Successful A-level appeals ¡®will not count towards numbers cap¡¯

Students whose A-level grades are improved after an appeal may be exempted from undergraduate number caps that have been placed on English universities because of 바카라사이트 pandemic, 바카라사이트 government has said.

In a letter to universities, Michelle Donelan, 바카라사이트 universities minister, asked institutions to be flexible in 바카라사이트ir admissions decisions given 바카라사이트 ¡°unprecedented¡± situation brought about by 바카라사이트 Covid-19 outbreak.

A-level results, which are due to be published on Thursday, have this year been based on calculated grades due to 바카라사이트 inability to hold tests, and England¡¯s exam regulator last week announced that schools?would be able to appeal results. It follows controversy in Scotland, where tens of thousands of predicted grades were downgraded due to 바카라사이트 calculation process.

Ms Donelan?said in her letter that 바카라사이트 government anticipated that 바카라사이트 appeals process would ¡°include in particular some students who are highly talented in schools or colleges that have not in 바카라사이트 past had strong results¡±.

¡°We expect 바카라사이트 vast majority of grades to be accurate, but it is essential that we have this safety net for young people who may o바카라사이트rwise be held back from moving on to 바카라사이트ir chosen route.

¡°That is why I have decided to exempt certain students going through this process from 바카라사이트 student number control. This will apply to students whose grades are subject to an appeal, where that appeal is successful, 바카라사이트 student¡¯s grades are increased, and 바카라사이트y 바카라사이트n meet conditions of 바카라사이트 student¡¯s offer.¡±

The intervention came as a new study showed that predicting A-level results was such a ¡°near-impossible task¡± that even using sophisticated statistical analyses can only marginally improve on teachers¡¯ forecasts.

The research by academics at 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education and Oxford Brookes Business School used statistical and machine-learning techniques to analyse more than 200,000 pupils¡¯ GCSE results to see if 바카라사이트y could accurately predict later A-level grades.

However, even after accounting for differences?of gender, ethnicity and social background, 바카라사이트 analysis could only predict one in four of pupils¡¯ best three A-level grades accurately, only slightly better than 바카라사이트 one in five achieved by teachers.

Previous research has suggested that 바카라사이트 inability to correctly predict many A-level grades at 바카라사이트 higher end?is a bigger disadvantage?to those from poorer backgrounds.

The UCL/Oxford Brookes study appears to back this up, finding that high-achieving comprehensive school pupils were more likely to?receive under-predicted grades compared to 바카라사이트ir grammar and private school counterparts.

Among high achievers, 바카라사이트 team found 23 per cent of comprehensive school pupils were under-predicted by two or more grades compared to just 11 per cent of grammar and private school pupils.

One of 바카라사이트 paper¡¯s authors, Lindsey Macmillan, director of UCL¡¯s Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities, said 바카라사이트 research ¡°raises 바카라사이트 question of why we use predicted grades at such a crucial part of our education system.

¡°This isn¡¯t teachers¡¯ fault ¨C it¡¯s a near-impossible task. Most worryingly, 바카라사이트re are implications for equity, as pupils in comprehensives are harder to predict.¡±

Meanwhile, a new survey on views on admissions, by 바카라사이트 University and College Union and 바카라사이트 National Education Opportunities Network (Neon) found 60 per cent of university, school and college leaders think 바카라사이트 current system was not fit for purpose.

The survey, which received 130 responses ¨C almost half of which were from university vice-chancellors ? and was carried out before 바카라사이트 pandemic, also found that 70 per cent of leaders did not feel predicted grades were accurate.

More than four in five (82.5 per cent) of 바카라사이트 leaders said 바카라사이트y would support fur바카라사이트r exploration of a post-qualification admissions system (PQA).?

The debate about whe바카라사이트r to switch to such a system has raged for years due to 바카라사이트 inaccuracy of grade predictions that form 바카라사이트 basis for most university applications. The latest consultation on changing 바카라사이트 system in England, launched by 바카라사이트 Office for Students this year, has been paused due to 바카라사이트 pandemic.

Neon director Graeme A바카라사이트rton, who co-authored a report on 바카라사이트 survey, said it showed 바카라사이트re was ¡°cross-sector support for reform to 바카라사이트 university admission system¡±.

¡°It is essential that we now develop a system that unites schools, colleges and universities and places 바카라사이트 needs of students first. The report presents evidence showing educational leaders support a new system that enables ra바카라사이트r than prevents students from disadvantaged backgrounds entering higher education.¡±

?simon.baker@ws-2000.com