There are fears that pupils might miss out on a university place because of a single dropped grade. Pupils predicted anything less than an A grade at A-level could miss out on university, say private school heads.
Bright students seeking the most competitive course places were particularly at risk if they "undershot" by a grade, the Headmasters and Headmistresses Conference heard.
HMC vice-chairman Andrew Grant says there is concern about the tough competition for places. By mid-September, 474,746 of 685,070 university applicants had places.
