Exam mistake: readers' experiences

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STUDENTS

The whole situation is silly. Either the grade boundaries will be lowered, meaning that very few people get the grades they were hoping for or they will remain the same and everyone gets the top grade. I can only hope that come August those who worked hard for this GCSE will get the grades they deserve, despite this dreadful mistake.
Rosie Sargeant, Gloucestershire

I was predicted an A* for this exam so I was hoping to do well. Personally I would love a re-sit as I didn't realise the answers on the back of the paper. If they just take marks off everyone, then that would be unfair.
Tim Clamp, Leicester

I would be really annoyed if I had to re-take my music exam. Part of exam technique is to read the whole paper - and although I feel sorry for the people who didn't notice the composers on the back, they would really only have helped with two easy questions.
Helen Kitley, Dartford

It seems that these answers were intentionally left on the back page as a copyright notice (as well as the composer of each extract, the piece name, album name, record label and publishing date was also printed) and just goes to show how copyright laws have grown out of hand these days.
Finlay Shakespeare, Stroud

I would just like to point out with regards to the music GCSE answers, that the answers on the back would only have helped with something like two marks so it really is frustrating that there is even a debate as to whether something should be done because of this. It's not our error, it's theirs. I feel really strongly about this situation and it really frustrates me.
Hannah Poaros, Dartford

PARENTS

My daughter sat this exam. While she did not even read the information on the back of the paper, she thinks about five of the 18 students in her exam made use of it. This is not quite in line with the exam board's claim that students would be unlikely to recognise the value of the information! In view of this I think the fairest solution would be a re-sit for everyone.
Annette Leishman, Tewin, Hertfordshire

My daughter came back from the exam saying it was made easier by the answers being on the back. My view is that any pupil who read the WHOLE paper would have seen this and be rewarded for their diligence. Any pupil not reading the WHOLE paper clearly neglects to at their peril!
Steve Harrison, Newport