Politics latest news: Gavin Williamson apologises as he confirms A-level and GCSE exam results U-turn

Cat Neilan
·49 min read

Gavin Williamson has confirmed that A-levels and GCSEs will be teacher assessed, and apologised to students, teachers and parents for any distress caused by the exams row.

The Education Secretary said he was "sorry for the distress this has caused" after a U-turn on the system for awarding A-level and GCSE grades.

"We worked with Ofqual to construct the fairest possible model, but it is clear that the process of allocating grades has resulted in more significant inconsistencies than can be resolved through an appeals process," he said.

"We now believe it is better to offer young people and parents certainty by moving to teacher assessed grades for both A and AS level and GCSE results. I am sorry for the distress this has caused young people and their parents but hope this announcement will now provide the certainty and reassurance they deserve."

Students will now take whichever is higher of the grade their school or college estimated was the grade they would most likely have achieved in their exam or the moderated grade.

Boris Johnson still has confidence in his beleaguered Education Secretary, despite widespread calls for his resignation, Downing Street said today.

The Prime Minister - who is not planning to cut short his holiday in Scotland this week, despite the row over exams results - spoke with Mr  Williamson and senior officials this morning, the Prime Minister's spokesman confirmed.

"The whole Government continues to work hard to come up with the fairest possible," he added, stressing that Ofqual "continues to have the support of the Prime Minister".

Multiple backbenchers have called for his resignation, telling the Telegraph the exams debacle has shown up his "incompetence". However, others suggested the former chief whip's role in Mr Johnson's leadership campaign would save him, with one suggesting "some juniors may have to be the fall guy".

Read more below.

04:21 PM

And that's it for another day...

The Education Secretary still has the confidence of the Prime Minister - currently holidaying in Scotland - but he certainly doesn't have the confidence of Conservative backbenchers and some of his frontbench colleagues. 

Various Tory MPs went public today with their criticism of the exams assessment which Gavin Williamson had pushed through, with others highly critical of exams watchdog Ofqual. 

However, having made the U-turn he ruled out at the weekend, he could now cling on, with various MPs suggesting a junior minister may be made "the fall guy" instead. There are also big questions about Ofqual's future. 

In the short term, parents and students can breathe a sigh of relief over plans to fall back on teacher assessments - a decision that was backed by 53 per cent of our readers today, with our daily poll attracting more than 2,100 votes.

Downing Street will be hoping that, even with GCSEs on the horizon, it has done enough to steady the ship. But has it? I'll be back from 8am tomorrow with all the news from Westminster and beyond. 

04:19 PM

U-turn necessary because of 'unfairnesses' in exams assessment system, says Gavin Williamson

Gavin Williamson has said he "preferred option" was to use a moderated approach but the Government has had to fall back on teacher assessment because "there were unfairnesses within the system". 

The Education Secretary had repeatedly ruled out teacher assessment, arguing this would lead to grade inflation which would harm both the 2020 cohort, plus the years either side. 

But he told Sky News he changed his mind because "we cannot be in a situation where we tolerate unfairness".

04:15 PM

Gavin Williamson declines to say if he has confidence in Ofqual

Gavin Williamson has insisted Ofqual and ministers have "constantly" sought to ensure fairness was in the system.

But he said "as we looked at it over Saturday and Sunday it became evident further action was needed".

The Education Secretary said: "It was clear we needed to act, that's what we have done."

Asked if he had confidence in Ofqual, he did not reply directly, repeating that he had received "assurance" that the system would be fair across the country. 

Pressed on the matter, he said: "I know that Ofqual at every single stage have been working incredibly hard to ensure there was fairness... but it's absolutely vital youngsters get the grade and what they have worked towards."

03:55 PM

Gavin Williamson: It became clear I needed to act over the weekend

Gavin Williamson has said it became "clearer to me" that he needed to act on the Government's exams assessment process "over the weekend" - despite having ruled out a U-turn at that time. 

Asked if he was going to apologise, the Education Secretary told Sky News: "When we came up with the system which was broadly supported across the spectrum... we were trying to ensure we had the fairest system

"But it is the right thing to act."

He added: "Over the weekend it became clearer to me that the number of students getting grades that frankly they shouldn't have been getting. 

On the basis of "evidence from Ofqual and other external bodies, it was apparent action needed to be taken".

03:46 PM

Former education minister calls for independent review of exams debacle

Former education minister David Laws has welcomed the U-turn on exams assessments, saying it "seems to be the fairest and most pragmatic approach" and called for an independent review of what went wrong.

The ex-Liberal Democrat MP said Ofqual had "got the balance wrong" in the previous approach, "placing too much emphasis on maintaining standards and not enough on ensuring fairness to individual students".

He added: "Fairness should have always been placed ahead of standards. The Government's U-turn now ensures this by tipping the scales the other way.

"Schools will now breathe a sigh of relief, as they can now focus on the challenge of getting students back into the classroom in September, instead of having to deal with an incoherent and demanding system of appeals.

An independent review should be carried out to "learn the lessons for the future and not repeat the many errors that have occurred this year".

"It should also consider the options for exams in 2021, given next year's candidates will have already been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and there remains a chance of further lockdowns," he said. 

03:41 PM

In charts: How the grading algorithm U-turn fails to fix grade inequality

The scrapping of the grade-setting algorithm for A-level students in England has led to an unprecedented rise in top grades - by far the biggest in at least two decades.

Yet Telegraph analysis also shows the U-turn only partly reverses the disparity between the most and least deprived students that drew the ire of critics last week.

