Boris Johnson warned of 'blatant injustice' in English exams

Concerns have been raised by Labour that A-level and GCSE results could be downgraded for thousands of pupils across England because of the replacement grading system introduced post-lockdown.

Last month, exam regulator Ofqual confirmed that standardisation would draw on the historical outcomes of a centre.

On Monday, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon apologised to pupils in the country who felt they had unfairly had their results downgraded, and today John Swinney announced a reversal of the policy.

All the Scottish pupils who were marked down by the SQA will have their grades withdrawn and replaced by the initial teachers’ estimates, the Education Secretary confirmed.

READ MORE: All pupils marked down by SQA to have their grades withdrawn

Labour has now urged the UK Government to carry out urgent changes to avoid making the same mistake south of the Border.

The party's proposals include helping students to correct their grades, with credible appeals and resits, as well as urgently clarifying which students are likely to be worst affected by the model being used.

It also says the Government should mandate greater flexibility in admissions decisions this year and ensure that no GCSE student will be moderated down to below a Grade 4 in English or maths.

Labour party leader Sir Keir Starmer said it was a "blatant injustice" that young people were having their futures decided by their postcode.

"Pupils and parents are rightly worried that years of hard work are about to be undone because a computer has decided to mark their child down," said the Labour leader.

"For too long, the Tories have considered the needs of young people as an afterthought when their needs should have been central.

"It's a blatant injustice that thousands of hard-working young people risk having their futures decided on the basis of their postcode.

"Unless Boris Johnson acts, he risks robbing a generation of young people of their future."

Green Party education spokesperson Vix Lowthion (above) said teachers should have been trusted in the grading process.

She said: "It has been an extremely difficult summer for schools, pupils and examiners, but basing grades on schools' past attainments will punish disadvantaged students and only widen inequalities in our society.

"This has not been a normal year and there is no point in pretending it has been.

"Instead, teachers should have been listened to and trusted.

"Teachers are the ones who know their pupils best and are most qualified to say how they would have achieved."

Lowthion added: "The current system looks arbitrary and unclear.

"This is not the time to be gambling with people's futures when so much is at stake, both for our young people and the country at large."

Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Layla Moran added: "Every individual should get the best start in life, whoever they are, whatever their background.

READ MORE: 'Covid shouldn't define them': Pupils and parents react to schools re-opening

"These predicted grades will have a lasting consequence on a young person's choices - that is why it's crucial [Education Secretary Gavin Williamson] steps in to ensure that no-one is disadvantaged by the pandemic or by their gender, ethnicity or socioeconomic status."

Meanwhile, students awaiting their A-level results in Wales will not be failed in the same way as their Scottish counterparts, the Welsh Government has insisted.

Minister Julie James said Wales used different modelling to Scotland and that nearly half of pupils' final mark was based on AS-levels completed last year.

This year's exams were cancelled across the UK because of the coronavirus lockdown and there are fears the replacement grading system will create a postcode lottery.

Speaking during the weekly Welsh Government briefing, James (below), minister for housing and local government, said she was confident pupils' grades would be "robust" due to the system used by exam board WJEC and exam regulator Qualifications Wales.

"I'm really happy to reassure every learner in Wales that the modelling in Wales is very different," she said.

"It takes into account work that has been completed by the students. For example, here in Wales we've never let go of AS-levels.

"If you took A-levels this year then you would have had your AS-level results last year and they contribute 40% to A-level grades.

"So, the model for standardising those grades are developed by the WJEC and approved by Qualifications Wales to ensure that learners are treated fairly and will be able to progress with confidence.

READ MORE: SNP insiders say John Swinney is ‘walking wounded’ over exam results

"We are obviously very keen that our learners are given the accolade they need for the hard work that they've done but also that they get the grades that they deserve, and that those grades are robust and will take them forward into their lives with confidence."

James said the Welsh Government had confidence in the assessments carried out by teachers and moderation was not a reflection of criticism.

"We're not expecting what happened in Scotland to happen here," she said.

"We absolutely do trust our teachers and our head teachers, in particular, have worked very hard throughout this process to make sure that their schools put forward the right results."