Rise in degree grades not inflation - actually better prepared at A Level?

I find this article interesting http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-25811702

It goes against all other stories in the press to say that the rise in degree grades (70% above a 2:2) is in fact because students are better prepared at A Level. I always think the press and organisations are too quick to say things are getting easier rather than students are getting better.

It is fact due to the rise of degrees such as media studies and less students taking sciences and engineering. BBC is a poor website, don't rely solely on it.

I'd say that was "2:2 and above", not "above a 2:2". In any case, yes, it's 70% with a 1st or a 2:1.

I know it's technically right I just thought it's worth clarifying as it can be misinterpreted (ie talking about A level or GCSE grades it is standard to say "grades A* to C" or "grade C and above" not "grades above D" even though all three statement refer to the same thing )

This is up from 2010/11 when the UK average was 61% 1st and 2i.

As with A levels science and engineering students are MORE likely to get high degrees (in 10/11 it was ~ 73% 1sts and 2is) and media less likely (in 10/11 only 53% got 1sts and 2is). Growing numbers of "degrees such as media studies" would generally lead to a drop in the proportion of good degrees awarded.

The report doesn't seem to investigate the causes of A-Level inflation. If the better results at A-Level are due to grade inflation rather than better prepared students, that would seem to invalidate their conclusion (admittedly I haven't read the report - it's possible and probably like that they considered this). Also, I agree with what someone said in the comments; with more and more people going to university, it's more important than ever to try hard and get a good classification.

Yup. This is the problem with moving goal posts. Eg: Widespread perception ( maybe unfounded) Maths A level is easier. Government response: Dumb it down - lower grade thresholds. Student response: Do Further Maths. Uni Response: Increase offers and look for 4/5 A levels plus secondary skill eg sport/choir/acting but don't announce it.

It is fact due to the rise of degrees such as media studies and less students taking sciences and engineering. BBC is a poor website, don't rely solely on it.

The Lancaster study argues that improvements in degree grades are in line with the rising quality of the intake, as shown by A-level grades.

Your observations on undying commitment and unpaid labour are very pertinent from what I have seen. I didn't say uni's made 4/5 a level offers, I simply observe that many more able students are taking more, and those same students end up at top unis. Oxbridge students are typically in the 580 / 600 UCAS points range. Another side effect of grade creep is entrance exams eg STEP. I also have observed over many years that truly academic people often have a second string to their bow - sport, music, art or drama. These people also gravitate to better universities. It is surely not a random event that Cambridge fields a number of very high quality choirs. Yet those second tier skills are not reflected in offers or statistics. My point was that where grade inflation occurs that there is inevitably some type of second order effect.

I find this article interesting http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-25811702

It goes against all other stories in the press to say that the rise in degree grades (70% above a 2:2) is in fact because students are better prepared at A Level. I always think the press and organisations are too quick to say things are getting easier rather than students are getting better.

STEP is not a side effect of grade creep - Cambridge used to have STEP papers for many subjects, but have since removed them all except for Maths. Also, the top unis don't select for extra-curricular skills/hobbies. It's simply that the people who are very able and put a lot of effort into academia are also highly likely to do the same outside of school/learning hours.