Video and podcast: The race for remaining places at universities

Podcast: Hear education correspondent John Roberts debate the issues. SIMPLY CLICK HERE TO PLAY NOW or, if you prefer, DOWNLOAD FOR LATER (Right-click and choose Save Target As...) One in 12 entries received an A* grade this summer, but the number of exams marked as at least an A levelled off for the first time in 15 years. Schools and colleges across Yorkshire have reported record pass rates and a surge in the number of A* grades being achieved. However these best ever results added to the pressure on degree places, as another Yorkshire university warned yesterday that it had only “a handful” of vacancies left. Leeds and Leeds Metropolitan universities had already announced that they did not expect to have places left through clearing, while Sheffield Hallam said the only spaces it had were on professional health and teaching courses. Reports emerged of straight A* students being turned down by the country’s most selective universities as school-leavers battled to avoid the higher fees of up to £9,000-a-year which come into effect in 2012. Labour claimed last night that candidates who missed out on place this year would end up paying an extra £15,000 for their higher education. Universities Minister David Willetts has told students who may find themselves turned away from university that “there isn’t only one chance in life”. Figures released by the Universities and Colleges Admission Service (Ucas) at 12.30pm yesterday showed there were 189,992 students eligible for clearing, compared with 185,223 at the same time last year. It added that early yesterday morning the number of courses showing vacancies was 29,409 – a drop from 33,105 last year. More than one in four A-level exams, 27 per cent, were marked as at least an A, the same level as in 2010. The last time the numbers achieving this grade stalled was in 1996 and 1997, when 15.7 per cent of exam papers were awarded at least an A. More than 250,000 teenagers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their long-awaited A-level results yesterday, with the overall A* to E pass rate rising to 97.8 per cent. National figures published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) also shows that boys have closed the gap with girls on A* grades. Some 8.2 per cent of boys’ entries achieved an A* this year, up from 7.9 per cent in 2010, while girls’ performance dipped slightly, with 8.2 per cent of entries awarded the top grade, down 0.1 per cent on last year. The results showed a continuing resurgence of science subjects and mathematics. Biology entries were up by 7.2 per cent, chemistry up 9.2 per cent, physics up 6.1 per cent and mathematics, including further mathematics, up by 7.4 per cent. However traditional modern languages continue to decline, with the numbers for French falling by 4.7 per cent and those for German by 6.9 per cent. Dr Wendy Piatt, director-general of the Russell Group of leading research universities, said it was “encouraging” to see a rise in the numbers of students taking science and maths. However, she added: “We remain concerned that too few students from some state schools take or get the top grades in science, maths and language A-levels, restricting their options at university and closing off certain career paths.” Union leaders said a lack of university places, funding cuts and the promise of £9,000 tuition fees are creating mounting problems for young people. TUC deputy general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Because of the rush to avoid next year’s fees hike, and the Government’s refusal to fund extra university places, record numbers of students will lose out on higher education altogether.” Education bosses at councils around the region have praised the performance of Yorkshire A-level pupils. Rotherham Council said pass rates had increased for a fifth year in a row.