LIVE A-level results day 2023 LIVE: Tears of joy and disappointment as tougher grading regime for Generation Covid sees 19,000 students rush to grab clearing places Follow MailOnline's live blog for all updates as A level pupils receive their results By Eirian Jane Prosser Published: 02:08 EDT, 17 August 2023 | Updated: 05:17 EDT, 17 August 2023 e-mail 20 shares 93 View comments Here, follow MailOnline's liveblog for all updates as A level pupils receive their results this morning. Eirian Prosser Host commentator 10:13 Gary Neville labels exams 'prehistoric' and calls for a change in assessment Former footballer Gary Neville has called for students to be graded purely on coursework, calling exams 'robotic, methodical' and 'out of date'. He told BBC Breakfast: 'I have a different belief around exams. I don't believe you should work for 16 years at school and at college and then it all depends upon a two-hour assessment. 'I think it's prehistoric. I honestly believe that it needs ripping up.' Neville helped found University Academy 92 which, according to its website, believes in delivering education that is 'so much more than a qualification'. He continued: 'One thing that I do agree with Gillian (Keegan) on is that actually in 10 years' time no employer is going to look at your GCSE results, your A-level results, they're going to look at your experience that you've had in the workplace. 'But to get into the workplace in the first place you may be judged upon what you've actually achieved in these results and I think what you should have is a career passport, a body of work, that you should be able to be proud of, that you should be able to refer to your employers and they should be able to look at.' Sky Sports commentator and former Manchester United player Gary Neville 10:04 Full list of A-level results day 2023 freebies and discounts for students from Nando's to Frankie & Benny's Whether you're celebrating great results or comiserating with friends, there's a host of freebies and discounts available to A-level students on results day. UK-wide chains such as Nando's and Bill's are offering everything from free drinks, sides and main meals to discounts on the final bill. Most of the offers will also be available on GCSE results day next week too. Full list of A-level results day 2023 freebies and discounts UK-wide chains such as Nando's and Bill's are offering everything from free drinks, sides and main meals to discounts on the final bill - when you show ID and proof of results. Mail Online 10:00 Happy Jeremy Clarkson day to those who celebrate! Jeremy Clarkson has given anxious A Level students another annual bout of reassurance after sharing his own results. The Diddly Squat farmer's annual tweets on A-Levels results day have become a regular fixture, boasting in 2021 that he has 'loads of friends' despite failing his exams. Some have even gone so far as to rename the results day as 'Jeremy Clarkson day'. Jeremy Clarkson shares annual 'inspirational' A Level tweet BREAKING: Jeremy Clarkson has given anxious A Level students another annual bout of reassurance after sharing his own results. Mail Online 09:48 'There were loads of tears': Generation Covid receive their results day Speaking to the BBC, the aspiring barrister said: 'I am extremely proud of myself, I've done so good and I've definitely got into university. There were a lot of tears. 'We've all been through Covid and I've never sat exams before but I've had such a good support system behind my back at college and getting these grades means so much to me. 'My thoughts are to either to go to York University or Salford University to study law and business to become a barrister.' 09:43 Clearing centre receives more than 5,500 calls within an hour of opening The clearing frenzy across the UK has begun this morning, with more than 19,000 students missing out on university offers. One clearing call room at the University of Sheffield received 5,655 calls within the first hour after opening at 8am. The most popular subjects the university received calls from were management, law, psychology and engineering. Around 80 staff are manning the phones in a virtual call centre, with a further 60 on hand to speak to applicants. Dan Barcroft, Director of Admissions at the University of Sheffield said: 'Clearing has become increasingly competitive over the years and this year is no exception, with many students waiting for their results before reassessing their options, especially in light of the announcement on tougher grade boundaries. 'At Sheffield, we have limited places available through clearing to high achieving students across a number of courses and are providing an accommodation guarantee to all applicants who have accepted an offer by the end of August. This makes life a little easier for students at what can often feel a stressful time. 'It’s so important that students considering an offer through clearing take the time to make well-informed decisions about where they want to study. At Sheffield, we offer clearing open days, campus tours, online taster sessions and the chance to speak to current students, to make sure applicants are comfortable with the decision they’re making.' 09:37 Clearing frenzy begins: Ucas website crashes as A Level students log on to find fall in top grades and more than 19,000 students miss out on university offers The Ucas website temporarily crashed today amid a Clearing frenzy among 19,000 students who missed out on a university place after a clampdown on top grades. Students struggled to see their results as it emerged the proportion of A-level entries awarded top grades was down on last year but remains above pre-pandemic levels. About 250,000 students received their grades this morning in a year when ministers and the exams regulator in England aimed to return to pre-pandemic grading. But some logging onto the university admission service's website took to social media to tell of concerns that it had crashed and they could not access their results. More than a quarter (27.2 per cent) of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade, down by 9.2 percentage points on