The number of A and A* grades will now rise by 12.4 percentage points (pp) on last year - over seven times greater than the original rise of 2.4pp announced on Thursday - now that students will receive their teachers' predictions, known officially as Centre Assessment Grades (CAGs). 

Read the full story here.

03:31 PM

Exams U-turn will cause 'headache for universities', think tank warns

The Government's U-turn on exams will come as a "relief" to students but still creates "a headache for universities", a higher education think tank has said. 

Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, said: "This news will come as a relief to hundreds of thousands of students, their teachers and their parents. U-turns are never easy but sometimes they are better than the alternatives.

"The last few days are a reminder that education is not about delivering the right results on average over a whole year group - it is about recognising individual achievements fairly.

"The new policy is better than the previous one but it will still be a headache for universities. A normal admissions round lasts for months, yet the rules for this year's round have been torn up just a few weeks before term starts.

"Institutions will do their best but there are some limits on safe expansion. Nonetheless, hopefully the upheaval will be worth it, with more people finding a place on the right course for them.

"In the cold light of day, there will need to be a careful post-mortem to ensure this year's fiasco never happens again."

03:22 PM

Northern Ireland expects teacher assessment to lead to 10pc grade inflation

Stormont education minister Peter Weir has said he expected grades to inflate by more than 10 per cent following the decision to move to teacher assessment in Northern Ireland. 

He said: "Whilst standardisation is normally an important feature of awarding qualifications, these are truly unique circumstances and this approach is now being adopted across the UK.

"This is why I have taken this decision today."

It seems likely this will be replicated in England, as the chart below shows. Last week Ofqual said nearly 40 per cent of student marks had been downgraded. 

03:17 PM

Labour leader attacks Government 'incompetence' over exams U-turn

Sir Keir Starmer has attacked Gavin Williamson's "incompetence" after the Education Secretary announced a last-minute U-turn on exams assessment. 

The Labour leader tweeted: "The Government has had months to sort out exams and has now been forced into a screeching U-turn after days of confusion.

"This is a victory for the thousands of young people who have powerfully made their voices heard this past week.

"However, the Tories' handling of this situation has been a complete fiasco.

"Incompetence has become this Government's watchword, whether that is on schools, testing or care homes.

"Boris Johnson's failure to lead is holding Britain back."

03:15 PM

Tory MP attacks Ofqual over apology

Gavin Williamson and Ofqual have just announced a U-turn despite the Education Secretary saying just two days ago there would be no change to how exams were assessed. 

However not everyone is convinced. 

Conservative MP Simon Hoare tweeted: "What an inarticulate and unconvincing advocate Roger Taylor of @ofqual is. We have been in "unprecedented circumstances " for MONTHS not since last Thursday.

"They should have foreseen the chaos and anger. What planet does this quango live on?"

03:05 PM

Ofqual boss apologises as he confirms exams U-turn

Roger Taylor, chair of Ofqual, has confirmed that A-levels and GCSEs will be teacher assessed, and apologised to students for distress caused by the row. 

He said in a statement: "We understand this has been a distressing time for students, who were awarded exam results last week for exams they never took. The pandemic has created circumstances no one could have ever imagined or wished for. We want to now take steps to remove as much stress and uncertainty for young people as possible - and to free up heads and teachers to work towards the important task of getting all schools open in two weeks."

He added that Ofqual had always sought to "protect the trust that the public rightly has in educational qualifications" but the system deployed "has also caused real anguish and damaged public confidence".

The approach taken had "placed a burden on teachers when they need to be preparing for the new term and has created uncertainty and anxiety for students", adding: "For all of that, we are extremely sorry."

Students will now take whichever is higher of the grade their school or college estimated was the grade they would most likely have achieved in their exam or the moderated grade. 

"The path forward we now plan to implement will provide urgent clarity. We are already working with the Department for Education, universities and everyone else affected by this issue."

02:54 PM

Further three people die with Covid in UK

A further three people have died in the UK within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19, as of 5pm on Sunday, official figures show. 

In total 41,369 people have died in the UK. 

Separate figures published by the UK's statistics agencies show there have been 56,800 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

The Government also said that as of 9am on Monday, there had been a further 713 lab-confirmed cases of the coronavirus. Overall, a total of 319,197 cases have been confirmed.

02:48 PM

Have your say on: the exams next steps

Gavin Williamson is expected to confirm a Government U-turn on exams this afternoon, having previously insisted teacher assessment would lead to grade inflation. 

Several Conservative MPs including two ministers have gone public with their criticism of the "debacle", with Labour hammering the Government over failed promises to level up. 

Northern Ireland has said it will use teacher assessments for all GCSEs, while Scotland reinstated all the downgraded results to those originally recommended by their teachers after a similar row. 

But is the Education Secretary right to reinstate teacher assessments - or should he deploy a different approach? Have your say before he does in the poll below.

02:47 PM

Boris Johnson should 'personally apologise' over exams 'shambles', say Lib Dems

Boris Johnson should "personally apologise for his Government's shambles" over exams, the Liberal Democrats has said. 

Education spokesperson and leadership contender Layla Moran said the "botched" handling of assessments so far had "left countless young people stressed and anxious". 

Ms Moran said the anticipated U-turn by Gavin Williamson this afternoon was "a victory for common sense", but added "it should never have gotten this far".

