Achieving higher grades year-on-year in A-level computing

 This year was tumultuous for education providers across the UK, as the coronavirus outbreak and subsequent UK lockdowns left many students learning from home in the first half of the year. Exams were cancelled, leaving concerns surrounding how A-level results were calculated – grades were decided through a combination of teacher recommendation, non-examined assessments, school data, and data from previous years.

In many cases, the algorithm used was deemed biased and unfair, leaving many worrying about whether or not their grades would allow them to attend their chosen universities.Despite these hiccups, there was an increase in the number of students achieving higher grades year-on-year in A-level computing, where female students outperformed male students, and an increase in the number of both male and female candidates choosing to take A-level computing.

But a lack of women in the tech sector is an ongoing issue – with computer engineering vs computer science finding women accounted for only 16.2% of computer science degree students in 2020, an increase of only 1% year-on-year.