A Level Results Up, Again

It's time for the annual hoo-ha over the remorseless rise in A Level passes. Hooray! Students starting the first year of their courses next month will be the first to have the chance of A* grades if they get a grade A in the first year and 90%+ in the second year units. This is the best that can be done with the erosion of grade As as the identifiers of top flight students, now awarded at a rate of nearly 30%.

And how long before grade inflation renders the A* insufficiently discriminating, requiring A**? With a one fifth increase in A grades in the last five years, it won't be long.

None of this affects this years' students, though, but surely stabilising standards in the long run will be essential.

Unless the government is happy to see A Levels wither away.