"While it is embarrassing for the Government, it has been excruciating for students. It is clear the Education Secretary is out of his depth. If he doesn't walk, he must be pushed," she said. "There is still a long way to go to clean up this mess. Government must provide the clarity young people need, including supporting and resourcing universities to ensure all provisional offers are honoured."

Ms Moran added: "The Prime Minister must show leadership and personally apologise for his Government's shambles."

02:22 PM

Northern Ireland to adopt teacher assessment for A-levels

A-level results in Northern Ireland are set to based on teachers' predictions after a standardisation model was widely criticised, sources said.

Stormont ministers faced a backlash from school heads, parents and pupils after last week's results were based around an approach calculating grades on a region-wide basis.

Education minister Peter Weir has been under pressure to act amid claims significant numbers of students were downgraded from their teachers' expectations. He had confirmed overnight that this week's GCSEs would be based on teacher assessment. 

It comes ahead of a statement from the UK Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, in which he is expected to concede a U-turn on exam grading, despite having insisted at the weekend that there would be no further changes. 

02:06 PM

Tory MPs told 'silence would be helpful' on exams row

Conservative MPs are being told to stop speaking publicly about the exams row, after multiple backbenchers and two ministers spoke out today. 

"We've just been told not to adopt too entrenched positions... and that silence would be helpful," one Tory MP said, noting that ministers were keeping the details of today's statement "v close to chest". 

However, a U-turn now seems inevitable, despite Gavin Williamson saying at the weekend there would be no further changes made. 

Backbenchers fear the shambles has caused long-lasting damage to the party, with one former minister saying: "The answer was to go with the teacher grades from the beginning. Why take the flak? Let the teachers explain the massive grade inflation.

"As it is, we have created at least two years' worth of school children who hate us, plus their parents and grandparents. This was not the time to be worried about the integrity of the grading system."

01:50 PM

At least 25 Tory MPs and ministers publicly slam Government over exam row

At least 25 Conservative MPs have now openly criticised the Government over its current system for A-level results, including two serving ministers. 

Isle of Wight MP Bob Seeley has joined the swelling number of Tories to call on the Government to follow Scotland and reverse its approach to grading in England.

He tweeted: "We must take account of the fact that we are living in unprecedented times and recognise what young people have been through.

"I look forward to today's statement," he added.

Paymaster General Penny Mordaunt and defence minister Johnny Mercer posted their grievances with the situation earlier, promising constituents that it would be resolved. 

Other senior MPs including Robert Halfon, Stephen Hammond, Sir Edward Leigh, Caroline Nokes and Bob Neill have all criticised the current approach. 

01:42 PM

Further two Covid deaths recorded in English hospitals

Just two people died with coronavirus in English hospitals over the last 24 hours, official figures show. 

The patients were aged between 81 and 86 years old and both had known underlying health conditions. The deaths were recorded in the South East and North East & Yorkshire. 

It brings the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 29,460.

01:30 PM

No further coronavirus deaths in Wales, officials confirm

There have been no further reported deaths of people who tested positive for coronavirus in Wales, health officials have said.

The total number of deaths since the beginning of the pandemic remains at 1,589.

Public Health Wales said the total number of cases in the country had increased by 14, bringing the revised total of confirmed cases to 17,575.

01:29 PM

Exams will be teacher assessed in Wales, Government confirms

A-level and GCSE grades will now be awarded to students in Wales on the basis of teacher assessments, the Welsh Government has said.

The education minister for Wales, Kirsty Williams, said: "Given decisions elsewhere, the balance of fairness now lies with awarding Centre Assessment grades to students, despite the strengths of the system in Wales.

"I am taking this decision now ahead of results being released this week, so that there is time for the necessary work to take place. For grades issued last week, I have decided that all awards in Wales, will also be made on the basis of teacher assessment.

"For those young people, for whom our system produced higher grades than those predicted by teachers, the higher grades will stand."

This is a likely precursor to similar changes in England, which we are expecting from 4pm today. 

Scotland was the first to announce a U-turn on its exams assessment, amid calls for the education secretary John Swinney to resign. 

Northern Ireland announced that it would be relying on teacher assessment for GCSEs overnight. 

01:17 PM

Lobby latest: Brexit deal still possible, says Downing Street

The Government is still confident that a Brexit deal with the EU can be reached in September, a No 10 spokesman has said.

Ahead of the latest round of negotiations in Brussels this week, the spokesman said the Government "will continue to plug the gaps where any differences remain".

It comes amid fears of a deadlock between the UK and the EU, with both sides admitting after the last talks in London in July that they still remain some way off reaching a post-Brexit trade agreement.

Looking ahead to the next trade negotiations which begin on Tuesday, the No 10 spokesman said: "There are many issues that will be discussed during this week's round, not least level playing field, fisheries, trading goods and services among others."

After last month's talks, the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier said a deal looked "at this point unlikely" given the UK position on fishing rights and post-Brexit competition rules.

12:59 PM

Have your say on: the exams next steps

Gavin Williamson is expected to confirm a Government U-turn on exams this afternoon, having previously insisted teacher assessment would lead to grade inflation. 

Several Conservative MPs including two ministers have gone public with their criticism of the "debacle", with Labour hammering the Government over failed promises to level up. 

Northern Ireland has said it will use teacher assessments for all GCSEs, while Scotland reinstated all the downgraded results to those originally recommended by their teachers after a similar row. 

But is the Education Secretary right to reinstate teacher assessments - or should he deploy a different approach? Have your say in the poll below.

12:57 PM

Tory MPs call on Gavin Williamson to make 'radical' exams change

Former minister Steve Brine said the Government needs to make a "radical" announcement on exam results today.

