Today’s annual A-Level results announcement has become synonymous with two things – newspaper photographers elbowing students out of the way for the obligatory “jumping up in the air and waving a piece of paper” shot and commentators complaining that the exams were much harder when they were younger.

Such comments might grab the headlines, but they are also undermine all the hard work which teachers, sixth form heads and students themselves put into their studies. They are also not necessarily accurate, either. From 2010 to 2011, the percentage of students getting A*-E grades rose by 0.02%, from 97.6% to 97.8%.

But more importantly, the number of people taking A-Level examinations continues to rise and will only climb further as colleges and sixth forms gear up for the raising of the participation age to 18 by 2015. In 2011, the number people taking A-Levels increased by 1.6%, from 853,933 in 2010 to 867,317 in 2011.

With more and more students coming into post 16 education, the onus will be on staff to make sure that students are on the right courses from the start and that they continue to monitor and track their performance throughout their studies.

And despite some rumours to the contrary, A-Levels are definitely here to stay! Recent research by Ofqual shows that they remain popular with employers and help prepare students for university courses.

In June, Ofqual announced a consultation on limiting the number of A-Level re-sits and whether or not AS-Levels should continue or not. If Ofqual does go ahead and scrap January examinations, there will be more pressure on everyone  to make sure students pass first time in May.

The review will also look at the role which further education colleges can play in shaping the next generation of A-Levels. So now is the time to get to grips with how your school or college is doing and how you compare with regional and national averages.

Online tools like our Grade Predictor and Tracking and Monitoring software can helpcan help schools and colleges plan for the future, spot issues and intervene at the earliest possible stage and raise educational standards. We will be holding a series of professional development events this autumn to help data managers, teachers and those in leadership explore how these tools could help them. To register for one of these sessions, email membershipservices@learningplusuk.org

Our Autumn Datadashboards will be available by the beginning of the new school year. If you have not received yours yet, email us at datadashboard@learningplusuk.org- to find out what information you need to submit. You should get your report with 10 working days of submitting your data.

Of course, the real stars of today’s A-Level exam results are the students themselves. Congratulations to everyone who studied over the last two years and we wish you every success in the future!