ASCL response to Sutton Trust poll on students’ A-level concerns

Commenting on Sutton Trust research about concern among university applicants over the cancellation of A-level exams, Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:

“We understand the anxiety felt by some university applicants that A-levels will be graded this year in a way that none of us expected, but we would reassure them that everybody is committed to ensuring that results are fair and accurate for all students. Their schools and colleges know them well and will be able to provide centre-assessed grades to a high degree of accuracy. These will then be submitted to the exam boards, which will apply a process of standardisation to ensure there is no disadvantage to this year’s students in comparison to any other year’s A-level cohort. This process will allow students to progress to university courses in the normal way with qualifications which are as valid as they are in any other year.”