Of course students do well because they work hard, they always have and they always will. The sad fact is that the criteria for success are so low, preventing the differentiation of those with ability from those who 'only' work hard. This is the issue, which is getting ever more serious.

Barney, maidstone, england

Psychology A level - I sat this and had to blag through one paper on fading memory alone due to insufficient revision. I got 100%. Is this because the question was easy? (No) Was it because I had been taught well? Perhaps I can claim a fairly high level of intelligence? Which is the right answer?

Emily, Newcastle upon Tyne,

I study Physics at Oxford and can say that the tutors don't respect A Levels, and rightly so. How everyone doesn't get all A's is unbelievable. The exams have no relevance to what we study at university. I got 100% in every exam and I don't consider it an acheivement as the exams are just too easy.

Shane, London,

Ciaran, London:

I agree with you, old people are jeaslous. I get my A-Levels results today and got grade A in Engilsh, Math and Media. I was realy please with myslef because I study so hard.

Luke, London, UK

Jean, London - You have no idea what you are talking about, what students were graded on 15 years ago was relevant to what they were taught 15 years ago, much of which has now become irrelevant. It's people like yourself who taint success of todays student, through what is resentment and jealousy.

Ciaran, London,

Jean, London:

I also saw have seen that Channel Five news report and believe today's exams are too easy. Here is the link too the Channel Five news report:

http://news.five.tv/news.php?news=856

John, Birmingham, UK

In normal circumstances only 10% of those who sit an exam should have an A and 30% a B. I do believe that students are working harder and as a result the exams should be tougher as well otherwise the system will not be credible. Anyway, congratulations to all those that got their results today.

Ric, Reading, UK

Channel 5 news took three students who achieved A grades at A level and got the to sit an A level maths paper set 15 years ago,the students were allowed to use calculators but guess what ...one got grade E , another grade F and the third was unclassified...i have just watched it ,its appalling!!

Jean, London, England

Sally, Newcastle - you're right. Let the exam boards publish the exam papers and let everyone try them. I still have the ones I sat 30+ years ago (and the O-Level ones as well). I would like to compare. Current students do work hard - they are just not expected to achieve so much

Nigel, Woking,

The solution to the problem of the value of A levels is clear. Top 10% get an A, next 15% a B, next 25% a C etc. The current system randomises outcome, insults students who have worked hard and gives universities and employers a really hard time.

Derek, Eastleigh,

Thank God for that. Hopefully I will not have to help this year's graduates with their spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Chris, Oxford,

They're a different qualification now to what they used to be. Students DO work hard, but with coursework, modular exams and the possibility to do unlimited retakes, of course grades have gone up. Students are no longer "educated", they are schooled in how to do well in exams from the age of 4.

Dave, London,

Why is it that only female students are pictured here and in every other paper that has covered this story? Sheer sexism.

Kieran, Leeds, UK

If we are unable to identify the cream of the crop from A-levels, why not adopt a testing policy like the US? In the US, as well as completing school courses, individuals have to take the SAT, a test that explicitly states your position in relation to all other test takers.

Richard, Bristol, England

Once again people who haven't sat A levels in 20 yrs demean them and the imense amount of pressure young people are under to do well. I say the critics should sit the papers and then deem whether or not the papers are too "easy" to determine a persons achievements! Would they even pass the papers??

Sally, Newcastle,

Education now is so targeted that the level of general knowledge of kids today is dire, many need help in maths and English to be of any use in the workplace (and this includes those with good grades). Furthermore, a lot of kids have a poor work ethic.

Peter, W-S-M, UK

What a joke. Anyone with a reasonable education would understand that any system that shows so many winners must be lacking in credibility. I do think that students are now more focused on their future careers but I am not sure they are any better educated than people 30 years ago.

Chris, Oxford,

When you have so many passes of A levels, it completely demeans the qualification.
Whether the exams have got easier, or the students are working harder does not alter the fact that to get a good A level pass you should be exceptional.
The exams do need to be tougher to keep the value of the pass!

Pete, St Albans, England

'Handing out A-grades like smarties again'. Or, unbelievably enough, handing out A grades because people did the work to deserve them. Just for once can't older people recognise young people's achievements as that, and not just an anomaly in a marking criteria or praising mediocrity?

Daniel, London, UK

I think we need to distinguish between pupils 'working hard' and 'A' levels 'being hard'. The bottom line must be that if children today took the same 'A' levels as, say, I took 20 years ago, would they, with all their hard work, still produce these record results. The answer is clearly no.

Peter , Bath, England

Here we go handing out A-grades like smarties again. I had 4 back in 1986 when they meant something. They mean nothing now. I might just throw them in the shredder. At least it will provide some entertainment when I post it on YouTube.

Irene Bujman, East Kilbride, Scotland

Why do people always claim that success is down to the apparent ease of A levels? I did mine several years ago and they weren't easy, however I worked extremely hard to do fairly well.

No one ever suggests that students do well because they work hard . . . which most do.

Vicki, London,

If every education minister for the last dozen years has been right - standards are not slipping - why do A levels need toughening up?

steve, Cambridge,

I strongly believe that A level is the toughest exam for the young people in this country. We need to give them our support and praise them for the very hard work they put in for two years. I have seen ow my own children studied to get these A in their four subjects. Their hard work are rewarded

sramsay, harlington, UK

"A 5,000-word dissertation, open-ended questions and an A* top grade are planned in reforms to help to identify the brightest students." These are all available in one form or another under the International Baccalaureate. Why not switch over to this successful, proven system??

Dave, Cambridge, UK