There have been less than half as many entries for A-level “resit” exams this autumn as there were last year, according to provisional data released today.
Statistics published by Ofqual show that there have been 8,880 entries at A-level for the autumn series, arranged to give those unhappy with their teacher-assessed grades the opportunity to take an exam instead.
Last year, there were 20,100 entries at A-level, meaning there was a decrease this year of 56 per cent.
It comes after the proportion of top A-level grades increased to more than 44 per cent this year following the cancellation of exams. Thirty-seven per cent of all students got three As or better.
As in 2020, maths and science subjects remain the most popular for resits. Of the 8,880 A-level entries this year, 2,185, or 24 per cent, were in maths. There were 1,690 entries in chemistry, and 1,405 in biology.
Again, as was seen last year, a large number of entries (4,190) were from candidates whose centre is listed as “other”, which includes private candidates.
This year, the government offered schools a grant of £200 per entry to assess private candidates, but there were still concerns about whether the system would work for those not on-roll at a specific school.
AS-level entries for the autumn have also plummeted, from 1,925 last year to 365 in 2021.
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