Speaking to the BBC's World at One, the Conservative MP said: "I think that the announcement this afternoon needs to be and will be radical."

He added: "If you're Ofqual, the system-wide objective was clearly met, the algorithm did its job because the overall results were broadly in line with previous years.

"But you see our young people, they're not a system, they are not a computer model."

Others including Bob Neill and Roger Gale have taken to Twitter to call for a U-turn.

12:54 PM

Dozens of students march on Gavin Williamson's Staffordshire office

Dozen of students set off on a march from Codsall Community School in Staffordshire to the Education Secretary's constituency office on Monday.

The students loudly chanted "trust our teachers" and "you're having a laugh, Gav" on their half-mile trip.

Some of the crowd held signs with the word "U-turn" and one had a sign with Gavin Williamson pictured as a clown with a multicoloured wig and a red nose.

One member of the public cheered the group, saying "go on kids, show them".

All the students wore masks as they marched, while cars beeped their horns in support of the protesters and others stood outside their homes to clap the demonstration.

Almost all students had signs - one displaying the message "Boris! Have the courage to admit you got it wrong".

A police car also followed the protest as the protesters chanted.

12:25 PM

Lobby latest: France is a 'safe' country, Downing Street insists

Downing Street has insisted France is "safe" for migrants, following reports at the weekend that Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, had told MPs people were risking the journey across the Channel because of racism. 

One MP on the call told The Sun on Sunday: "She told us some believe racism to be an issue. They claim they feel discriminated against when, for example, looking for work in France. Others claimed they feared being tortured if they stayed in France or Germany.

"Priti stressed that she didn't believe any of this to be true. She was merely trying to explain the pull factors."

Another MP told The Sunday Times: "She said migrants are coming here because France is racist."

Asked about this today, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "I'm not going to comment on reports from private meetings but we've been clear from the start that France is a safe country with a fully functioning asylum system and therefore refugees should claim asylum there."

12:20 PM

Lobby latest: Downing Street dodges questions over Croatia and Greece quarantine

he Government has refused to deny that Croatia and Greece could be added to the quarantine list.

A No 10 spokesman said: "We continue to keep these rules under constant review and we publish a list of the countries and territories that we are concerned about. You'll have seen the last update as of last week."

Asked whether Greece and its islands would count as one country for quarantine rule purposes, he added: "As I say, we will continue to keep data for all countries and territories under constant review. We update the list on a weekly basis."

Pushed on the limited time between new quarantine measures being announced and their implementation, the No 10 spokesman said: "We've always said that protecting public health remains our top priority, which is why it is important that when we make changes to the exemptions list we do so in a swift way.

"While these changes we understand can be disruptive, it is right that we take quick action to prevent cases being important into the UK."

12:18 PM

Lobby latest: Government wants to 'learn the right lessons' on PHE

The Government will be learning "the right lessons" from the way Public Health England handled the first wave of coronavirus, as it shuts the quango down, Downing Street has said. 

Public Health England (PHE) is to be replaced by a new agency that will specifically deal with protecting the country from pandemics, The Sunday Telegraph revealed this weekend.

The Prime Minister's spokesman said that PHE played a "integral role" in the Government's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

"It's important we learn the right lessons from the crisis to ensure that Government structures are fit to come with future epidemics," the spokesman said.

12:15 PM

Lobby latest: No delay to GCSEs, says Downing Street

We still don't know yet what will be in the statement this afternoon - but Downing Street has made it clear that there will be no postponing GCSE results this Thursday. 

Several MPs, including a number of Tories, have urged the Government to delay GCSE results in order to fix the algorithm.

However, the Prime Minister's spokesman said: "We will not be delaying GCSE results."

He added: "The whole Government continues to work hard to come up with the fairest possible for pupils."

12:10 PM

Lobby latest: Prime Minister won't cut holiday short over exam row, says Downing Street

The Prime Minister will be in Scotland "on holiday throughout the week", his official spokesman has said. 

"I would expect to see him back in next week," he added.

But asked if the exam crisis will cut his plans short, the spokesman says: "The Prime Minister will be kept up to date, and will continue to receive updates and briefings as necessary."

Boris Johnson spoke to the Education Secretary and senior officials this morning, the Prime Minister's spokesman confirmed.

"The whole Government continues to work hard to come up with the fairest possible," he added, stressing that Ofqual "continues to have the support of the Prime Minister".

Mr Johnson also has confidence in his Education Secretary, the spokesman said. 

 "The whole government has been working hard to come up with the fairest possible system for pupils. We recognise it's been an incredibly difficult year for pupils who weren't able to take their exams." 

11:51 AM

Lobby latest: Downing Street fails to rule out Scotland-style exams U-turn

Downing Street has not ruled out the prospect of a Scottish-style U-turn which would see grades based on teacher assessments rather than an algorithm.

Asked specifically if that was a possibility, a Number 10 spokesman said: "We will continue to work hard to come up with the fairest system possible for pupils."

It is understood that an announcement is to be made this afternoon. 

Whips are reportedly telling Conservative MPs that a statement is being made by Gavin Williamson and Ofqual at 4pm today, in a bid to shore up discipline after multiple backbenchers and two ministers went public with their criticism. 

11:34 AM

Johnny Mercer tells constituents he has raised 'clear injustices' with Government

A second minister has said he has made his views on the exams debacle "very clear within Government", telling constituents "I am your MP, on your side... and not afraid to show it".  

