievement is bad for students,
graduates and employers, and risks undermining the reputation of
English higher education in the UK and beyond.
‘We are encouraged to see a reduction in the proportion of
unexplained top grades, but universities and colleges know that
they need to continue to take the steps necessary to protect the
value of their qualifications, now and over time.
‘We recognise there are likely to be a range of factors –
including improved teaching – that could lead to an increase in
the number of firsts awarded. But the sustained increase in
unexplained firsts and 2:1s since 2010-11 continues to cause us
concern.
'Students, graduates and employers must have confidence that
degrees awarded represent a reliable assessment of achievement,
with qualifications remaining credible throughout a student’s
career. Our revised approach to regulating quality gives us the
tools we need to intervene where this is not the case. Where we
think awarding practices may not meet our requirements, we can
and will use those tools to investigate further.'
ENDS
Notes
1. The Office for Students is
the independent regulator for higher education in England. Our
aim is to ensure that every student, whatever their background,
has a fulfilling experience of higher education that enriches
their lives and careers.
2. Read the analysis of
degree classifications for
2021-22.
