Exam grades are in chaos, teachers are in despair, appeals are set for meltdown

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson issued a humiliating apology to millions of pupils last night – as fears grew of chaos in the A-level appeals process. A quarter of a million sixth-formers will get their results this morning after an 11th-hour change to the way grades are awarded. In an attempt to head off a rebellion … Read more

Exam grades are in chaos, teachers are in despair, appeals are set for meltdown

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson issued a humiliating apology to millions of pupils last night – as fears grew of chaos in the A-level appeals process. A quarter of a million sixth-formers will get their results this morning after an 11th-hour change to the way grades are awarded. In an attempt to head off a rebellion … Read more

Exam chief defends marking system that could see 39% of pupils get lower marks than predicted

A-levels and GCSEs have been marked in ‘the fairest way’ says exam chief as he defends system that could see 39% of pupils get lower-than-predicted grades Roger Taylor said teachers’ predictions alone would ruin qualification credibility Combining predictions with statistical model is the ‘fairest’ way to award grades Similar system in Scotland saw thousands receive poorer … Read more

Exam chief defends marking system that could see 39% of pupils get lower marks than predicted

A-levels and GCSEs have been marked in ‘the fairest way’ says exam chief as he defends system that could see 39% of pupils get lower-than-predicted grades Roger Taylor said teachers’ predictions alone would ruin qualification credibility Combining predictions with statistical model is the ‘fairest’ way to award grades Similar system in Scotland saw thousands receive poorer … Read more

Denying exam grade appeals is like a ‘life sentence with no right of appeal’

Not allowing pupils the right to appeal GCSE or A-Level exam grades they think are unfair has been likened to imposing a ‘life sentence’. Students in England will receive their grades next week. They will be assessed using a statistical model after the pandemic halted the exam season. Ofqual, the exam regulator, is only allowing … Read more

Scottish exam chaos as almost 25% of pupils’ results marked DOWN after teachers gave highest ever

Exam bosses responsible for accrediting qualifications in Scotland have marked down 124,564 pupils – after ‘optimistic’ teachers tried to give them the highest results in history for their coronavirus-cancelled tests. The Scottish Qualifications Authority downgraded the students’ marks for the exams that were not sat, changing a massive 93.1 per cent of all the moderated … Read more

Scottish exam chaos as almost 25% of pupils’ results marked DOWN after teachers gave highest ever

Exam bosses responsible for accrediting qualifications in Scotland have marked down 124,564 pupils – after ‘optimistic’ teachers tried to give them the highest results in history for their coronavirus-cancelled tests. The Scottish Qualifications Authority downgraded the students’ marks for the exams that were not sat, changing a massive 93.1 per cent of all the moderated … Read more

Exam board withdraws textbook featuring cartoon of black tribe cooking a white missionary

Exam board apologises and withdraws GCSE psychology textbook featuring cartoon of black tribe cooking a white missionary in a pot The picture in the AQA textbook shows two white missionaries, captured by a group of black men said to be cannibals, cooking one of the missionaries The wider context in the psychology text book was … Read more

Exam board withdraws textbook featuring cartoon of black tribe cooking a white missionary

Exam board apologises and withdraws GCSE psychology textbook featuring cartoon of black tribe cooking a white missionary in a pot The picture in the AQA textbook shows two white missionaries, captured by a group of black men said to be cannibals, cooking one of the missionaries The wider context in the psychology text book was … Read more

Fears exam boards will slash GCSE and A Level grades after teachers mark them over-generously

Exam results could be slashed amid forecasts suggesting teachers have marked pupils affected by the coronavirus pandemic too generously this year, while other pupils to be impacted by the virus will benefit from a £1billion support package. As some pupils face longer school days and new social distancing measures, data published by FFT Datalab suggests … Read more