In a Facebook post Johnny Mercer, the defence minister and Plymouth MP,  said: "I do not believe this is the end of the story - there are too many clear injustices. At this time we must not panic, and await developments.

"I am limited in what I can say publicly - I have had many private conversations. Rest assured my views and motivations in politics do not change with the winds of Ministerial office or the like; I am your MP, on your side, and as I have demonstrated many times before, not afraid to show it."

He added: "Let's see what happens in the coming days."

11:12 AM

U-turn on the cards? Government to make statement on exams this afternoon

The Government will made an announcement on the exams situation this afternoon, it is understood. 

Conservative MPs have been told by the whips to expect a statement from Gavin Williamson, in a bid to stave off a growing rebellion in the ranks. 

The embattled Education Secretary ducked the broadcast round this morning, amid widespread criticism of his handling of the exams assessment. 

One Tory backbencher said he was expecting a statement at 4pm today, and that it "feels like" a U-turn was imminent. 

10:59 AM

Gavin Williamson warned over 'fundamentally wrong' algorithm

Former minister Jake Berry has joined the growing number of Tory MPs to write to Gavin Williamson over the exams debacle, urging the Education Secretary to move away from the "fundamentally wrong" algorithm. 

The Rossendale and Darwen MP and former Northern Powerhouse minister said he "would have liked to have seen more weight given to the predicted grades made by teachers".

In a Facebook post, he said: "They work with the students every day, will have seen how they reacted to the results of their mock exams, will have marked their coursework and know their students' capabilities better than anyone.

"I believe this would be a more than acceptable predictor of how well a student could have performed in an exam setting."

The letter to Mr Williamson said: "All of the indicators that the school are providing me with suggest that there is something fundamentally wrong with the standardisation model at the centre level."

10:43 AM

Stormont's deputy first minister accused to 'ignoring' rule of law over Troubles victim compensation

A judge has accused Stormont's deputy first minister of deliberating choosing to ignore the rule of law by delaying the introduction of a compensation scheme for Troubles victims.

Mr Justice McAlinden said the stance taken by Michelle O'Neill, the vice president of Sinn Féin, in not nominating a Stormont department to administer the scheme - a requirement set out in legislation passed at Westminster - was "fundamentally inappropriate".

"I see it as one element within Executive Office deliberately choosing to ignore the requirement to comply with the rule of law to express a political advantage," he told Belfast High Court.

"That is a fundamentally inappropriate stance to take and it is a stance that this court will have no hesitation in describing in the bluntest terms and in requiring a remedy to be provided in the shortest timeframe."

The judge expressed his view at the outset of a legal challenge taken by a woman who lost both legs in a Troubles bombing.

10:26 AM

Grade inflation? So what, says former sports minister as she calls for exams U-turn

The former sports minister Tracey Crouch has added her voice to the chorus of Conservative MPs calling for teacher assessments on A-levels to be reinstated, arguing the Ofqual algorithm is "flawed".

In a statement on Facebook the MP for Chatham and Aylesford said: "Now that it is clear that Ofqual think it is a flawed algorithm we should revert to the teacher grades.

"Some think that this would lead to over-inflation - and yes it might - but having spoken to a school head this morning I am confident that most schools have quality-checking processes that would mean very few would be inflated, and if they were, given the world we are currently in, so what? These things have a way of sorting themselves out in the long run.

"But if we are going to make the changes, we need to do so today. Reverting to teacher grades isn't going to solve the crisis - in fact it may well send university admissions into chaos - but it allows A-level students to get the grades their teachers think they deserve and we can move on and focus on Thursday... GCSE results day.

"Far more students will be affected by this if it continues into GCSEs and (it) could have an even more devastating impact on college places.

"I have made all these points formally and hope that ministerial colleagues are listening. We need this sorted ASAP."

10:12 AM

Penny Mordaunt seeks meeting with minister as she makes 'views known' on exams debacle

Penny Mordaunt, the Paymaster General, is seeking an "urgent meeting" with the education minister Nick Gibb and has written to the Department for Education over the exams debacle. 

The Cabinet Office minister tweeted that she had "made my views on GCSE results known to DfE".

She added: "This group of young people have lost out on so much already, we must ensure that bright, capable students can progress on their next step. Delaying a year won’t be an option, and it shouldn’t be an option. For many it will mean falling out of education." 

"I will be supporting colleges in their appeals, working to ensure those who have the grades on appeal can go to Uni this year if that is what they want," she added. "Also made my views on the option to sit exams clear,  including that there cannot be a fee."

09:53 AM

Coalition minister urges delay to GCSEs as England faces 'crisis of confidence' over exams

An ex-minister from the Coalition days has has called for a delay to the publication of GCSE results warning that "England faces a crisis of confidence" in the system.

David Laws, the Liberal Democrat MP who served as chief secretary to the Treasury and education minister, said it was "essential" that GCSE grades are not published "until Ofqual is confident that they are fair and robust and will not lead to further speculation or uncertainty and a requirement for mass appeals". 

Mr Laws, who is now the executive chairman of the Education Policy Institute, added: "It's clear this week that England faces a crisis of confidence in its exam grading, which is causing distress to students and uncertainty for schools, colleges and universities.

"Ofqual has tried hard to maintain the overall credibility of the exams system this year but this seems to have come at a very high price to fairness to individual students.

"In making a choice between guarding exam standards and fairness to individual students, it is much more important to prioritise fairness to students.

"We also need to avoid our entire education system being clogged up with appeals - and it is very unlikely that Ofqual has the capacity itself to deal with mass numbers of such appeals."

