Covid-19 has put a stop to everything this year. From holidays to learning, the virus is changing the way we live our lives. And that couldn’t be made any clearer with exam results.
All A-Level and GCSE exams were cancelled due to the Coronavirus. Instead students were told their grades would be made up from predicted grades and mock exams.
But that doesn’t seem to be the case, as many students who received their A-level and BTEC results yesterday have achieved lower than their mock exams.
More than a third of results in England (35.6%) were downgraded by one grade from the mark issued by teachers. A further 3.3% dropped by two grades and 0.2% were downgraded by three grades.
And the proportion of private-school students receiving A and A* was more than twice as high as the proportion of students at comprehensive schools, underscoring the extent of inequality in the education system.
On top of all the upset, if students want to appeal their grades they’re charged for it, although received a refund if their grade is changed.
All of this upset has put Madie Osborne, a GCSE student from Woodrush on edge.
“With students being downgraded it has made me nervous for my results.”
GCSE results will be given to students on 20th August.
Madie needs 5 GCSE’s at grades 9-5 to get into college, and is concerned that the algorithm might downgrade her.
“It is a real worry, I don’t have a second choice college so if I don’t get the grades I don’t know what I’ll do.
“It seems unfair that students are getting measured against the results of the year above. Just because a certain percentage of students last year didn’t meet their predicted grade doesn’t mean I won’t.
“If i was predicated a grade then that’s the grade I should be given. The whole point of predicted grades is that it’s a grade they’re certain I’m going to achieve.
“It’s not my fault that I can’t sit the exam to prove I can achieve theses grades.”
What will happen to the leavers of 2020 we don’t know, but it’s certainly left questions about the fairness of our education system.
Photo by Ivan Aleksic on Unsplash
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