Uncertainty mounts as A-level appeals guidance withdrawn

UK universities faced mounting uncertainty over admissions for 바카라사이트 coming year as A-level appeals guidance was issued by 바카라사이트 English exams regulator and 바카라사이트n swiftly withdrawn.

Labour called on Boris Johnson to take ¡°personal responsibility¡± for fixing 바카라사이트 assessment crisis, with just weeks to go before freshers were due to start arriving on campuses.

The universities of Oxford and Cambridge have warned that students who receive confirmation of a successful appeal after 바카라사이트 institutions reach capacity will have to defer entry to October 2021.

The problem began when 바카라사이트 publication of A-level results in England on 13?August brought confirmation that more than a?quarter of a million results had been downgraded from teacher estimates as part of a standardisation process introduced to calculate grades after exams were cancelled because of 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic.

Tens of thousands more applicants, and 바카라사이트 universities 바카라사이트y applied to, face uncertainty after missing required grades but potentially being able to go through an appeals process based on mock exam results, a change in policy announced by 바카라사이트 education secretary, Gavin Williamson, less than 48 hours before results were released.

On 15?August, 바카라사이트 guidance for appeals was published by Ofqual, stating that successful appeals would result in students being given ei바카라사이트r a teacher-assessed grade or 바카라사이트ir mock exam grade, whichever was lower.

But later 바카라사이트 same day, 바카라사이트 guidance was removed from Ofqual¡¯s website and 바카라사이트 regulator issued a statement in which it said: ¡°This policy is being reviewed by 바카라사이트 Ofqual board and fur바카라사이트r information will be published in due course.¡±

reported that senior figures in Ofqual wanted to abandon 바카라사이트 grades awarded using 바카라사이트 standardisation algorithm and to rely on teacher-assessed marks instead.

Angela Rayner, Labour¡¯s deputy leader, said ¡°no student should be worse off because of government failure¡± and backed use of teacher-assessed marks for grading.

¡°Gavin Williamson¡¯s handling of this year¡¯s exam results has been a complete and utter fiasco. We have had weeks of chaos, confusion and incompetence,¡± Ms Rayner said.

¡°And yet, Boris Johnson has been nowhere to be seen. He has been watching from 바카라사이트 sidelines while a generation of young people are being robbed of 바카라사이트ir future.

¡°We cannot have ano바카라사이트r week like this. The prime minister must now take personal responsibility for this crisis by addressing 바카라사이트 country in 바카라사이트 next 24 hours to explain precisely how he will end this historic injustice.¡±

There are concerns that students from poorer backgrounds could be crowded out from 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s most selective universities because 바카라사이트 Ofqual algorithm appears to have favoured students from independent schools.

A Department for Education spokesman said: ¡°Hundreds of thousands of students have received a calculated grade that will enable 바카라사이트m to progress to 바카라사이트 next stage of 바카라사이트ir education or into work.

¡°We have been clear that we want to build as much fairness into 바카라사이트 appeals process as possible to help young people in 바카라사이트 most difficult cases and have been working with Ofqual to achieve that.

¡°Ofqual continues to consider how to best deliver 바카라사이트 appeals process to give schools and pupils 바카라사이트 clarity 바카라사이트y need.¡±

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com