last year when 36.4 per cent got the top grades. However, this was still higher than in 2019 - the last year that summer exams were taken before the pandemic - when 25.4 per cent of entries were awarded A or A*. The overall pass rate - the proportion of entries graded A* to E - has fallen to 97.3 per cent this year, which is lower than 2022 (98.4 per cent) and 2019 (97.6 per cent). The rate is now at its lowest level since 2008 when it stood at 97.2 per cent. See below for more: A-level grades revealed amid scramble for Clearing university places Students struggled to see their results on the Ucas website as it emerged the proportion of A-level entries awarded top grades was down on last year but remains above pre-pandemic levels. Mail Online 09:36 Pupils celebrate their results across the country While some students across the UK today will be left disappointed others were pictured celebrating their good results. Twins Alice and Holly Hake celebrate their A Level Exam results. They had 6A and 2 A Stars between them Student Silicate Ibrahim reacts after receiving her A-Level results at City of London College Student Rayaan Mahamoud celebrates her A-Level results with a member of teaching staff at City of London College 09:30 Education Secretary says exams are 'fairest way of assessing people' 09:30 BREAKING: Key statistics for this year's A-level results The key figures for this years A-level results are in: The proportion of candidates receiving top grades has fallen from last year, but remains higher than before the Covid-19 pandemic. A total of 27.2 per cent of entries were awarded either an A or A*, down from 36.4 per cent in 2022 but up from 25.4 per cent in 2019. Around one in 11 (8.9 per cent) of entries received an A*. This is down from around one in seven in 2022 (14.6 per cent), but higher than the figure in 2019, which was 7.7 per cent. The overall pass rate (grades A* to E) was 97.3 per cent. This is down from 98.4% in 2022 and also below 2019, which was 97.6 per cent. It is the lowest figure since 2008, when it stood at 97.2 per cent. Some 76.0 per cent received a C or above, down from 82.6% in 2022 but just above the pre-pandemic figure of 75.9 per cent in 2019. The lead enjoyed by girls over boys in the top grades has narrowed. The proportion of girls who got A or higher this year was 27.5 per cent, 0.6 percentage points higher than boys (26.9 per cent). Last year, girls led boys by 2.2 percentage points (37.4 per cent girls, 35.2 per cent boys). By contrast, boys have reclaimed their lead over girls in the highest grade, A*. The proportion of boys who got A* this year was 9.1 per cent, 0.3 points higher than girls (8.8 per cent). Girls had moved in front of boys in 2020 and remained ahead in 2021 and 2022. Boys had led girls at A* from 2012 through to 2019. The most popular subject this year was maths, for the 10th year in a row. It had 96,853 entries, up 1.3 per cent on 2022. Psychology remains the second most popular subject. It had 80,493 entries, up 2.2 per cent on 2022. Biology was once again the third most popular subject, with 74,650 entries, a rise of 3.7 per cent. Economics has entered the top 10 most popular subjects for the first time, with 39,141 entries, up 7.3 per cent from 36,483 in 2022. Geography has slipped out of the top 10. German saw the biggest drop in candidates for a single subject with more than 1,000 entries, falling by 15.9 per cent from 2,803 in 2022 to 2,358 this year. Computing saw the biggest jump in candidates of any single subject with more than 1,000 entries, rising by 16.7 per cent from 15,693 to 18,306. A total of 867,658 A-levels were awarded, up 2.2 per cent on last year's 848,910. 09:21 Places for international students at UK universities has 'remained steady', according to Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said international student places at UK universities had 'remained steady' following reports that British students could face more competition for higher education places this year due to a growth in 18-year-olds in the population and international demand. 'All of those courses have now been loaded up, 29,000 of them, for home students as the A-level results are now (available).' 09:16 Education Secretary: Exam boards need to return to pre-pandemic grading 09:15 'Jeremy has made a career of being the exception not the rule,' Prime Minister says Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has told students 'no to panic' if they do not get the results they want. In a Tweet he said responding to Jeremy Clarkson: 'Jeremy has made a career of being the exception not the rule but he does have a good point here: Results day is important, but not necessarily a deal-breaker. Whatever results you got today, there are lots of options available to you.' He went on to add: 'And if you are looking for a university course and haven’t met your offer, there are hundreds of great courses at great universities across the UK, all within your reach through Clearing. 'If you haven’t got the results you wanted, don’t panic – talk to your college or school about your options or a National Careers Service adviser if you need extra support. And remember, there are always options available to you.' Jeremy has made a career of being the exception not the rule but he does have a good point here: Results day is important, but not necessarily a deal-breaker. Whatever results you got today, there are lots of options available to you ? ? https://t.co/Fkku7iNdhg — Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) August 17, 2023 08:58 Students celebrate their A level results Scenes of celebration were seen up and down the country as students opened their results Josh Bose smiles after receiving his A level results at Ffynone House School in Swansea, Wales Scenes of jubilation at Newcastle High School for Girls this morning Students at William Hulme's grammar school celebrate their results 08:52 UCAS website CRASHES as millions of nervous A Level students try to log on to find out their exam results The UCAS website has reportedly crashed as millions of nervous A Level students attempted to log on to find out their