MP blasts A-level results ‘fiasco’

Last month the PM was forced to make a dramatic U-turn after thousands of students blasted the government for ‘downgrading’ their results from teachers’ predicted grades.

Algorithms were used to calculate students’ grades based on controversial factors such as A-level results students have gained in previous years.

GCSE results had been due to be produced by an algorithm also, but this was scrapped at the last minute.

Ofqual came under fire for designing the controversial algorithm and Sir Edward said: “Algorithms might tempt us with cheap and simple solutions but pupils are human beings not mere numbers.”

Following the controversy, Sir Edward said: “If Covid-19 and A-levels tell us anything it’s that we need a ministerial lessons learned unit to learn from fiascos.”

For the first time, overall results figures for the county have not been published.