Students' relief at re-grade

Re-grading means some students will not face resits

Students and teachers say they are relieved at the news that some A-level units will be re-graded following an independent inquiry into allegations of grade "fixing".

But they expressed disappointment that they will not find out which subjects will be re-graded until Tuesday 1 October.

James Lacey: More waiting, but glad of news of a re-grade

Mike Tomlinson, the former chief inspector of schools in England who was brought in to head an independent inquiry into claims that A-level coursework was deliberately marked down, announced his recommendations for a re-grade on Friday.

Mr Tomlinson said about 12 subjects would be re-graded, but, until he had received further data from the exam boards, could not say which ones.

The delay means students who believe their A-level grades were unusually poor face another four days in limbo.

"There's even more waiting for the students now," said James Lacey, who got a C in his psychology A-level after an unclassified grade in coursework brought down his overall score from a predicted A grade.

James, 19, a former pupil at Knights Templar School in Baldock, Hertfordshire, is now having to take an unscheduled gap year because he lost his conditional places at Manchester and Birmingham universities.

Relief

But he said he was relieved by the announcement of a process of re-grading.

"At least we've got the re-grading - I might not, but at least some people will benefit from this mess."

I want the decision made at the end of Tuesday to be the right decision... that will then resolve this once and for all

Mike Tomlinson

Head teacher at Knights Templar School, Peter Chapman, said at least "part of the mystery" of the A-level fiasco had been lifted.

"I'm reassured," said Mr Chapman.

"It's a more extensive re-grading process than I'd anticipated, I'm pleased about that.

"And I very much hope that our youngsters who've been badly affected will have their grades improved and get the sorts of grades we expected from them in the first place."

'The right decision'

Mr Tomlinson said he believed some students had been "inaccurately graded in some units of their work".

He defended his decision not to decide which A-level units would be re-graded until Tuesday of next week.

Mike Tomlinson says some students were inaccurately graded

"The worst thing for students would be for me to make a decision now which subsequently had to be changed again," said Mr Tomlinson.

"I want the decision made at the end of Tuesday to be the right decision, not the hasty decision, the right decision that will then resolve this once and for all."

Mr Tomlinson said he thought about 12 syllabuses would be eligible for a re-grade and hoped the process could be completed by the end of next week.

He would not be drawn on how many students were affected, but said it was a "relatively small number".