Over 320,000 UK 18-year-olds applied to university this year – the second highest on record. The majority of those will receive a place at their first-choice university today, while Ucas will also support thousands of students to access places using Clearing.
Alongside the celebration of students’ hard work, Phillipson is expecting results day to expose some of the inequalities across the education system, including regional disparities in attainment and access to higher education.
Labour wants to “put education back at the forefront of national life and break down those barriers to opportunity, helping improve children’s life chances regardless of their background”.
Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson said:
Students up and down the country should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved. I want congratulate them all and to send my thanks to all the fantastic teachers and staff who have shown such dedication in supporting young people to reach this stage.
Young people deserve enormous credit for what they have achieved, in the face of both the huge disruption of recent years, and in too many cases the inequality that goes hand in hand with young people’s backgrounds. I am determined to break down these barriers to opportunity so every young person can pursue their dreams and thrive.
I hope young people everywhere can celebrate their results and look forward to their next step – be that university, an apprenticeship or beginning their careers.
England, 22,640 18-year-old applicants from the most disadvantaged backgrounds (TUNDRA quintile 1) have gained a place – the highest on record.
In Wales 1,200 of those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds (WIMD2019 quintile 1) have been accepted, down from the peak of 1,250 in 2023.
In Northern Ireland 1,000 from the most disadvantaged backgrounds (NIMDM2017 quintile 1) have got a place compared to 1,010 in 2023.
For UK 18-year-olds overall, there are over 10,000 more applicants heading to university or college this September than last year – 243,650 compared to 230,600 (+6%) last year.
This means 31.7% of the 18-year-old population have got a place versus 30.4% in 2023.
Today’s figures also show:
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Overall, 425,680 applicants (all ages, all domiciles) have been accepted into university or college – an increase on 414,940 (+3%) in 2023.
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In total, 376,470 students (all ages, all domiciles) have been accepted at their first (UCAS ‘firm’) choice, a 4% increase on last year. This represents 82% of those holding an offer who received their decision this morning up from 79% in 2023.
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The overall number of accepted international students stands at 51,170, in line with 51,210 in 2023. However, accepted applicants from China are slightly down compared to last year – 10,950 (-6%).
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The top three subjects with the largest increase in total placed applicants are engineering and technology (+11% on last year), architecture, building and planning (+9%) and law (+9%).
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Acceptances for UK students (all ages) to nursing have risen slightly compared to 2023, with 18,450 applicants securing a place (up 1%). This still represents a decline from the peak seen during the pandemic.
Dr Jo Saxton, chief executive of Ucas, said:
I’m particularly thrilled to see free school meals students securing a place at university or college in record numbers. I know how important it is to everyone working in education that every student, no matter their background, has the opportunity to reach their full potential. Widening access and participation is not just about numbers; it’s about opening up doors and transforming the lives of students through higher education so they can pursue their passions and career aspirations.
Ucas is here to help all applicants take their next step, including students who received different results than expected, or those who are looking to change their mind.
There are just under 30,000 courses available in Ucas Clearing across a broad range of subjects and universities so there really is something for everyone.
Teach First, a social enterprise which aims to address educational disadvantage in England and Wales, has appeared on LBC News this morning, saying that inequality in education leads to “a huge waste of talent and opportunity”.
He said:
We just cannot build the sort of country we want if a third of young people who come from low income backgrounds are just disappearing from the system in terms of employment or training.
The biggest thing for us in terms of the results that we see are the big gaps between young people based on their family wealth and background, and also the part of the country that they come from,” he said, adding “in some parts of the country, large percentages will go on to good employment, university places, apprenticeships. And in others, there’s a lot fewer.
Part of the solution, he said, was “to go right back to the start and look at funding for schools.”
He told listeners:
We’ve got to make sure that those schools who do serve disadvantaged communities get the most money. I think most importantly, we’ve got to make sure they get the best teachers as well, because it’s the quality of teaching that drives almost everything that goes on in education.
I don’t think there’s many young people who sit there thinking, you know, I just want to mess around and not do very much. People want to get ahead. We find that ambitions and aspirations are the same, whatever the wealth of the family and background that people come from.
But we also know that if you come from a more privileged background, you have better connections. You may know more people who are in different jobs. Your parents may be able to get you an internship or work experience or just the connections that you need. So I think a lot of young people, they don’t have lower ambitions, but they lose sight of the path to go from where they are today to where they want to be.
He said it was important still to remember that those sitting their exams today would have had their education disrupted by the pandemic, “and their education suffered as a result of that”.
Get Help with Exam Results hub on the National Careers Service website. Students can also contact an expert careers adviser by webchat through the National Careers Service website or by calling 0800 100 900.
UCAS’s Clearing hotline on 0371 468 0 468 is open to help students understand their options.
The online Clearing Plus service will help match students to courses with entry requirements that align with the grades they achieved.
For young people who have not yet decided on their next steps, there are a variety of high-quality options available, including apprenticeships and higher technical qualifications, that will enable them to gain the skills they need to kickstart great careers. Students can explore their options through the Skills for Careers (education.gov.uk) website.
England back to pre-pandemic levels for the second year in a row.
Over 320,000 UK 18-year-olds applied to university this year – the second highest on record. The majority of those will receive a place at their first-choice university today, while Ucas will also support thousands of students to access places using Clearing.
Alongside the celebration of students’ hard work, Phillipson is expecting results day to expose some of the inequalities across the education system, including regional disparities in attainment and access to higher education.
Labour wants to “put education back at the forefront of national life and break down those barriers to opportunity, helping improve children’s life chances regardless of their background”.
Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson said:
Students up and down the country should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved. I want congratulate them all and to send my thanks to all the fantastic teachers and staff who have shown such dedication in supporting young people to reach this stage.
Young people deserve enormous credit for what they have achieved, in the face of both the huge disruption of recent years, and in too many cases the inequality that goes hand in hand with young people’s backgrounds. I am determined to break down these barriers to opportunity so every young person can pursue their dreams and thrive.
I hope young people everywhere can celebrate their results and look forward to their next step – be that university, an apprenticeship or beginning their careers.
The University and College Union has criticised the “chaotic scramble” of clearing, which takes place today and gives students an opportunity to get a fresh place at university.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said:
The chaotic scramble to hoover up students through clearing shows why universities need a new funding model. The overreliance on tuition fee income is causing huge financial instability across the sector. In response, universities have resorted to offering cash prizes or the chance to win free accommodation to students who sign up through clearing. To stop institutions from making these inappropriate inducements, the government must step in and protect the sector. It needs to agree to provide emergency funding to protect all jobs, courses and institutions at risk, and end the failed marketised higher education experiment.
This results day, the union is urging the government to close the pay gap between school and college teachers, and calling for BTECs to be protected.
Polling of 17-21 year olds, conducted by Savanta on behalf of UCU, has found the overwhelming majority of young people:
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Want to see college staff paid fairly, through the closing of the college schoolteacher pay gap (81%).
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Are concerned about the cost of higher education (81%), believe students should pay less (84%), and want employers to pay more (70%).
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Want the government to provide emergency funding to universities at financial risk (87%).
Grady said:
Today is the culmination of years of hard work by students and staff, who should be commended for their dedication. Unfortunately, those receiving their results from further education colleges have been taught by staff who earn much less than their counterparts in schools. Schoolteachers will receive a fully funded 5.5% pay award while college teachers have again been left wanting. This is in addition to a pay gap of £9k that already exists.
A two-tier pay model, where college staff earn less, overwhelmingly disadvantages the working-class students who are more likely to attend further education colleges than their middle-class peers. If the government is serious about addressing the inequalities hardwired into England’s education system, it needs to urgently listen to young people and close the college schoolteacher pay gap.
On the government’s plan to scrap BTECs next year, Grady added:
Many students will be gaining their level 3 BTEC results today. This tried and tested entry route into university or onto skilled employment is now at risk of losing its funding. At the very least, the government needs to extend its review period so BTECs aren’t scrapped next year. Anything less will be a betrayal of the hundreds of thousands of students who rely on these crucial qualifications.
Pupils from poorer backgrounds aren’t getting enough advice on next steps after school, a Social Mobility Foundation poll has found.
The think tank found that less than half of young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds feel they have the resources and support at school to do their best (48% compared with 56% from higher socioeconomic backgrounds).
Just one in eight school and college pupils aged over 16 received advice about going straight into work, while only one in three were given advice on apprenticeships and just one in four had done in-person work experience.
The charity is calling on the government to ensure that all young people are able to make informed choices about their futures.
When asked about the barriers they experienced during secondary school and sixth form, over 1 in 5 (22%) from lower socioeconomic backgrounds said they had inadequate access to a quiet study space at home or at school. Around 1 in 10 (9%) from lower socioeconomic backgrounds said that inadequate access to the internet at home was a barrier. This was almost double the figure for those from higher socioeconomic backgrounds (5%).
The vast majority of university students of all backgrounds say they are worried about money (71%) and the cost of living (73%) – a higher proportion than say they are worried about keeping up with their studies (67%).
Over half (52%) of prospective students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds said they were more likely to apply to a university closer to home, significantly more than from the higher socioeconomic group (43%). Less well-off students were also more likely to worry about student debt and keeping up with their studies.
Sarah Atkinson, Chief Executive, Social Mobility Foundation, said:
Clearly, the government must prioritise closing the widening attainment gap between pupils from lower-income backgrounds and their peers. But not only are poorer students being held back in education, they’re not getting the guidance they need on their next steps. Whether it’s doing an apprenticeship, going straight into work or studying for a degree, young people must be given clear information on the options available to them in every school, right across the UK.
For those who do go on to higher education, we know that students are struggling to afford the essentials, with many having to live at home or earn while they learn. Universities need to ensure that their courses are flexible so that students can study in a way that suits their needs and flourish regardless of their background.
Good morning, and welcome to our blog covering A-level release day as hundreds of thousands of students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland nervously await the grades that could secure university places.
Schools received the results yesterday so will be braced to support those who may need to go through clearing if they have missed their grades.
Last year, the proportion of top A*-A grades in England shrank from 35.9% in 2022 to 26.5% in a reversal of pandemic-era grade inflation and some experts are predicting there could be a further fall this year.
Scottish students received the results of their Higher exams last week and the A-C pass rate showed a fall on last year, at 74.9% against 77.1% (it was 74.8% in 2019, before the pandemic hit).
This year, we’ll be looking to find out whether there has been a return to pre-pandemic marking after four years of instability; whether the north-south divide is growing, as well as the gap between boys and girls; and what the impact is on university admissions, with “every course under the sun” said to be available in clearing and institutions expected to accept lots of students who have missed their grades.
We’ll find out the answers at 9.30am this morning, so make sure you follow along with us today for all the developments.
Source: theguardian.com