09:38 AM

Former minister urges Government to overturn exams 'injustice'

Another former Conservative minister has called for the Government to take action to rectify results where pupils "feel an injustice has been done". 

Sir Oliver Heald, the North East Hertfordshire MP, said: "I feel great sympathy for the students who have been disappointed by their results.

"Although teachers' assessments alone can lead to grade inflation, it seems that the Ofqual algorithm is a blunt instrument and has adversely affected schools and colleges with large sixth forms.

"I am pressing the Government to urgently make changes to the system and am also advising all students to work with their schools and colleges on appeals where they feel an injustice has been done.

"This demonstrates the importance of holding public exams and how hard it is to devise a system anywhere near as good."

09:37 AM

Sir Edward Leigh writes to Government over 'clear injustice' of exams assessment

Veteran Tory Sir Edward Leigh has written to education minister Nick Gibb about the "clear injustice" faced by some A-level students.

The Gainsborough MP said: "I am concerned that some hardworking pupils have been downgraded because this year's results are based on last year's."

He said he had asked Mr Gibb to "reconsider" the Government's approach and "allow teachers' assessments to be used when there is clear injustice".

09:29 AM

Roll out mass testing and bio-ID this year to save economy, says Tony Blair

Former prime minister Tony Blair has called for the Government to roll out mass testing for Covid-19 before the end of 2020.

A report from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, published today, says digital 'coronavirus-status passports' could be used to scrap blanket lockdown measures and free up vast swathes of the economy, if people were tested as often as fortnightly. 

Passport holders would then be able to scan an individual QR code to get into restaurants and sports venues, meaning businesses would be able to reduce social distancing requirements.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Blair said the Government "has got to change the way it calculates risk", saying that the 14-day quarantine was "wrong actually".  

Instead mass testing and " a sensible risk calculus" was needed. 

Mr Blair added: "We suggest how you might boost and accelerate the development of these on-the-spot antigen tests and then we say at a certain stage you want to move to a ... every person has, as it were, a record of what tests they've had, if you like a kind of bio-ID which allows them then to present, for example, when you're travelling - I just don't see how you get international travel going again unless you've got regular testing."

09:15 AM

Liz Truss: I am fighting to consign unacceptable and unfair tariffs to the rubbish bin of history

Acting on "unfair" tariffs on items such as Scotch whisky will be a priority once Britain officially leaves the EU on January 1, Trade Secretary Liz Truss has said.

Although last week the US said it would remove tariffs on shortbread and drop the threat of tariffs on gin, sparkling wine and blended whisky, it remained committed to tariffs on single malt Scotch - which Ms Truss calls a "jewel in our national crown".

Writing in today's Daily Telegraph, Ms Truss said the issue "encapsulates why it is so important for Britain to have its own independent trade policy".

Read her article in full here.

09:04 AM

Postpone GCSEs and issue 'humble apology', schools boss tells Government

The head of an academy trust has called for GCSE results to be postponed so that Ofqual and ministers can consult with "people outside of their own systems" and create a fair system. 

Steve Chalke, founder of the Oasis Academy Trust, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think there should be a delay.

"I think there should be an apology for the A-levels, a humble apology, and I think that there should be a delay around the GCSEs because it is better to reflect on what has happened, for Ofqual and for the Government to reflect and then respond having consulted with people outside of their own systems, with senior educationalists, rather than react and then regret, and then withdraw and then put a plan forward etc."

He added: "The pastoral disaster for young people, that is the biggest thing. So now is the time to stop, to pause, to reflect.

"I wouldn't go with something subjective ... the problem with teacher assessments is, as I think I heard on this programme earlier, some teachers assess very positively, they're glass half full - and some are glass half empty people - so that won't produce fairness at all."

09:02 AM

Grade inflation 'less bad option' than 'intolerable strain' of algorithm, says private schools body

The head of a private schools association has urged the Government to take the "less bad option" of teacher assessments, despite inevitable grade inflation, than the "intolerable strain" of using an algorithm. 

Dr Simon Hyde, incoming general secretary of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, which represents 296 leading private schools, said: "The only way now to stop this intolerable strain on students and teachers is to award the teacher assessment grades or CAGs.

"Whilst we accept that the unavoidable outcome is grade inflation, we believe this is the less bad option when tens of thousands of students are facing unfair grades, thousands of schools are facing an as yet undeveloped appeals process and most of us need to concentrate our energy on supporting the Prime Minister's desire to reopen our schools in a few weeks' time."

Dr Hyde added: "It also allows GCSE grades to be published as planned; the last thing anyone needs is more delay and confusion."

08:49 AM

Watch: Labour uses Prime Minister's words against him in new attack ad

In case the argument hasn't been made forcefully enough in recent days, Labour has put together a new attack ad (or social media video) hammering home its point about the Government's responsibility for the exams chaos, and how it goes against the Prime Minister's levelling up pledge. 

08:40 AM

Camilla Tominey: If the schools fiasco continues, Gavin Williamson will have to go

With the knives already out among Conservative backbenchers, who have variously described the unpopular former chief whip as a “disgrace”, a “farce” and “useless”, it is fair to say Gavin Williamson is currently considered bottom of the ministerial class of 2020.

Allies insist he has “always had enemies” in the party. But there is a school of thought that Williamson hasn’t been making the grade since he was appointed in July last year.

As Camilla Tominey writes, the Education Secretary appears to be surviving due to his loyalty to Boris Johnson and his knowledge, as a former chief whip, of where the “bodies are buried”.

