Local students await A-Level results amid grading confusion

Thousands of students from across the region will receive their A-Level results today, despite not sitting a single exam.

However last-minute changes to grading are causing confusion after Education Secretary Gavin Williamson moved to avoid a similar outcry following results in Scotland, where an estimated 125,000 results were downgraded.

The Department for Education announced a last-minute “triple lock” on A-Level results in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Students will receive results that are the highest from estimated grades, mocks or exams they might choose to take later in the year.

Schools and colleges across the region will also distribute results via email and post.

The A-level results are expected to show:

• About 8% of students will receive A*
• 27% of students will receive A* or A
• 78% of students will receive A* to C

Teachers were asked to submit the grades they thought their students would achieve had they sat the papers after summer exams were cancelled.

Gavin Williamson said most pupils would receive the grades their teachers gave them.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said: “The majority of pupils will be getting the grades their teachers gave them as part of their centre assessed grades.

“We will be seeing an increase in the number of youngsters getting As and A*s of 1-2% this year which is going to be an increase over last year and shows that progress is being made.”