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A record one in three UK students gained a first-class degree last summer after universities adopted a “no detriment” approach to final assessments to ensure students were not penalised by the disruption caused by coronavirus.
Figures published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency revealed that the proportion of students receiving the highest degree classification jumped from 28% in 2019 to 35% last year, despite recent government efforts to crack down on grade inflation.
The no-detriment policy was introduced by many universities to provide a safety net for students, whose campuses were suddenly closed and studies moved online when the country went into lockdown last March. It ensured they were awarded a final grade no lower than their most recent in-year assessment.
Fewer universities are expected to offer no detriment this year, despite the continuing challenges of lockdown. This month the Russell Group of universities was criticised by students after it ruled that the policy was no longer necessary or appropriate.
“Our universities are confident that the steps taken this year will ensure all students are given a fair grade,” it said in a statement. “We therefore do not consider that using the same algorithmic approach to provide individual ‘no detriment’ or ‘safety net’ policies, which were introduced by some institutions as an emergency measure at the end of the last academic year, is necessary or appropriate this year.
“Indeed, in many cases the use of such algorithms would not be possible given the scarcity of pre-pandemic benchmarking data available for many students.”
Nicola Dandridge, the chief executive of the Office for Students, said unexplained grade inflation had begun to slow before the pandemic and warned that temporary changes in response to the pandemic should not bake in future grade inflation.
“This will require careful work which balances the importance of standards being maintained with recognition of – and response to – the exceptional pressures that students remain under this year.”
Student mental health continues to deteriorate, according to data published by the Office for National Statistics that shows almost two-thirds (63%) of students thought their wellbeing and mental health had worsened since the start of the autumn 2020 term.
Their life satisfaction scores dropped by 9%, from 5.3 to 4.8 out of 10, between November and January, and more said they were either dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their academic experience, up from 29% in November to 37% this month.
“These numbers are not surprising considering the new lockdown measures in place and the fact that many students have not yet returned to their university town or city,” said Tim Gibbs, of the ONS public services analysis team.
According to the ONS, 60% of students are still at home and have not gone back to university since Christmas.
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