A-level results: Government accused of 'baking in' inequality with 'boost' for private schools

<p>The UK government has been accused of having "baked in" educational inequity over the scheme drawn up to mark students whose exams were cancelled due to <strong><a href="https://news.sky.com/topic/coronavirus-8483" target="_blank">coronavirus</a></strong>.</p><p>But Prime Minister Boris Johnson dismissed the accusations, saying the marks are "robust" and "dependable".</p><p>Critics pointed to the number of results at independent schools that were A grades and above jumping 4.7% year-on-year - more than double the figure at secondary comprehensives, which rose by 2%.</p><p>Selective secondary schools also saw a more meagre increase of 1.2%, while sixth form and further education colleges only saw growth of 0.3%.</p> <p>When looking at C grades and above, private schools saw an increase of 2.3% - compared to 2.5% at comprehensives, 0.2% at secondary selectives and 0.3% at sixth form and further education colleges.</p><p>The findings were picked up by Labour MPs, including frontbencher Wes Streeting who said: "Under the Tories, the story of educational disadvantage in our country has worsened. Today, it is well and truly baked in.</p><p>"As someone from a poor family in a poor postcode I dread to think what would have happened to my grades if I'd been victim to this flawed system."</p> <p>Paul Johnson, head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said there had been a "big boost" for private schools that was "not obviously fair" - probably because the system benefited them.</p><p>This is because all teacher-predicted grades were moderated by an algorithm based on schools' past performance - apart from those whose class sizes were smaller than 15 students.</p><p>Former Labour schools secretary Ed Balls tweeted it was "beyond belief" the plan would "bias results towards private schools and against large sixth form colleges".</p> <p>While the Equality and Human Rights Commission has also announced it is considering "all our powers" and said the "equality impacts" of this year's results should have been taken into account.</p><p>Mr Johnson stood by the system.</p><p>He said: "Looking at the big picture, I think overall we've got a very robust set of grades.</p> <p>"Plus you've got the situation in which more pupils than ever before are getting their first choice course at university and more kids from disadvantaged backgrounds going to university."</p><p>The prime minister added: "It's very important that for years to come people should be able to look at these grades and think these are robust, these are dependable."</p> <p>Students were also left angry when 35.6% of marks were adjusted down by one grade, 3.3% were brought down by two, and 0.2% came down by three.</p><p>Exams watchdog Ofqual says standards across the country have been maintained, with top A* and A grades rising by 2.4% to an all-time high.</p><p>The number of students accepted on to degree courses has also risen by 2.9% compared with last year.</p> <p>The government has vowed not to scrap moderated results in England, like <strong><a href="https://news.sky.com/story/downgraded-scottish-exam-results-to-be-withdrawn-after-moderation-controversy-12047226" target="_blank">political leaders in Scotland were forced to do</a></strong> after criticism <strong><a href="https://news.sky.com/story/scottish-exam-results-deep-concerns-as-pass-rate-cut-hits-poorest-pupils-hardest-12042473" target="_blank">students from deprived backgrounds were hit harder</a></strong> by the algorithm.</p><p>Ofqual claimed there was no evidence of bias against pupils based on their socioeconomic status and that moderating was needed given "generous" initial assessments that predicted "implausibly" high grades in some schools.</p><p>They added they were given "ministerial direction that, as far as possible, overall results should be similar to previous years".</p> <p>There are three routes of appeal: students can use their mock exam results to argue they should have got higher grades; a school can say it is under new leadership, meaning it should not be judged on old performance; and some pupils can press ahead and do the actual exams in the autumn.</p><p>There were <strong><a href="https://news.sky.com/story/a-level-results-these-students-were-predicted-to-get-as-then-their-results-came-in-12048369" target="_blank">many reports of disappointment</a> </strong>from schools.</p><p>One student predicted three As but handed a B, C and E told Sky News "the government have completely ruined a lot of kids' futures" and a second who had her marks downgraded said it might make her miss out on a bursary.</p> <p>Geoff Barton, head of the Association of School and College Leaders, said he had heard "heartbreaking feedback" from teachers about "grades being pulled down in a way that they feel to be utterly unfair and unfathomable".</p><p>Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, said "something has obviously gone horribly wrong" and thousands of students have had their future prospects "dashed".</p><p>He added: "The government needs to rethink this, they shouldn't rule anything out, including the approach that was forced on the Scottish government."</p><p>The children's commissioner for England Anne Longfield also said "inequalities already existing in the education system will be deepened".</p><p>She warned "more affluent schools with more resources are more likely to appeal" so the process should be "as easy as possible" to ensure "disadvantaged schools and students are not left out".</p> <p>A petition has been launched by the National Union of Students condemning the government for choosing to "reproduce and bake in educational inequality through the use of ridiculous algorithms". It calls for all students to be given their teacher-predicted grades and the exam and grading system to be overhauled.</p><p>In Wales, where students take AS-levels which count towards their final A-level, pupils have been promised they will not get a lower final result than their grade last summer.</p><p>Meanwhile the Scottish Conservatives deleted a two-day old tweet that accused First Minister Nicola Sturgeon of having "presided over one of the biggest scandals in the history of devolution, which shattered the life chances of thousands of Scottish pupils" - before reposting it after social media users noticed.</p><p><strong>Analysis: The system was never going to be perfect<br />By Laura Bundock, news correspondent</strong></p><p><em>This is no ordinary results day</em>.</p><p><em>An exceptional situation, involving difficult and delicate decisions ever since exams were cancelled back on 18 March.</em></p><p><em>We now know 35% of results have been downgraded by one grade. Some results by more than one grade.</em></p><p><em>Ofqual insists its analysis of grading shows no negative bias on socioeconomic background, gender or ethnicity. </em></p><p><em>A general system assessing thousands of individual pupils was never going to be perfect. </em></p><p><em>But already unions say they've received "heart-breaking" feedback of schools feeling unfairly and unfathomable downgraded.</em></p><p><em>And for students caught in the middle, they must hope universities and colleges follow through on their promise to be flexible with admissions.</em></p><p><strong>Are you a student getting your results today? Get in touch with Sky News:</strong></p><p><strong>:: WhatsApp - <a href="https://wa.me/447583000853" target="_blank">07583 000853</a><br />:: Email - <a href="mailto:news@sky.com">news@sky.com</a><br />:: 'Your Report' on Sky News apps</strong></p>