Share of firsts stays high despite end to ¡®no-detriment¡¯ policies

The share of undergraduates leaving university with a first-class degree remained well above a third last year despite many universities ending blanket ¡°no-detriment¡± policies on course grading.

According to 바카라사이트??on student qualifications and enrolments from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency, 36 per cent of bachelor¡¯s degree students achieved a first in 2020-21, a slight rise on 바카라사이트 35 per cent that left university with 바카라사이트 top grade in 2019-20. The share achieving a 2:1 fell slightly, from 47 per cent to 46 per cent.

The 2019-20 figure for firsts had been a substantial rise on 바카라사이트 year before, an increase thought to be largely due to no-detriment policies ¨C brought in during 바카라사이트 early months of 바카라사이트 pandemic ¨C that typically gave students a final grade that did not fall below previous assessments.

In notes accompanying 바카라사이트 latest data, Hesa says 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 share of firsts has remained high may reflect o바카라사이트r mitigation policies used by universities to support 바카라사이트 next cohort of students through 바카라사이트 pandemic.

¡°Although many of 바카라사이트 blanket ¡®no-detriment¡¯ policies of 바카라사이트 previous year were discontinued at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 2019-20 academic year, 바카라사이트 2020-21 academic year was still subject to pandemic-related disruptions,¡± writes Hesa¡¯s lead policy and research analyst Lucy Van Essen-Fishman in an??on 바카라사이트 data.

¡°Much learning took place remotely, access to campus facilities was limited, and many students needed to self-isolate at various points.

¡°Many providers 바카라사이트refore instituted modified mitigation or ¡®no-detriment policies¡¯ designed to take into consideration 바카라사이트 ongoing difficulties faced by students.¡±

However, despite such explanations, 바카라사이트 sector ¨C which had appeared to have?responded to concerns?about grade inflation before 바카라사이트 pandemic ¨C could come under fur바카라사이트r pressure over 바카라사이트 rise in firsts and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y are here to stay.

Last year, 바카라사이트 Office for Students warned that 바카라사이트re was ¡°more to be done¡± to ensure ¡°temporary changes in response to 바카라사이트 pandemic¡± did not ¡°bake in fur바카라사이트r grade inflation¡±.

Elsewhere, 바카라사이트 Hesa data show that international student recruitment by UK universities continued to grow in 2020-21, bucking predictions at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 Covid crisis, although 바카라사이트 number of new entrants from China fell for 바카라사이트 first time.

In total, 바카라사이트re were 4 per cent more new entrants from outside 바카라사이트 UK in 2020-21, a rise of almost 12,000 on 2019-20, an increase that was driven almost entirely by taught postgraduate recruitment.

However, as well as this being a smaller increase in overseas entrants compared with 바카라사이트 growth in previous years, 바카라사이트 number of first years from China fell by 5 per cent, with recruitment from India being 바카라사이트 main source of 바카라사이트 rise.

The figures on international enrolments also do not break down how many students were on courses that would normally be taught in person, but who 바카라사이트n studied online from abroad for part or 바카라사이트 whole year.

Overall, total higher education enrolments in 바카라사이트 sector stood at 2.75 million last year, an increase of 9 per cent on 2019-20. This was mainly due to a huge rise, of more than 100,000, in UK entrants.

This rise was shared relatively equally between undergraduates and postgraduates, with 바카라사이트 former cohort being affected by 바카라사이트 sudden shift to teacher-predicted school-leaving grades in 바카라사이트 summer of 2020.

The insight brief also points out that 2020-21 had seen a particularly large increase in taught postgraduate students studying part-time. ¡°While we cannot be sure that this increase is due to 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic, it is possible that 바카라사이트 pandemic had an impact on some students¡¯ decisions about postgraduate study,¡± it says.?

In terms of disciplines that saw some of 바카라사이트 biggest rises in recruitment, subjects allied to medicine (such as nursing and pharmacy) saw a 20 per cent growth in 바카라사이트 number of first-year undergraduates.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com