A levels: who is interfering now?

Estelle Morris says she was making contingency plans

The row over this year's A level results looks as though it's degenerated into all-out war between the politicians and one of their advisors.

We' like to hear your views click here to go straight to our email form

The Head of the exams watchdog, Sir William Stubbs, has accused England's Education Secretary Estelle Morris of interfering in the independent inquiry into this year's A level fiasco.

He claims she has been making arrangements for A levels to be re-graded, ahead of the findings of the preliminary inquiry.

Estelle Morris has hit back - saying she has never thought of prejudicing the outcome of the inquiry.

On Breakfast at 7.40am, we interviewed Estelle Morris

"I have certainly not interfered with Mike Tomlinson's investigation. I don't know what' s in the report or what he is going to say tomorrow. But it's my responsibility to make sure that whatever he says, we are in a fit state to respond."

Ms Morris says that calls to the exam boards were part of her contingency plans: "I have the reponsibility to get the ducks in a line for tomorrow afternoon so that we're ready to go, " she told us.

click here to watch Breakfast's interview in full with the Secretary of State for Education, Estelle Morris

Her Tory opposite number, Damian Green, interviewed on Breakfast at 6.40am this morning, says it's time she resigned:

Green: last straw

"This is the last straw and I think she should consider her position," he told us.

"Confidence in the system has been irretrievably damaged.

"Estelle Morris will go down in history as the woman who destroyed A levels."

click here to watch Breakfast's interview in full with the Conservative Education spokesman, Damian Green

At 7.15 am, we talked to the Liberal Democrats' Education Spokesman Phil Willis, who's also a former headmaster.

"I suspect both of them (Estelle Morris and Sir William Stubbs) will have to go at the end of the day," he told Breakfast.

"Sir William himself has interfered with the enquiry by producing an interirm report last week."

Mr Willis warned that re-marking this year's A level scripts would be a mammoth undertaking. Many examiners have other jobs (as teachers) or, if not, they may be on holiday at the moment.

click here to watch Breakfast's interview in full with Phil Willis, the Liberal Democrats' Education Spokesman

Just after 8.30am, we heard from Sir William Stubbs, the chairman of the exam watchdog the QCA and the man who's accused Estelle Morris of pre-judging the independent inquiry.

He dismissed Ms Morris' claim that she's "getting her ducks in a row" to react to tomorrow's report.

"There's no need for her personally to become involved, she has civil servants who will act sensibly," Sir William Stubbs told Breakfast.

"She has acted in a way which is inappropriate when there's an inquiry involved.

"Civil servants will make contingency plans, as she knows full well."

click here to watch our interview in full with Sir William Stubbs

Head teachers, who spoke to Mr Tomlinson on Monday, claimed to have evidence that the QCA put pressure on the exam boards to downgrade this year's A-level results at a late stage.

The inquiry will hinge on the question of "maintaining standards".

Mr Tomlinson is due to present his interim report by Friday to Ms Morris.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK To have your say, e-mail us at [e-mail]

Send us your comments:
Name:

Your E-mail Address:

Town/City:

Commenting on:

Comments: