for students from all backgrounds, and the relative increase of the proportion of top marks compared with last year is no higher in independent schools than in other schools. but the government may now consider changes over concerns about grade inflation. one possible idea is replacing the a*—e system with the numbers 9 to 1. there's also debate about how next year's exams should be run. what we want from a national examination system, most importantly, is that all students are treated fairly and consistently with one another, that they have the same opportunity to demonstrate what they've learned. and that's what an exam system does. the fairest means of assessing people is by continuous assessment, and the only way that can be done properly is if teachers are taught how to assess. the pandemic has meant it's been a year of uncertainty, but how the exams will look in years to come is farfrom clear. simon jones, bbc news.