UK scraps exam grading system that enraged students, parents

 In a U-turn after days of criticism, British government on Monday scrapped an exam-gring policy that was set to deprive thousands of gruating high school students - especially more disvantd ones — of places at universities.

Roger Taylor, chairman of U.K. exam regulator Ofqual, said use of an algorithm to predict results of exams that were canceled by coronavirus pandemic h caused “real anguish and damd public confidence.”

“It has t been an acceptable experience for young people,” he said. “I would like to say sorry.”

Universities in U.K. offer final-year high school students places based on gres predicted by ir teachers. mission is contingent on results of final exams, kwn as A Levels.

This year, with schools largely shut since March and exams, education authorities in England ran predicted gres through an algorithm, intended to standardize results, that compared m with schools’ past performance. That meant high-achieving students at under-performing schools, many in deprived areas, saw ir marks downgred, while students at above-aver schools kept ir predicted gres.

Hundreds of students have held protests, calling results an injustice, and lawmakers were inundated with complaints from angry parents.

Kay Mountfield, he teacher at a school in Marlow, west of London, said 85% of her students h received lower than predicted gres.

“Seventy of my students have t h ir first choice of university,” she said. “rmally that would be about five, or 10 maybe, students.”

reversal means students in England will receive gres estimated by ir teachers, unless ones generated by algorithm are higher. Education authorities in Scotland, Wales and rrn Ireland have me similar moves.

same policy will apply to GCSEs, exams taken by 16-year-old students. Those results are due on Thursday.

U-turn is an embarrassment for Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government, but h come to appear inevitable as criticism of policy spre, even within ranks of governing Conservative Party.

“This group of young people have lost out on so much alrey; we must ensure that bright, capable students can progress on ir next step,” Paymaster General Penny Mordaunt said before Monday’s anuncement.

Defense Minister Johnny Mercer said re were “clear injustices” in system.

In Scotland, authorities quickly reversed course after a similar fiasco last week, saying students would get ir predicted gres. That increased pressure on Johnson to do same for England.

Johnson, who is on vacation, chaired a call on crisis Monday with Education Secretary Gavin Williamson and senior officials.

Williamson h previously insisted that re would be “ U-turn,” though he said students who h been downgred could appeal or retake exams.

But on Monday he ackwledged that “ process of allocating gres has resulted in more significant inconsistencies than can be resolved through an appeals process.”

“I am sorry for distress this has caused young people and ir parents but hope this anuncement will w provide certainty and reassurance y deserve,” he said.

anuncement did t end uncertainty for all students, however. Amy Kirkham, from High Wycombe, rthwest of London, missed gres needed to secure her place studying ecomics at Cambridge University when algorithm downgred her in two subjects.

w she has required marks, but doesn’t kw wher re is for her. If t, she might wait until next year to start her university career.

“It’s just putting my life on hold,” she said.

To compound pain, Kirkham’s twin sister got into also-prestigious Oxford University despite having her marks initially downgred, too.

“It was always a shared dream that I’d be going to Cambridge this year and she would be going to Oxford,” Kirkham said. “She hasn’t felt like celebrating because I’ve h to go through this pain of waiting to kw wher I’ve got in or t. So it’s been really frustrating and hard on my family.”