A pedestrian walks past shuttered shop fronts on an empty shopping street in London amid the COVID-19 pandemic on Wednesday. Photo: AFP
The British government was forced Monday to abandon its policy for grading exams that were canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic after protests by students and warnings that it threatened the career prospects of the most disadvantaged pupils.
England's exam regulator said that it would accept at face value assessments made by teachers in lieu of high school exams, abandoning a moderation process intended to avoid widespread grade inflation.
The publication of A-level results last week sparked outrage when it emerged that 39 percent of teachers' assessments had been downgraded under an algorithm based on a school's past performance.
A-levels are key school-leaving exams for 18-year-olds.
Pupils took to the streets of London and threatened legal action, complaining the system made it harder for bright children in disadvantaged areas to do well, while rewarding mediocre students in private schools.
As angry parents lobbied their MPs, opposition parties scented an opportunity, and increasing numbers of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative party called for a rethink.
The devolved governments in Scotland and Wales had already reverted to teachers' assessments, putting pressure on England to follow suit - particularly with another key set of results, for the General Certificate of Secondary Educations (GCSEs) taken by 16-year-olds, due on Thursday.
AFP