A-level results: 'Significant number' of Wakefield students will see grades change

Examinations regulator Ofqual yesterday confirmed that thousands of A-level grades would be returned to the grade of original teacher predictions.

It followed days of controversy after it was revealed that an algorithm used to account for grade inflation had lowered an estimated 40 per cent of students' grades.

Critics argued that the algorithm had unfairly penalised students from schools and institutions which had a lower success rate in previous years.

Grades will now be adjusted, and students will receive either their teacher prediction or moderated result for each subject, whichever is highest.

The same strategy will be applied to GCSE results, which are due to be released this week.

In a letter to parents, Pontefract New College said they expected the adjustment to benefit a "significant number" of their students.

Richard Fletcher, CEO of the New Collaborative Learning Trust, which runs the college, said: "I would like to share with you information about changes announced on 17 August relating to the awarding of A level grades.

"This information is based on published information from Ofqual which will be kept under review and may be subject to change. It does not apply to BTEC results.

"Ofqual announced a major change of position regarding A level results that were published on Thursday 13 August. Students will be awarded the centre assessment grades submitted to the exam boards or their original grade awarded on 13 August, if this is higher.

"For many students, their grades will remain unchanged, however a significant number will see an increase in their grade."

In the letter, Mr Fletcher said staff had "worked hard" to ensure that students received grades which were fair and reflected the grades that each individual was likely to receive if they had been able to sit the exams in summer.

But he acknowledged that the teachers' results were likely to be higher than those which would have been recorded in a normal exam season.

"We believe that teachers are generally optimistic people that see the best in their students and want them to achieve fantastic results," he said.

"That is why the CAGs submitted nationally were higher than results awarded in previous years.

"This is also true at New College. As a result of the recent announcement accepting centre assessment grades, significant numbers of students at New College will see grade increases and more students will have achieved A*-B grades than in previous years.

"We offer our congratulations to students, particularly as we know that many will have been disappointed with the results previously published by exam boards.

"The awarding of results on the basis of centre assessment grades has produced the strongest set of student results in the history of our colleges."