exam results. The system, which is used to track university applications, was due to update from 8am on Thursday. However, frantic students quickly took to social media to express their worry that the website had crashed and they still couldn't access their long-awaited results. UCAS website CRASHES as millions log on to find out A Level results The UCAS website has reportedly crashed as millions of nervous A Level students attempted to log on to find out their exam results. Mail Online 08:50 A-level students had 'a lot to deal with', Education Secretary says The Education Secretary said this year's A-levels cohort had 'a lot to deal with' and had shown 'incredible resilience' as she congratulated them on their grades. Gillian Keegan also said the latest Ucas figures showed the UK Government was 'right to put the grading system back to normal'. She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'We've just had the Ucas figures out... which is that 79% of those students receiving their results today got their first choice of university. And that is up from 74% in 2019. 'And the great news is that 16,500 students on free school meals gained a place at university, which is a 60% increase from 2019 and 14% up from last year. 'So in terms of destinations, this cohort has done incredibly well and most of them - 79% - have actually got their first choice of university. 'So hopefully that will lead everybody to understand that we were right to put the grading system back to normal. The university admissions officers know how to deal with these differences, they know how to deal with the difference from previous cohorts and they also know how to deal with differences between the English system and the Welsh, Northern Irish and Scottish.' 08:47 Beaming A-level students open their results this morning Beaming A-level students have been seen in opening their A-level results this morning, from Norfolk to Brighton. 08:44 Jeremy Clarkson posts his annual A-level results day Tweet Former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson has posted his annual A-level results day Tweet - telling pupils not to worry if their grades 'aren't what you'd hoped for'. He told his followers: 'It’s not the end of the world if your A level results aren’t what you’d hoped for. I got a C and 2 Us and here I am today with my own brewery.' It has become somewhat of a long-standing tradition for Clarkson to reassure pupils. In 2014, he told followers: 'If your A-level results aren't joyous take comfort from the fact I got a C and two Us. And I have a Mercedes Benz.' In 2015 he said: 'If your A-level results aren't great, be cheered by the fact that I got a C and two Us. And I'm currently sitting in a villa in St Tropez.' And in 2017 he said: 'If you didn't get the right A-level results, don't worry. I got a C and 2 Us, and my chef is preparing truffles for breakfast.' 08:23 Key figures from today's A-level result day: As thousands across the country receive their A-level results this morning, here are some of the key figures according to initial UCAS figures: - 414,940 places have been taken so far - The number of students accepted on UK courses drops by 2.6 per cent - 12 per cent were placed on their insurance choice - Nine per cent are in clearing, two per cent higher than 2022 08:08 Breaking: Total number of students accepted on degree courses falls The total number of students accepted on to UK degree courses has fallen 2.6 per cent on the same point last year, with 414,940 taking up places so far, initial Ucas figures show. 08:07 Breaking: 79 per cent of students gain place at first choice university The chief executive of UCAS has revealed that 79 per cent of students have gained a place at their first choice university. Clare Marchant, chief executive told Radio 4 said the number of placement offers are down by three per cent on last year but up 15 per cent on 2019. She added: 'Overall this is a positive picture'. 07:44 Tuition fees should rise to stop university 'decline', Think Tank director says The director of the Social Market Foundation says university tuition fees should rise to stop the decline of the higher education sector. Students could face more competition for university places this year due to a growth in 18-year-olds in the population and international demand, it has been suggested. Writing in the Times, James Kirkup said universities are taking in more international students because they 'pay more'. He said 'typically' international students pay £20,000 when domestic students pay around £9,000. Mr Kirkup said: 'On current trends before the end of the decade, British universities will get more tuition-fee revenue from foreign students than from British ones. 'This is a serious risk for universities, and Britain. For universities, it makes their income dependent on geopolitics and UK immigration policy, both of which are unpredictable and often irrational. 'The answer here is simple and difficult: raise tuition fees. Restoring them to their 2017 value would mean students paying £11,765 a year, adding almost £3 billion to each year's cohort.' 07:41 What time will A-level results start getting released? A-level students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will start getting their results from 8am. By 9.30am the full national picture of how students have done will be released. Students will either go to their school or college to pick up results, with some checking online. 07:36 Education secretary tells pupils they 'shouldn't be disappointed' with A level results The Education Secretary has stressed that A level pupils 'shouldn't be disappointed with their grades' after they faced disruption from the pandemic. Gillian Keegan, however, also said 'it is really important that we have a grading system that holds its value'. 'They shouldn't be disappointed, they have just done an amazing job and really they should be congratulating themselves, and I want to congratulate them because they have worked so hard,' she told Sky. 'They have faced disruption, they have been the cohort that's gone through the pandemic.' 