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Universities are preparing to deal with a rise in student interviews after ministers in England, Northern Ireland and Wales said A-level grades could now be based on teachers’ assessments.
Students who were rejected from universities last week on the basis of degrees downgraded by an algorithm can now reconsider their choices.
But universities warn that there is a limit to what they can do.
Monday’s U-turn was followed by a scream from students, teachers and some Tory MPs.
About 40% of the A-level results were downgraded by exam regulator Ofqual, who used a formula based on schools’ prior grades.
Students responded by holding protests in the UK, calling the grading system unfair, classy and threatening their future.
On Monday, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson and Ofqual chairman Roger Taylor both apologized for the “emergency” caused.
Mr. Williamson said that No. 10 had worked with the watchdog to design “the most beautiful possible model” after exams had to be canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, but it had become clear that the process had resulted in “more significant inconsistencies” than could be addressed by a career process.
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The algorithm was intended to moderate the process of assigning grades to prevent teachers from expressing what the exam watchdog described as “unbelievably high” marks for students.
But it came under fire for its perceived injustice and, in particular, the way it appeared to shine on bright children from disadvantaged schools.
The government’s U-turn means teachers’ assessments will also be used for GCSE results, due to be published on Thursday.
These degrees of center judgment, as the government calls them, were decided by schools after taking into account available evidence, including assessments and homework non-examination, and attempting to make an “honest and objective judgment”.
It is not yet clear what the turnout will mean for students taking specialized work-related qualifications, known as BTecs. Mr. Williamson said he hoped they would also be subjected to teacher-assessed grades, adding that the government worked with the “tasking authorities” to ensure this happened.
Alistair Jarvis, chief executive of Universities UK, which represents vice-chancellors, has called for “urgent clarification” after the policy change and for the government to “step up” by supporting universities through the challenges it has created.
He warned that although 70% of students were placed at their first choice institution, those who were not “should think carefully about their next steps” and seek advice at their preferred institutions.
Mr. Jarvis said the change would mean there were more students with the degrees to match their university’s offer for first choice.
“This will cause challenges at this late stage in the admissions process – capacity, staffing, placements and facilities – especially with the social distance measures in place,” he said.
Gavin Williamson said the extent of problems with England’s A-level results only became clear over the weekend.
But some Tory Second Chamber members are frustrated that there were months to prepare for here and problems were not detected sooner, even after the issues in Scotland became clear two weeks ago.
However, questions are not just being asked by the government – some MPs think Ofqual could have done more to prevent this crisis. Mr. Williamson himself said he had asked for assurances several times and was told the system was honest.
There is also the fact that there have now been U-turns across the UK, including from the government led by Labor leadership in Wales and the SNP in Scotland.
But education has seen problems during this pandemic, including the government’s failure to get all children in England back into the class before the summer break.
Mr. Williamson remains primarily in his job, but he faces almost another important test almost immediately – making sure the government delivers on its promise to open England’s schools next month.
Mr. Williamson announced on Monday that a 5% cap on the number of additional students a university can take this year has been lifted.
Dr Tim Bradshaw, chief executive of the Russell Group, which represents 24 leading universities, said support would be needed to help with expected increases in student numbers.
“There are limits to what can be done by the university sector alone to address this uncertainty without expanding resources to the point where it undermines the experience for all, and not to mention keeping students and staff safe, in order to “we are taking steps to fight the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
Some students are now anxiously waiting to find out if they will be accepted on their courses now that their teacher-assessed qualities have been re-established.
Zainab Ali, 18, from London, said it had been a horrific and confusing experience – initially rejected by her first choice from Queen Mary University of London. “I felt like I was really let down. It was really, really stressful,” she said.
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Emily King
Emily King does not know if she will be able to go to Lincoln University this year
And Emily King, from Whittlesey in Cambridgeshire, said downgrading from a C to a U in her A-level biology “really knocked her confidence” and meant she was rejected by Lincoln University.
It is not clear if there is a guarantee that admission decisions can be revoked if a course is already full, and some universities, including Durham, Sheffield, Bristol and Liverpool, stopped offering places through clearing on Monday.
The Services for Universities and Colleges Admissions (Ucas) said 193,420 18-year-old applicants in the UK were placed with their first choice university, which is higher than at the same point last year.
A Ucas spokesman said students who did not arrive at their first-choice institution should seek advice from their parents or faculty before contacting the university.
The government has said that students who accept offers based on their downgraded results can free themselves if another offer is revised based on their updated grades.
Prof Katie Normington, Vice-Chancellor of De Montfort University, told BBC Newsnight that there was a lot of work for universities to do and it was not yet clear how they would get the new results or process them.
She said: “I think all of us, as universities, will see how we will treat those students honestly and we will try to do this. It is obviously a lot of work for us, but there are many opportunities there for students at the moment. “
‘Too slow to act’
Sam Freedman, who was a senior policy adviser to the Department of Education between 2010 and 2013, said he was surprised Mr Williamson had not resigned over the handling of A-level results and said he was “confident of consideration”. that the Secretary of State said he was only aware of problems over the weekend.
“I can not think of many other education secretaries who would not have been fired already,” he said.
Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green wrote to Mr Williamson with 15 questions, including asking when students will receive their new grades and if there will be a free appeal process.
She said: “The guidance of delay and chaos means that students, families and education providers do not have answers to essential questions.”
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