But how long can he last before being told to "go away and shut up"?

08:29 AM

Gavin Williamson should 'carry the can' for exams farce, says former Ofsted head

A former head of Ofsted has attacked Gavin Williamson for the "terrible farce" over exams, suggesting the Education Secretary should "carry the can". 

Sir Michael Wilshaw told BBC Radio 4's Today programme "there has to be political responsibility". 

"Like all things at the end of the day, and somebody has to carry the can, the politicians, the political leaders have to carry the can," he added. "And the great danger for Gavin Williamson at the moment is that he is losing confidence, he is losing the confidence of headteachers around the country who have seen this happen.

"He hasn't exactly covered himself in glory over the pandemic period with all sorts of changes of direction - saying that primary schools would be open when they obviously couldn't be under the social distancing rules, saying every poor child would receive a laptop and obviously that didn't happen, the school meals voucher system wasn't working.

"And so he's losing the dressing room, if you like. Headteachers have got to feel confident that they are being well-led by the Department for Education who are holding this agency, Ofqual, to account."

08:26 AM

Have your say on: the exams debacle

Ofqual has been given just a few hours to get to grips with the exams assessment system, amid fears that Thursday's GCSE results will bring another wave of devastated students around the country. 

Several Conservative MPs have gone public with their criticism of the "debacle", with Labour hammering the Government over failed promises to level up. 

Northern Ireland has said it will use teacher assessments for all GCSEs, while Scotland reinstated all the downgraded results to those originally recommended by their teachers after a similar row. 

But Gavin Williamson has insisted there will be no U-turn in England, warning it will lead to grade inflation. 

So what do you think? Have your say in the poll below.

08:15 AM

Correct and re-run algorithm as 'national, single appeal', says colleges association head

The head of the Six Form Colleges Association has said the algorithm used to assess A-level results should be amended and "re-run" as an "automated single appeal". 

Bill Watkin told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think the first thing to do is to recalibrate the algorithm and re-run it immediately.

"I understand that the Government is focused on appeals as the way forward and the two can happen together.

"So what we should be doing is amending the algorithm and re-running it as a national, institution level, automated single appeal.

"But we need also to make sure that no-one will get a grade lower than the grade they already have."

Mr Watkin added: "Correct it and run it again, and that way we should be able to see the numbers fall in line with previous years and not tens, if not hundreds of thousands of young people suffering as they are right now because they are not getting into the university of their choice or the employment of their choice."

08:02 AM

Exams chaos blamed on Government policy changing 'every 12-24 hours'

Thursday will see "another wave" of students receiving lower grades than expected, this time in their GCSEs, as the exams regulator tries to respond to chaotic changes to Government policy, an adviser to Ofqual has said. 

Professor Tina Isaacs, who sits on the watchdog's standards advisory group, said she was "very concerned indeed" that GCSE results would further damage public confidence in the system, telling BBC Breakfast: "I'm afraid it will not be able to claw back all of it."

But she blamed rapidly changing direction from ministers for the chaos, saying: "Ofqual's role is to carry out Government policy.... And when policy shifts every 12 to 24 hours, Ofqual then has to deal with it as best as it can."

08:01 AM

Government must drop algorithm-based exams assessment, says Iain Duncan Smith

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith has called on the Government to abandon the algorithm approach to assessing exams, saying that teacher assessment must be used instead. 

"No algorithm is going to sort our problem out, it's a human issue," he told LBC Radio.

He said concerns about "grade inflation" could be dealt with by accepting that 2020 would not be used as a benchmark for future years because some of the grades would have been "overcooked" by teachers.

"I think we're left with the very simple position we have to go pretty much with the assessments or the mocks - and/or the mocks, you could do both depending when the assessments were done - and then get it over and done with.

"The idea that you have an algorithm to figure out what they might have done in an exam is really impossible and I think that's where the big mistakes will be made."

07:57 AM

Revise 'faulty' exams algorithm, says colleges association head

The chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association has called on the Government to recalibrate the A-level algorithm, which has a "fault".

Bill Watkin told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We looked at 65,000 A-level entries in sixth form colleges this summer across 41 A-level subjects - that's all A-level subjects covered in the study - and in every single one of the 41 subjects, the results this year were lower than the previous three-year average.

"So there are two separate but connected issues here at play. First is the chasm between the teacher grades - what are called the centre-assessment grades - and the algorithm grades, the calculated grades that students actually were issued on Thursday.

"Second is the failure of the algorithm to ensure that results this year are broadly in line with previous years, which is something the Government said it wanted to achieve - they wanted year-on-year parity, a level playing field.

"But in our study it is absolutely clear that, in every single A-level subject, the results this year were lower than the previous three-year average."

He added: "There is a fault in the algorithm."

07:54 AM

Andy Burham to being legal action over exams process

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is to write to England's exams regulator to initiate legal action over the A-level results process.

He tweeted on Monday: "So it looks like the Government ARE digging in and standing by their deeply flawed system.

"In that case, I will be taking legal advice this morning and have instructed leading Counsel. I expect to be writing to Ofqual later today to initiate action."

07:29 AM

Deprived students won't have opportunity to study if forced to take year out, Tory MP warns

A Conservative MP has warned ministers to consider what disadvantaged A-level students will actually be doing if they are forced to take a year out to retake exams if they have been marked down during this year's chaotic assessment. 

Sir Robert Syms argued he would be "happy" for GCSE students to be awarded their teacher-assessed grades and that "most Conservative MPs would be".