07:32 Tough clearing competition expected this morning with students told to be 'quick' School leavers are facing more competition this morning for places on university courses, higher education bosses have warned. A larger number of 18-year-olds in the population combined with a rise in international students wanting to study in the UK has left top spots at university in high demand. Of the 24 Russell Group universities, 16 had places on courses for students living in England. Clare Marchant, chief executive of UCAS, told Sky: 'It's getting more competitive which means places are filled up quicker and therefore there are slightly less in clearing and the competitive stuff that is in clearing is likely to go faster 'Every year it's going to become slightly more competitive, just simply because the demographics of 18-year-olds are increasing year on year and we're still very internationally attractive.' 07:28 A Level students brace for 'bitter pill' with grades set to take the biggest plunge on record as stricter marking finally returns after Covid School leavers across Britain were today waking up to their A-level results in a year when ministers in England are aiming to restore pre-pandemic grades. Hundreds of thousands of students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are receiving grades this morning to help them progress on to university, work or training - with the proportion of top A-level results expected to fall on last year. One headteachers' union leader warned the return to pre-Covid grading levels in England will feel like a 'bitter pill' for many receiving their A-level and vocational and technical qualification (VTQ) results as they faced pandemic disruption. Students could face more competition for university places this year due to a growth in 18-year-olds in the population and international demand, it has been suggested. A Level students brace as grades take biggest plunge on record Hundreds of thousands of students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are receiving grades this morning to help them progress on to university, work or training. Mail Online 07:26 What to do if you don't get the exam results you need: Expert advice for all A-level students A level results day can feel like the most important and daunting day of teenagers lives, having worked hard for two years. It can be a day filled with joy and relief for some but others may not have got the grades they hoped for. Read the information below for what students can do if they missed out on their grades. Results day: What to do if you don't get the exam results you need? Exam day can feel like the most important and daunting day of your life. Some of us leave it overjoyed, while others come away feeling glum. What should you do if your grades fell short? Mail Online 07:22 Education secretary Gillian Keegan says A-level results will return 'back to normal' Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said A-level grades would return 'back to normal' with pre-pandemic grading expected to lead to lower grades than last year. She told GB News this morning: 'First of all, the grading system will not impact the university places. 'It is very normal that the predicted grades that people get... I think only one in five actually get their predicted grades or above, so this is a very normal part of the system. 'So the actual university places and access to university is still exactly the same as it was. If they had got a B and gone to university in 2019, they will get a B and go to university in 2023. 'All we have done is, and this is really important because our exams, both GCSEs and A-levels, are highly regarded across the world and we want to make sure they keep that value. 'Obviously we needed to go back from teacher-assessed grades and we did that last year but now we are going back to the normal grading system, and that will make sure that these hold their value and that they do have true value.' 07:19 What time are A-level results released and how does UCAS clearing work? A level results day is upon us so it's vital to be fully prepared and no what to expect, especially for those wishing to head off to university. This year is expected to be tougher than ever as regulator Ofqual have ordered a return of tougher grading regimes after years of exam turmoil prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic. What time are A-level results released and how does clearing work? As A-Level results day fast approaches, it's vital to be fully prepared and know what to expect. So when will you see your results? What should you do next? All you questions answered. Mail Online 07:16 Thousands of A levels pupils face a 'bitter pill' of lower grades this morning Thousands of A level pupils will find out their results today, with many being plunged into a clearing frenzy. An estimated 100,000 fewer students will be awarded A or A* compared with last year after officials reined in grade inflation by introducing tougher boundaries. 'This will feel like a bitter pill to many in this year's cohort as they also suffered disruption during the pandemic and those in disadvantaged circumstances were adversely affected in particular,' said Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders. Top A-level and GCSE results saw a boost in 2020 and 2021 with results being based on teacher assed grades rather than formal exams due to the Covid-19 pandemic. {"id":"12415839","channel":"/news","greenBox":{"body":""},"pageUrl":"https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12415839/A-level-results-day-2023-Pupils-face-bitter-pill-lower-grades-marking-returns-pre-pandemic-levels-far-fewer-s-predicted.html","status":"running","lastDate":1692263878543} Share or comment on this article: A-level results day 2023 LIVE: Tears of joy and disappointment as tougher grading regime for Generation Covid sees 19,000 students rush to grab clearing places e-mail 20 shares Add comment Comments 93 Share what you think Newest Oldest Best rated Worst rated View all The comments below have not been moderated. View all The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. 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