‘A’level results, not a level playing field.

The A-Level chaos today was avoidable, and it is clear that the system has led to some utterly unfair outcomes.

If Gavin Williamson won’t fix this, Boris Johnson should sack him.

@Ed Davey

Johnson and Williamson are on their own. Almost everybody can know see through the smokescreen. They really have managed to upset some intelligent and influential people, which is not a good idea.

The government was obsessed with grade inflation, but there is no way of telling which grades have been inflated and the big centres have been made to do the "heavy lifting", by having their grades adjusted, so that averages appear acceptable.

The kind of algorithm which was developed was never going to be fair to many individuals, but details have never bothered Johnson.

I think the only solution now is to do what Scotland did and accept teacher assessments and lift the 5% cap on university place. It might mean that a few students won't cope with their first year (unlikely) or a few are given jobs which needed minimum grades, but that's better than this blatant unfairness.

Johnson will, of course, hate to follow Sturgeon's example, especially as Conservatives were trying to score political points over Scotland's actions.

Is it not likely that because of brexit and covid, and the cooling of relations with China since the Huawei decision, that there will be a substantial reduction in the number of overseas applicants to UK universities, so more places might be available for home students?

Rosemary Bennett, the Education Editor for the Times has just tweeted:

"All A level and GCSE pupils in England to get teacher assessed grades -- announcement 4pm sources tell @thetimes"

varian

Is it not likely that because of brexit and covid, and the cooling of relations with China since the Huawei decision, that there will be a substantial reduction in the number of overseas applicants to UK universities, so more places might be available for home students?

Surprisingly, applications were at a record high, despite the number of 18 year olds being the lowest for decades and the fall in overseas candidates.

The universities are going to have to sort out the mess now. They should have been told weeks ago.

The absolute worst outcome for a student is to sit the exams in the autumn which means taking a year out as many do normally so regarding A levels it’s a storm in a teacup

For GCSEs all students are going on to further education the government should give it back to the schools , let them decide who goes on which course.
There will be a limited number of places on each subject, students can only take 3 or 4 let the schools sort it out. Nobody else needs to be involved.

It sounds as though teacher assessments will be accepted after all, so resitting won't be necessary.

It's caused all sorts of unnecessary chaos. Some university courses are already full, so they're going to have to create more places. The government will need to lift the 5% cap on extra places.

Some pupils have already accepted insurance offers and have booked accommodation.

Extra work has been created for UCAS and the Student Loan Company, which are always under pressure at this time of year anyway.

The whole thing could have been avoided.

PS. It's not a storm in a teacup. Many pupils hadn't planned to take a gap year and work is likely to be difficult to find this year.

Getting back into the mindset to resit exams in October, when some have had no formal teaching since March, wouldn't have been easy either.

I have never been a teacher but have family members who are teachers, I do know that sometimes skulduggery occurs to avoid poor ofsted results and that teacher assessment will err on the side of being higher as it reflects better on their school.
However I do feel, for this year only, that teacher assessment should be the one we count.
FFS this year has been horrendous enough for these children - give them the benefit of the doubt.
It will all come out in the wash when some drop out of university and others don't do as well in their careers as hoped.

I am surprised as the astonishment shown by so many of the governments ineptitude, over the bias in the algorithm and the subsequent fiasco.

As far as I can see ineptitude is always the starting point with this government. I can’t think of a single instant where this government has delivered with efficiency and fuss free. The starting point is always a bumbling inefficiency and mess.

Anybody like to place a bet on one of the companies attached to Cummings were the ones who built the algorithm?

The other thing that has struck my lately is that the Tories seem utterly intent on alienating the under 40s.

First their remain vote was defeated and now their education has been threatened to be Completely ruined. Although I suspect they may u turn, the damage has been done.

growstuff

I suspect quite a lot. For women above a certain age, becoming a teacher was one of a much narrower range of options for women than is available today.

Good point, growstuff

“ The absolute worst outcome for a student is to sit the exams in the autumn which means taking a year out as many do normally so regarding A levels it’s a storm in a teacup”

Seriously ???

So teacher assessments are going to be accepted after all!

PS. Apparently Eton's results were affected and the head wrote to Boris Johnson.

Grades U turn announced. Teacher assessments to be used.
Victory!

Sadly, This comes too late for some students to take up the places they were conditionally offered, as those courses are now full. Clearing has closed for medicine, for instance.

GCSE results will still be announced on Thursday, but I have not yet seen what criteria will be used.

Yay! At last a little bit of good news. My GC have been in tears this last week. Sigh of relief.

Great news, but now the unis have to sort out the fallout. You can’t suddenly magic up 30 extra places in some subjects such as medicine. This incompetent bunch couldn’t organise a proverbial in a brewery, and they’ve had 5 months to sort it. What a bunch of t*ssers. Why ask for teacher assessment in the first place if they weren’t going to use it. Excuse language but this has made me so angry! This has Scummings fingers all over it. Sick making.

These pupils have had the results they should have had five days ago but for some it is now too late to claim the place they had been offered at university because they places are all full.

Some of these places may well have been claimed by those whose grades were upgraded. It seems that the algorithm, now discredited upgraded weak pupils from strong schools but downgraded brilliant pupils from poor schools.

I did hear the head of OFQUAL apologise but I have not heard an apology from Gavin Williamson or Boris Johnson. Is it not possible for them to apologise for anything?

This illustrates the dilemma that the Department is faced with.

In this exceptional year it should have been anticipated and accepted that teachers would award the grade the student could have achieved on a good day. I a normal year some would have had a bad day but since none sat the exams, we cannot assume who would have a bad day.

Accepting teacher predictions is fair to the students, and when the overall distribution of grades shifts, this is entirely due to the unique circumstances of this year.

I only have to hear the word ‘algorithm’ and Cummings face appears before me. And nothing will take away the distress and despair that so many students have gone through over the past few days. Shameful and shambolic.

Interesting InnocentBystander. So does that not show it is pretty much the grades in the middle that were assessed too high?
The A* students will perform well whatever, no disputing their results, the D and E students are obviously the ones who won't shine anyway. The A,B,Cs, however, have been given the benefit of the doubt and maybe this is where the most discrepancies lie?

It is the correct decision though.
Now it will be up to all those students to prove their worth during their first year at university. The drop out rate can be quite high early on, and it will be interesting to see whether universities will be more stringent in their first year examinations.