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Progression of Students Who Leave Post-16 Education with Low A Level Grades. Research Report

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Title: Progression of Students Who Leave Post-16 Education with Low A Level Grades. Research Report
Language: English
Authors: Carmen Vidal Rodeiro, Tim Gill, Cambridge University Press and Assessment (United Kingdom)
Source: Cambridge University Press & Assessment. 2025.
Availability: Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Shaftesbury Road Cambridge CB2 8EA. Tel: 44-1223-553311; e-mail: directcs@cambridge.org; Web site: https://www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 103
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
High Schools
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Secondary Education, Exit Examinations, College Entrance Examinations, High Stakes Tests, Scores, Income, High School Graduates, Educational Background, Job Training, Student Characteristics, Self Evaluation (Individuals), Occupational Aspiration, Academic Aspiration
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom (England)
Abstract: In England, A levels are the most popular qualification taken by students post-16. They can lead to university, further education study, training, or work. Students usually take three or more A levels over two years. The majority of A level entries achieve good grades. For example, in 2023, 76.1% of all A levels taken by 18 year-olds were graded A*-C. A levels are the most common route to get into Higher Education (HE) and most courses require specific A levels (or combinations of A levels) and a minimum level of performance on them. A levels are also valued by employers because they can show a good level of knowledge and skills. However, not all A level students achieve good grades. For example, in 2023, 7.3% of all A level entries were graded E (the lowest grade) and a further 2.5% were ungraded. What happens to students who leave school or college with A level qualifications at grade E? Are their opportunities for progression similar to those of students who get better grades? Or are they similar to those of students who achieved different qualifications (e.g., BTECs or Cambridge Technicals)? Do they have good progression outcomes and/or good labour market returns? It is important to make sure that students with poor outcomes at the end of school or college are not forgotten. Knowing their destinations and labour market outcomes would help understand what is happening to them and whether any policy changes / interventions need to be made to help them. This research project aims to understand the education, training and employment destinations, as well as the labour marker outcomes (i.e., earnings), of students who leave post-16 education with grades which might be considered to have little currency (e.g., grades D or E) in their A level qualifications. As the destinations of young people depend, not only on their school qualifications, but also on individual characteristics (e.g., average academic performance, gender, socio-economic status, ethnicity), this research also takes into account students' background characteristics when investigating progression and earnings.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED678129
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
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  Data: Progression of Students Who Leave Post-16 Education with Low A Level Grades. Research Report
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  Data: Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Shaftesbury Road Cambridge CB2 8EA. Tel: 44-1223-553311; e-mail: directcs@cambridge.org; Web site: https://www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Exit+Examinations%22">Exit Examinations</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Entrance+Examinations%22">College Entrance Examinations</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22High+Stakes+Tests%22">High Stakes Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scores%22">Scores</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Income%22">Income</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22High+School+Graduates%22">High School Graduates</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Background%22">Educational Background</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Job+Training%22">Job Training</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Characteristics%22">Student Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Evaluation+%28Individuals%29%22">Self Evaluation (Individuals)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Occupational+Aspiration%22">Occupational Aspiration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Aspiration%22">Academic Aspiration</searchLink>
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  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+Kingdom+%28England%29%22">United Kingdom (England)</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: In England, A levels are the most popular qualification taken by students post-16. They can lead to university, further education study, training, or work. Students usually take three or more A levels over two years. The majority of A level entries achieve good grades. For example, in 2023, 76.1% of all A levels taken by 18 year-olds were graded A*-C. A levels are the most common route to get into Higher Education (HE) and most courses require specific A levels (or combinations of A levels) and a minimum level of performance on them. A levels are also valued by employers because they can show a good level of knowledge and skills. However, not all A level students achieve good grades. For example, in 2023, 7.3% of all A level entries were graded E (the lowest grade) and a further 2.5% were ungraded. What happens to students who leave school or college with A level qualifications at grade E? Are their opportunities for progression similar to those of students who get better grades? Or are they similar to those of students who achieved different qualifications (e.g., BTECs or Cambridge Technicals)? Do they have good progression outcomes and/or good labour market returns? It is important to make sure that students with poor outcomes at the end of school or college are not forgotten. Knowing their destinations and labour market outcomes would help understand what is happening to them and whether any policy changes / interventions need to be made to help them. This research project aims to understand the education, training and employment destinations, as well as the labour marker outcomes (i.e., earnings), of students who leave post-16 education with grades which might be considered to have little currency (e.g., grades D or E) in their A level qualifications. As the destinations of young people depend, not only on their school qualifications, but also on individual characteristics (e.g., average academic performance, gender, socio-economic status, ethnicity), this research also takes into account students' background characteristics when investigating progression and earnings.
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      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 103
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Secondary Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Exit Examinations
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Entrance Examinations
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      – SubjectFull: High Stakes Tests
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      – SubjectFull: Scores
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      – SubjectFull: Income
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      – SubjectFull: High School Graduates
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      – SubjectFull: Job Training
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      – SubjectFull: Student Characteristics
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      – SubjectFull: Self Evaluation (Individuals)
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      – SubjectFull: Occupational Aspiration
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      – SubjectFull: Academic Aspiration
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      – SubjectFull: United Kingdom (England)
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      – TitleFull: Progression of Students Who Leave Post-16 Education with Low A Level Grades. Research Report
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