A-level and GCSE students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be handed exam grades as predicted by their teachers instead of a controversial algorithm.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson apologised following the major government U-turn, which came after growing fury from pupils and Tory MPs about the handling of the results crisis.
Ministers have been coming under pressure for several days over the system to grade students whose exams were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
‘Education secretary needs to learn lessons’
Some pupils have called for Gavin Williamson to be sacked
In England, nearly 40% of A-level marks were downgraded, while the system also appeared to advantage private schools, which saw nearly double the number of increases in top marks year-on-year compared to state comprehensives.
The controversial algorithm led to heartbreaking stories from pupils missing out on places based on the performance of their school over recent years.
A-levels row: ‘We shouldn’t judge on class’
Sky News heard from students like 18-year-old Holly Barber, from Bradford, who was downgraded from A, A, A to B, C, E. She told Sky News before the U-turn announcement that the government had “completely ruined a lot of kids’ futures”.
Scotland was the first nation to scrap the moderated grades and allow results to be based on teacher predictions.
Northern Ireland followed suit, followed by Wales and then England at 4pm on Monday afternoon.
Students who were awarded a higher grade by the moderation process will still be allowed to keep it.
Ofqual apologises after exam grades U-turn
The head of exam regulator Ofqual, Roger Taylor, said the changes were made after “seeing the experience” of students’ “distress” and “anxiety”.
“We realised that we had taken the wrong road here and we needed to change course,” he said.
“It became very clear to us that this was not commanding public support.”
The revised A-level results will be loaded into UCAS’ systems “by the end of this week”, Mr Taylor said.
However he did not deny that for some students who accepted offers based on the lower results they received last Thursday, it may be too late.
He also confirmed the change does not apply to BTEC exam results.
PM defended A-level results as ‘robust’
Mr Williamson, who only has jurisdiction for education in England given it is a devolved matter, said he was “incredibly sorry for all those students who have been through this”.
“Over the weekend it became clearer to me the level of the number of students who were getting grades that frankly they shouldn’t have been getting,” he added.
Pupils who were downgraded and had to take a place at another university will be able to ask their initial choices if they will still take them – but it is ultimately up to each university, Mr Williamson said.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson had defended the algorithm system last week, saying it was “robust” and “dependable”.
His spokesman also said on Monday: “Ofqual continues to have the support of the PM.”
Concerns have been raised about scrapping any form of moderation, with exams watchdog Ofqual saying last week it was needed given some “generous” initial assessments that predicted “implausibly” high grades.
Sam Freedman, head of the Education Partnerships and a former government adviser, also said “many schools deliberately graded down to fit expected distribution” so the news “just shifts the unfairness on to the pupils at those schools”.
Some Tory backbenchers are also holding off giving full endorsement to the announcement given it does not affect BTECs, with one saying: “Technical education is essential to many young people and to our entire economy.”
UCAS said it was now working with “universities, colleges and schools to support students to understand their options and achieve their place in higher education”.
Education secretary defended grading system last week
“For those students who were not placed with their firm (or insurance) choice university, our advice is that you don’t need to make your decision immediately,” it said.
“Speak with your parents, guardians and teachers and then your first conversation will need to be to your firm (or insurance) choice university.
“Once your university has your ‘Centre Assessed Grades (CAG)’ via exam bodies they can make a decision as to whether there is a place at your preferred choice.
“We will be issuing new advice for students and schools and this will be sent directly to students as soon as they are able to take a decision.”
Pupils in Mr Williamson’s South Staffordshire constituency angry at the situation marched from their high school to his office on Monday.
They carried placards saying “sack Gavin”, “your algorithm doesn’t know me” and “stop playing postcode politics”.
Are you a concerned parent with A-level and GCSE children? Get in touch with Sky News
:: WhatsApp – 07583 000853
:: Email – news@sky.com
:: ‘Your Report’ on Sky News apps