A-level results day: Boris Johnson insists results are ‘robust’ despite nearly 40% of marks downgraded with biggest reductions among disadvantaged students
Concerns over use of mock results spark backlash from teachers, students and ministers
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Your support makes all the difference.Hundreds of thousands of school leavers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are receiving their A-level results, as ministers face pressure over a last-minute change to allow students to choose their mock exam results if they are unhappy with their grades.
Exams this summer were cancelled due to the pandemic and students will receive estimated grades to help them progress into university, work or training.
But the use of mock grades has drawn criticism from teachers, students and ministers, who warned the change contained “massive inconsistencies” and “beggars belief”.
Labour leader Keir Starmer hit out at the eleventh hour changes, calling it “shambolic”.
“This is a complete fiasco. It was obvious this was going to be difficult but it’s been weeks or months in the coming,” he said, noting the fallout last week in Scotland where grades were downgraded for students from more deprived areas.
Education secretary Gavin Williamson has insisted the system is fair and “robust”.
Leicester University claims to be first university to accept both mock grades and published results
The vice-chancellor of Leicester University claimed it is the first university to accept both mock grades and published results from A-level students.
Nishan Canagarajah said it would also give special consideration to students from poorer backgrounds.
Commenting on data which showed the proportion of students with A-level grade reductions was biggest among the more deprived, he said: "Sadly, it seems that access to university for many poorer students is being blocked again.
"We will break down barriers to education - especially for those who have fought through tough upbringings to forge their own path and create a better start for the next generation.
"We are paving the way by being the only university to give students the opportunity to join the University of Leicester based on their mock A-level results as well as their published results - whichever is higher - regardless of whether they decide to appeal or to wait for appeal.
"We especially want to help students from deprived areas and will take special consideration of their grades.
"The pandemic has already taken so much away from A-level students around the country, we universities must do what we can to give them something back."
Ofqual insists successful appeals will not lead to other students being downgraded
Ofqual insisted that reports successful appeals against A-Level results could lead to other students being downgraded were not accurate.
The qualifications regulator tweeted: "We have seen concerns that appeals to A level results could lead to grades going down.
"We can reassure students that, as there is grade protection this year, no grades will go down as a result of an appeal."
Exams regular must consider 'equality impacts' of its actions, Equality and Human Rights Commission says
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has warned the exams regulator for England that it must consider the "equality impacts" of its actions in any decisions it takes concerning A-levels.
EHRC chief executive Rebecca Hilsenrath said it would consider "all our powers" to ensure those such as ethnic minority and disabled children were treated fairly by Ofqual.
"The pandemic has hit the younger generation hard. Education has been particularly disrupted, with potentially life-changing consequences for young people, particularly ethnic minority and disabled children," she said.
"Many of these children come from disadvantaged backgrounds. If we are going to build back better and not make things worse, it needs to start with our children's future.
"We have been clear with Ofqual that they must consider the equality impacts of all their actions and mitigate against any potential negative effect on these groups.
"We will continue to discuss this with Ofqual and consider all our powers so that ethnic minority and disabled children, for example, are treated fairly in this process."
'Extremely upset' student says AAB grades reduced to two Es and a D
One "extremely upset" student from south-east England said her predicted AAB grades were reduced to two Es and a D, one of the most dramatic falls reported across the country.
After her studies in year 12 and year 13 were disturbed, she took a year out to resit her A-levels at an expensive and highly regarded private tutorial college, with the aim of studying medicine at university.
However, she believes she has been punished because of her poor original grades.
"I was extremely upset and my family was too, considering I took a year out to improve, did extremely well in all my mocks and tests, and paid over £2,000, just to get EED," the student, who asked not to be named, told the PA news agency.
"It has been really heartbreaking, I haven't heard of anyone whose grades have been lowered as much as mine," she added.
"I believe that Ofqual haven't looked at the evidence provided but rather they were discriminatory towards me as a resit student and decided to base my grades off of my previous grades."
"I am definitely planning on appealing using my mock grades, but I have a feeling Gavin (Williamson) will make that as limited as he can because he mentioned it has to be 'valid mocks', whatever that means.
"I just know I can't take another year out. It has been torturous."
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