The MP for Poole told Times Radio: "My feeling is that we're going to have a fraught appeals process and then some students will have to do retakes because they won't be satisfied by the appeals process, and many will have to wait a further year before they go to university.

"Now, if you come from a deprived area of London, you can't afford to go on a safari in Kenya on your year off, you'll be working in Tesco and Sainsbury's, and probably not have the opportunity to continue studying to get your grades.

"I think in those circumstances there are many disadvantaged kids who are being put in a difficult position because their families can't afford them to have a year off and I just think the Government haven't looked at the whole picture here."

07:26 AM

UK 'does not accept result' of Belarus election, says Dominic Raab

The UK Government has said it does not accept the results of the "fraudulent" presidential election in Belarus following days of protests against the government of Alexander Lukashenko.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has called for an independent investigation by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

He said: "The world has watched with horror at the violence used by the Belarusian authorities to suppress the peaceful protests that followed this fraudulent presidential election.

"The UK does not accept the results. We urgently need an independent investigation through the OSCE into the flaws that rendered the election unfair, as well as the grisly repression that followed.

"The UK will work with our international partners to sanction those responsible, and hold the Belarusian authorities to account."

07:23 AM

Grade inflation fears 'minor compared with exams outrage' says Ofqual adviser

Professor Robert Coe, a member of Ofqual's independent standards advisory group, said awarding A-level students their teacher-assessed grades would "take the heat off".

Ofqual and Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary, are under pressure to change approach after nearly 40 per cent of students were marked down last week, with those from historically underperforming schools disproportionately affected. Ministers are now braced for another backlash when the GCSE results - which are moderated using the same algorithm - are released on Thursday.

Mr Coe told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that "the big downside" of relying on teacher-assessed grades was grade inflation, explaining "that is a problem because too many students would qualify for university or, in the case of GCSE, would qualify for further destinations".

But he added: "That seems like a relatively minor problem compared with the amount of outrage that is out there and the political momentum that this whole thing is taking on."

He added: "It does have implications, it is not a cost-free solution, but politically it maybe takes the heat off."

07:16 AM

Labour urges Government to consider switching to teacher-assessed GCSEs

Labour has called on the Government to consider awarding pupils their GCSE results based on teacher-assessed grades should be kept on the table.

Shadow education secretary Kate Green said the option of told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The Government need to make progress on this, tell us what they're doing, tell us when they're going to be able to give us absolute assurance that this algorithm is reliable or that they've found an alternative way of grading students that is reliable, and this cannot be allowed to drag on - these young people are desperate to know about their futures."

On allowing students to receive their teacher-assessed grades, she added: "I recognise that it is not perfect, you can back that up, of course, with an appeals system which can include looking at the mock results if they're available and if they're felt to be robust.

"I think in these exceptional circumstances that these students are in this year, the fact that their education has already been so disrupted, we have said teacher-assessed grades should be the basis for the A-level results.

"It may be that if there's no other fair method of determining the GCSE results, we'll have to look at that, keep that option on the table for them too."

07:14 AM

Northern Ireland moves to use teacher assessment for GCSEs

Gavin Williamson is under further pressure to change approach with GCSEs, after Northern Ireland's government said results would be based solely on grades provided by teachers. 

Education minister Peter Weir said GCSEs taken with exams body CCEA - which provides about 97 per cent of GCSE exams in Northern Ireland - would be covered by the decision.

"Having received advice from CCEA and listened to the concerns of school leaders, teachers, parents and young people, I have decided that all GCSE candidates will now be awarded the grades submitted by their centre," he said.

"Standardisation is normally a key feature of awarding qualifications in Northern Ireland and across the UK.

"However, these are exceptional circumstances and in exceptional times truly difficult decisions are made.

"I am conscious that for GCSEs, unlike at A-level, we do not have system level prior performance data for this group of young people."

07:12 AM

Former ministers round on Government for exams 'shambles'

Last week backbenchers were wary of going public with their criticism on the Government over the exams row - but increasingly they are going public with it. 

This morning Stephen Hammond told Sky News the situation had "gone very rapidly from some clarity into shambles". 

He blamed Ofqual, the exams regulator, for creating "a state of limbo" by rescinding guidance on appealing mocks less than eight hours after it was first published, saying: "Almost everybody’s jaw is dropping... [they are] not the actions of a body that seems to know what they are doing."

But he also failed to answer when asked if he had confidence in Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary, noting that colleagues were "frustrated" and urging the frontbencher to "spend today working with Ofqual" to rapidly sort the matter out. 

Caroline Nokes, the former immigration minister, had this to say: 

06:45 AM

Gavin Williamson and Ofqual divided over grades

The Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, is under further pressure as it emerged last night that key figures at the exam regulator want the Government to U-turn and award students their predicted grades. 

The Telegraph can reveal that members of the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) board now want to ditch their own algorithm, which has been controversially used to calculate results for A-levels and GCSEs this year.

Mr Williamson has repeatedly defended the algorithm as the fairest possible way to calculate students' grades after exams were cancelled due to coronavirus and said there will be "no U-turn, no change".

He has insisted using teachers’ predictions – also known as “centre-assessed grades or CAGs” – would lead to massive grade inflation and devalue the qualifications.

However, sources have told The Telegraph that a split within Ofqual’s board has emerged, whereby some members believe that the algorithm has led to a "hemorrhaging" of public trust in qualifications and that performing a U-turn, as the Scottish government has done, is the “least bad option”.