Education heads pledge to fight all the way over student grades

Local educational establishments have said they will 'fight all the way' for students who have been downgraded in their A-Level results this year.

There is a real and tangible anger that A-Levels graded and assessed by the teaching profession have been totally ignored.

‘Unpalatable’ and ‘a mockery’ are just some of the phrases used to describe the results.

At Ashton Sixth Form this year’s results are, ironically, up on last year, but Principal Anton McGrath (pictured below) said something had still clearly gone wrong with the ‘algorithmic’ assessment used by Ofqual to decide the results in a year when there could be no exams because of the coronavirus pandemic.

'We feel there is an injustice'

The Principal of the The Darnton Road college, rated Outstanding by Ofsted back in January, said: “When the preliminary process for awarding grades was put in place during lockdown, we really took that seriously.

“We spent an awful long time looking at students’ progress over the two years they have been at the college to award grades. We moderated that as well - so we went through the process a second time to make sure results were as robust and fair as possible.

He added: “Then, when we get the results to find that 40 per cent plus of those results have been changed it’s really disheartening and as professionals and we are very disappointed by the way it has been communicated and the way it has been done.

“It looks like students have been penalised for going to larger institutions and smaller sixth forms have seen a benefit.

“So we are behind the Sixth Form College Association campaign to get fairness - we feel there is an injustice and that something has gone wrong and we are working hard with individual students to make sure this doesn’t affect their progression.” 

'We are fighting like mad on behalf of our students'

Head of Faculty at Cheadle and Marple Sixth Form, Steve Maple, described a last minute decision to include mock results ‘a mockery’.

Steve explained: “I think what they were worried about was grade inflation - but at the other end there are real losers, so it would have been fairer to have gone for slight inflation and then there would have been no massive injustices.

“What seems to have happened is because of the algorithmic application by the government to the results this has caused lots of students not to get necessarily what they should have got.

“For our students if there is any way of getting better results through appeals we will be fighting like mad on their behalf like we always do,” he added.

“But I just feel so sorry for those students that have been downgraded as it’s just not fair.”

The college is collecting as many complaints as possible from students to appeal on their behalf.

“The main message we are giving to students is that the moment we know we can appeal - we are going to do it.”

He said although many universities were being supportive irrespective of grades, those grades would be on student’s CVs for life.

Mayor threatening legal action 

As the A-Level debacle took the country by storm following the release of results last Thursday, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham (pictured below) even threatened legal action on students’ behalf.

“I have met with College Principals and Heads from across Greater Manchester to discuss their dismay at the A-level results situation,” he stated.

“I heard a consistent account of colleges not receiving the grades that they had submitted for their students and experiencing a significant downgrading of marks compared to previous years.

“But worse, I heard stories of young people, who have already suffered a terrible year, having yet another injustice done to them. One College Head spoke of 1,600 students being marked down and just 10 being marked up. Another spoke of young people being given a fail for exams they didn’t even have the opportunity to sit.

“It is clear to me that the system used to mark A-levels is inherently biased against larger educational institutions. Given that a higher proportion of students from Greater Manchester attend such institutions than in other parts of the country, I am concerned that the marking system has been unfairly discriminatory against young people here, in part due to the institutions they attend.

“This seems to be backed up by the official Ofqual (Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation) figures that indicate that the North West has been the region most affected, reflecting the higher number of large educational institutions in our area.

“As Mayor, I cannot hear stories of young people in Greater Manchester having their futures so unfairly damaged without taking a stand on their behalf.

“That is why I am considering all options to challenge this unfair process, including a legal challenge against the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation.”

'No student should be worse off because of government failure'

Ashton MP and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Angela Rayner (pictured below), former shadow education minister, claimed a ‘generation of young people are being robbed of their future.’

She said: “Education Secretary 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. And yet, Boris Johnson has been nowhere to be seen. He has been watching from the sidelines while a generation of young people are being robbed of their future.

“We cannot have another week like this. The Prime Minister must now take personal responsibility for this crisis by addressing the country to explain precisely how he will end this historic injustice. 

“No student should be worse off because of government failure. What we need is a return to teacher assessments for this year’s A-Level results and urgent action to avoid a repeat of the same injustice affecting hundreds of thousands of GCSE students this week.”

'There appear to be some quite serious anomalies' 

High Peak MP Robert Largan (pictured below) says he will be offering his support to local sixth form providers and believes there are some "quite serious anomalies" which need looking at. 

He commented: “I have been speaking to many local students and parents, regarding last week’s A-Level results and have been making representations to both Ofqual and the Department for Education on their behalf. I will also be offering support to local sixth form providers in their appeals. There appear to be some quite serious anomalies, that I believe need looking at much more closely. 

“If you are affected and need any further help and advice, you can call the Exam Results Helpline on 0800 100 900. You can also contact me on mail@robertlargan.co.uk or call my office on 01663 769779.”

The government is expected to make a statement on the exams crisis this afternoon (Monday).