A-Level results: How to appeal your grades if you don’t get outcome you want

Zoe Tidman
·2 min read

Hundreds of thousands of A-level students have found out their results after taking exams this summer.

The overall pass rate and proportion of top marks awarded have risen compared to the last time students sat A-levels, which were cancelled for two years during the Covid pandemic.

But they are still lower than last year as efforts to curb grade inflation kicked in.

For those unhappy with results, there are ways to appeal them.

Students in England are told to contact their school or college to challenge an A-level grade, which will then ask the exam board to review their marking.

They may have to pay a fee if their grade is not changed as a result of the review and are advised to check first with their school.

Students are also told to check with exam boards for appeal deadlines.

If unhappy with the review decision, students can ask their school or college to appeal again and exam boards will conduct another assessment.

Students can finally turn to Ofqual, the exam regulator for England, if they do not think the appeal was handled correctly.

Students received A-level exam results on Thursday after weeks of waiting (PA)
Students received A-level exam results on Thursday after weeks of waiting (PA)

Over in Scotland, students can submit appeals to the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) either directly or through their school.

SQA advises students to talk to their school before appealing to decide whether it is in their best interests.

Students have until 16 August to submit priority appeals, or 19 August for their schools to do it on their behalf. They have until 30 August to submit all others themselves, or 2 September for their schools.

This service is free.

Hundreds of thousands of students have found out their A-level results (Joe Giddens/PA) (PA Wire)
Hundreds of thousands of students have found out their A-level results (Joe Giddens/PA) (PA Wire)

In Wales, students must speak to their school or college if they want to appeal.

These can ask exam boards to review marking and to check everything is counted correctly - as well as to see exam scripts before asking for this. Different deadlines can be found here.

Schools and colleges can also appeal whatever decision the exam boards make after reviewing their marking.

The process is the same for students in Northern Ireland. There are different deadlines for what services are required, which can be found here.

Fees are involved for students in Wales and Northern Ireland if grades are not changed as a result.