Students who appeal A Level grades may have Oxford places deferred to 2021

Oxford University applicants who successfully appeal over their A-level results have been told they may have to wait until autumn 2021 before they can start their degree courses.

Some students who achieve the top grades after appeal could have their places at Oxford deferred until next year if the institution reaches maximum capacity.

The university has said it would not be possible to meet “ongoing social-distancing restrictions” and other challenges presented by Covid-19 if it went above its maximum intake of students.

The move comes after Universities Minister Michelle Donelan told universities to hold places for applicants challenging A-level grades until they receive the outcome of their appeal.

On the suggestion that some applicants could be asked to defer places until 2021 if they appeal, shadow health minister Justin Madders tweeted: “Haven’t these kids gone through enough already?”

The Ucas deadline for applicants to meet their academic offer conditions is September 7, which leaves exam boards less than four weeks to issue outcomes of appeals.

The Government announced late on Tuesday that A-level and GCSE students will be able to use results in valid mock exams to appeal if they are unhappy with their results.

But schools, colleges and universities are still unclear how the new appeals process will work and what the likely timescale will be.

England’s exams regulator, Ofqual, has said it is “working urgently” to set out how mock exam results will form the basis of an appeal, but further details will not be ready until next week.

On A-level results day on Thursday, Ofqual revealed that 39.1 per cent of teachers’ estimates for pupils in England were adjusted down by one grade or more .

A University of Oxford spokesman said: “We intend to take every student who meets their offer grades as well as those where we consider there are mitigating circumstances for them missing their grade.

“As we do every year when grades are re-marked, some students may be offered a deferred place.

“Once we reach our maximum intake of undergraduates in 2020, we will have to defer entry to 2021 for any additional candidates who appeal successfully and whose place is then confirmed.”

He added: “Our primary concern must be the health and safety of our students, staff and community and it will not otherwise be possible for us to meet ongoing social-distancing restrictions and other challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

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