A-level and GCSE Students Will Now Be Awarded Grades Based On Teacher Assessments

A-level and GCSE students in England will now be awarded results based on teacher assessments, the government has announced. It comes after widespread backlash to the initial controversial algorithm-based system.

The standardisation process used to award grades was based on schools' previous results meaning that pupils in comprehensive schools were less likely to receive higher grades compared to those in private school all because of grades they weren’t responsible for.

Rather than basing it on their mocks or predicted grades by teacher assessments, the government used this system so as to avoid ‘grade inflation’ from teacher assessments. That is the same excuse they’re now using to justify keeping the obviously flawed results that saw students who had only ever achieved As and A*s end up with B’s and C’s in their final grading.

Education secretary Gavin Williamson released a statement where he apologised to students and parents affected by the confusion. 'This has been an extraordinarily difficult year for young people who were unable to take their exams. We worked with Ofqual to construct the fairest possible model, but it is clear that the process of allocating grades has resulted in more significant inconsistencies than can be resolved through an appeals process.

'We now believe it is better to offer young people and parents certainty by moving to teacher assessed grades for both A and AS level and GCSE results.

'I am sorry for the distress this has caused young people and their parents but hope this announcement will now provide the certainty and reassurance they deserve.'

In a statement, Roger Taylor, the chairman of Ofqual (The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation) said: 'We understand this has been a distressing time for students, who were awarded exam results last week for exams they never took. The pandemic has created circumstances no one could have ever imagined or wished for. We want to now take steps to remove as much stress and uncertainty for young people as possible - and to free up heads and teachers to work towards the important task of getting all schools open in two weeks.

'After reflection, we have decided that the best way to do this is to award grades on the basis of what teachers submitted. The switch to centre assessment grades will apply to both AS and A-levels and to the GCSE results which students will receive later this week.

'There was no easy solution to the problem of awarding exam results when no exams have taken place. Ofqual was asked by the Secretary of State to develop a system for awarding calculated grades, which maintained standards and ensured that grades were awarded broadly in line with previous years. Our goal has always been to protect the trust that the public rightly has in educational qualifications.

'But we recognise that while the approach we adopted attempted to achieve these goals we also appreciate that it has also caused real anguish and damaged public confidence. Expecting schools to submit appeals where grades were incorrect placed a burden on teachers when they need to be preparing for the new term and has created uncertainty and anxiety for students. For all of that, we are extremely sorry.

'We have therefore decided that students be awarded their centre assessment for this summer - that is, the grade their school or college estimated was the grade they would most likely have achieved in their exam - or the moderated grade, whichever is higher.

'The path forward we now plan to implement will provide urgent clarity. We are already working with the Department for Education, universities and everyone else affected by this issue.'

Earlier today, the Welsh government announced they would be basing their results on teacher assessments, with Scotland having already overturned their similarly flawed system last week. As the public mood became increasingly angry, Boris Johnson was under intense pressure to do the same with #WhereIsBoris trending on Twitter all day. At the time, it was reported that he was expected to be camping in Scotland this week with his fiancée Carrie Symonds.

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