A-Level Results Crisis: Tories and Ofqual's Advisors Rebel Against Algorithm

Strategic Insights -

The UK government faces mounting pressure to abandon its A-level algorithm, with even Ofqual's own advisors calling for a U-turn. The algorithm downgraded 39% of grades, including 25,000 by two or more grades, in England last Thursday. Students in the poorest areas were marked down by 10.4%, while those in the richest areas were marked down by 8.3%. Critics, including former Tory leaders and Ofsted chiefs, warn that the algorithm has created a "shambles" and a "disaster." They demand that students be allowed to use their mock results or teachers' predicted grades, or that the entire system be delayed.

Key Takeaways:

  • 39% of all A-level grades in England were downgraded from teachers' original predictions, including 25,000 by two or more grades.
  • Students in the poorest areas were marked down by 10.4%, while those in the richest areas were marked down by 8.3%.
  • Critics, including former Tory leaders Iain Duncan Smith, Ruth Davidson, and Kenneth Baker, warn that the algorithm has created a "shambles" and a "disaster."
  • Former Ofsted chief Michael Wilshaw said teachers' predicted grades should be used as well, while former Tory Education Secretary Kenneth Baker called for GCSE results to be delayed.
  • Even Ofqual's advisors, such as Professor Robert Coe, are demanding action, saying that awarding students their teacher-assessed grades would "take the heat off."
  • Caroline Nokes, chair of the women and equalities select committee, criticized the government's handling of the A-level "debacle," saying the algorithm problems had "exclusively impacted young people and of course age is a protected characteristic."
  • Robert Halfon, Tory chairman of the Commons Education Committee, said the appeals process had turned into a "huge mess" and called for the system to be scrapped.

Statistics:

  • 39% of all A-level grades in England were downgraded from teachers' original predictions.
  • 25,000 students had their grades downgraded by two or more grades.
  • Students in the poorest areas were marked down by 10.4%, while those in the richest areas were marked down by 8.3%.
  • 65,000 entries, almost half of all A-level entries, resulted in lower grades than the previous three-year average.
  • 96% of grades were either the same as the one submitted by schools or colleges or within one grade.

Sources:

  • [The Daily Mail](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9181209/Boris-Johnson-faces-sharp-criticism-over-A-level-results-algorithm.html)
  • [The Times](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/boris-johnson-faces-sharp-criticism-over-a-level-results-algorithm)
  • [BBC News](https://www.bbc.com/news/education-53920951)
  • [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/aug/17/a-level-results-boris-johnson-algorithm-debacle-english-schools)