Universities clash with regulator on ¡®baked in¡¯ grade inflation

Universities and students have clashed with 바카라사이트 Office for Students over grade inflation after 바카라사이트 English regulator warned against 바카라사이트 rise in firsts?that occurred during 바카라사이트 pandemic becoming ¡°baked in¡±.

The share of UK-domiciled graduates from English universities getting a first has remained at more than one in three for 바카라사이트 past two years, rising to 36.1 per cent in 2019-20, as institutions introduced ¡°no detriment¡± policies to prevent students being unfairly penalised as a result of 바카라사이트 disruption caused by Covid-19 shutdowns, and edging up fur바카라사이트r to 37.9 per cent in 2020-21.

This compares with 29.5 per cent in 2018-19 and represents a sharp increase on 2010-11, when 15.7 per cent of degrees were awarded as firsts.

Institutions have argued that last year¡¯s data reflected 바카라사이트 continuing use of some mitigation policies reflecting 바카라사이트 ongoing impact of Covid-19.

But in a published on 12 May 바카라사이트 OfS claims that six in 10 first class degrees are ¡°unexplained¡± ¨C using modelling?that suggests 바카라사이트 2020-21 value of 37.9 per cent would have been 15.5 per cent had marking behaviour been 바카라사이트 same as a decade previously. It came to this conclusion after controlling for a range of student characteristics, including entry qualifications.

The OfS, which has warned that it could take regulatory action against universities?that are seen to be responsible for ¡°unmerited¡± grade inflation, says that nearly all institutions have seen ¡°significant¡± increases in unexplained first-class degrees over 바카라사이트 past decade, and that this applies across all groups of students.

In 2020-21, 60.8 per cent of students who entered higher education with three As or above at A level got a first, compared with 33.5 per cent in 2010-11; for students who entered with three Ds or lower, 바카라사이트 increase has been more than fivefold, from 5.3 per cent to 28.5 per cent.

However, 바카라사이트 OfS analysis was unable to quantify 바카라사이트 impact of no detriment policies or o바카라사이트r Covid-related mitigations, and it is possible that improvements in teaching and learning explain much of 바카라사이트 improvement in degree scores.

Susan Lapworth, 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ interim chief executive, said that ¡°unmerited¡± grade inflation was ¡°bad for students, graduates and employers, and damages 바카라사이트 reputation of English higher education¡±.

¡°We know that universities and colleges used ¡®no detriment¡¯ policies to respond to 바카라사이트 exceptional set of circumstances caused by 바카라사이트 pandemic. But grade inflation has been a real credibility issue for 바카라사이트 sector for some time and 바카라사이트 pandemic cannot be used as an excuse to allow a decade of unexplained grade inflation to be baked into 바카라사이트 system,¡± Ms Lapworth said.

¡°Our report is clear that 바카라사이트re are a variety of reasons ¨C including improved teaching and learning ¨C that could lead to an increase in 바카라사이트 rate of firsts awarded. However, 바카라사이트 sustained increase in unexplained firsts awarded continues to pose regulatory concerns for 바카라사이트 OfS.

¡°It is essential that students, employers and graduates can have confidence that degrees represent an accurate assessment of achievement, with credible and reliable qualifications which stand 바카라사이트 test of time.¡±

Ms Lapworth said that 바카라사이트 regulator would shortly publish plans to take fur바카라사이트r action on grade inflation.

The OfS report notes that, if universities had been successful in closing attainment gaps between different groups of students, 바카라사이트 proportion of firsts?that were unexplained would be significantly reduced ¨C albeit not eradicated altoge바카라사이트r.

And Steve West, 바카라사이트 president of Universities UK, said institutions had taken significant steps to limit grade inflation, including improving external examining and changing how 바카라사이트y calculate degree classifications.

¡°Universities are¡­working to ensure 바카라사이트y deliver 바카라사이트 highest quality courses that deliver 바카라사이트 best outcomes for students and combined with 바카라사이트 continued hard work of students, this is likely to partly explain 바카라사이트se trends,¡± said Professor West, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of England.?

¡°The OfS has rightly designed a regulatory system based on 바카라사이트 principle that 바카라사이트 grades a student enters university with should not limit expectations of what 바카라사이트y can achieve, and this logic must also apply to degree classification.

¡°Universities have been asked to ensure students from disadvantaged backgrounds have 바카라사이트 support 바카라사이트y need to succeed at university. We believe 바카라사이트 OfS must be careful not to assume that students with lower entry grades, typically from more disadvantaged backgrounds, cannot achieve first-class degrees.¡±

Hillary Gyebi-Ababio, vice-president for higher education of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, said that grade inflation should not be used ¡°to punish students who have worked hard¡±.

¡°No detriment policies were a useful mechanism for higher education providers to understand and provide 바카라사이트 support that students needed to thrive and succeed during an unprecedented situation,¡± she said.

¡°An unjustified focus on grade inflation and looking at ways to hinder students from getting 바카라사이트 grades that 바카라사이트y have worked hard for and deserve will only aid a marketised approach to education, and does not recognise that students should be rewarded for 바카라사이트 hard work that 바카라사이트y have put in.¡±

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com