By Sheila Mckenzie-
Schools and colleges in the Uk have been instructed to hold back on BTEC results to students on Thursday, in light of the last-minute U-turn on exam grading that has taken place with G.C.S.E and A level results.
With barely 24 hours to go until results day, exam board Pearson asked schools and colleges not to publish level 1 and 2 results in the vocational qualifications to give them more time to recalculate the grades.
They said in a statement: “BTec qualification results have been been generally consistent with teacher and learner expectations, but we have become concerned about unfairness in relation to what are now significantly higher outcomes for GCSE and A-levels.”
The board did not announce when the final results will be released, leaving many BTec students feeling held in suspense and anxiety over what their final results would be. The board say they aim to achieve fairness for Btec students, and not put them at a disadvantage against G.C.S.E and A level students.
Teacher Estimstes
It follows the reversed decision for GCSE and A-level students this year be able to receive grades based on their teachers’ estimates.
The focus of the Department Of Education’s U turn was G.C.S.E and A level pupils. BTEC students’ grades had not been included in the original announcement, but now Pearson is adapting to the U turn made by the government in relation to G.C.S.E’s and A levels, and applying it to B Tec students.
Principles
A spokeswoman for Pearson, the provider of BTECs, said: “Following Ofqual’s announcement that A-level and GCSE students are to receive centre-assessed grades, we will be applying the same principles for students receiving BTEC results this summer.
“We will be regrading BTECs to address concerns about unfairness in relation to A-levels and GCSEs and ensure no BTEC student is disadvantaged.”
She added: “We know this could cause additional uncertainty for students and we are sorry about this.
“Our priority is to ensure fair outcomes for BTEC students and we will work around the clock to provide revised grades as soon as we can.”
Labour’s shadow education secretary, Kate Green, criticised the last minute announcement. She said: “This latest chaos is totally unacceptable.
“For some young people to find out less than a day in advance that they will not be receiving their grades tomorrow is utterly disgraceful.
“It’s appalling that thousands of young people should face further confusion and uncertainty because of the Government’s incompetence.
“This repeated chaos is simply no way to run a country. The Government must urgently set a clear deadline for every young person to receive their grades.”
Moderation Algorithim
Exams regulator Ofqual said the moderation algorithm used in A-levels and GCSEs was not used in the majority of vocational and technical qualifications (VTQ) – including BTECs.
However, in the dying hours, before results were due to be published – England’s exams watchdog said some exam boards, including OCR and Pearson, will “need more time” to recalculate results.
It said: “OCR have said that their Cambridge National results will issue next week.
“Pearson, which initially did not think there would need to be significant changes made, has now decided to revise its arrangements to ensure that students’ qualification-level results better reflect the unit-level results that students have already secured through internally assessed units.”