Universities must tackle rising grades, OfS warns

Public trust in universities is at risk over “spiralling grade inflation”, the Office for Students has warned.

In an analysis of grade classifications from 2010-11 to 2016-17, the OfS found that the percentage of first and upper second class degrees awarded had jumped from 67 per cent (144,185) in 2010-11 to 78 per cent (190,300) in 2016-17.

First-class degrees alone have risen from 16 per cent (33,810) of all awards in 2010-11 to 27 per cent (66,675) in 2016-17. The largest increase in those gaining first class degrees, at 17 percentage points, was seen in graduates who had achieved BBC grades at A level.