It’s A Level results day and as we speak, thousands of young people around the UK are either celebrating top grades or commiserating over unexpected or disappointing results.
This year, the proportion of top A Level grades has fallen marginally, with A* and A grades being awarded to 25.9% of entries, down from 26% last year. However, passes have risen by 0.1 percentage point in a year of “stable” results. Meanwhile, record numbers of young people have been accepted onto university courses according to Ucas.
Schools minister Nick Gibb has said that this year’s results showed the impact of the government’s drive for “core academic subjects”. Biology, English and maths have proved the most popular subjects, with a 20% increase in maths entries since 2010, while entries in languages, music, and design and technology have declined. While the government is focused on promoting an academic pathway, it’s important for learners to know that the more vocational subjects can be of equal value, and young people should choose the pathway most suitable for their skills, interests and career aspirations.
Everyone receiving their results today, whatever the outcome, will be making important decisions about what’s next for them – whether that’s confirming their university place, going through the clearing process or weighing up alternative options to higher education.
University is the natural next step for some learners, but for others – who perhaps don’t flourish in an academic environment, would prefer not to take on so much student debt or are focused on future employment prospects – there are many other credible options out there.
For example, apprenticeships are an equally prestigious route to university, and can lead to a successful career in your chosen industry while allowing you to earn as you learn. Find out more about the range of full and part apprenticeships we offer.
At NCFE, we’re passionate about helping learners who don’t necessarily want to go on to higher education to achieve their potential through a vocational route, so we’ve launched a new, free careers advice hub – CareerHow – to help young people navigate the maze of career options available to them.
Simple, straight talking and intuitive, CareerHow will provide guidance on what you can do with your existing qualifications, which qualifications you need to pursue your preferred career and where you can study these. It will also give an insight into jobs within different industries and how to get into each sector, the earning potential, the positives and the genuine pitfalls.
What’s your reaction to this year’s A Level results? Have you collected your results today and if so, what have you decided to do next? We’d love to hear your thoughts!
