Protests work
All A-Level and GCSE students will be awarded their teacher assessed predicted grades in a spectacular government U-turn, according to the Times. An official announcement is expected at 4pm on Monday afternoon.
All A level and GCSE pupils in England to get teacher assessed grades — announcement 4pm sources tell @thetimes
— Rosemary Bennett (@RosieDBennett) August 17, 2020
This u-turn comes following protests from A-Level students whose grades were downgraded by an algorithm which saw 40% of final grades lower than those submitted by their teachers.
Students in Year 11, 12 and 13 were not able to sit their exams this summer due to the coronavirus pandemic and and algorithm was put forward as a solution. Students’ postcodes were accounted for in the algorithm as an indicator to their final grade, which was heavily criticised as punishing those in less affluent areas.
But after thousands of students saw their dreams of attending university dashed by an untested and unfair system, the government came under great scrutiny.
Students took to the streets, demanding change from the government, and they have got their wish.