A levels, accuracy and algorithms

To The Times

It is easy to point the finger of blame regarding A levels, but the universities should take their share. To make offers of places based on the relatively solid foundation of mock results, coursework and teacher assessment, and then withdraw them because of the “results” of exams that were not taken does not make any sense. I wonder what harm it would do if the universities were forced to honour the offers made.

Michael Morton, Redbourn, Hertfordshire

To The Times

Although many are keen to jump on the incompetence of the Government over A levels, the toxic reception to results day reveals huge flaws in the tertiary education system and our expectations for young people. Although the algorithm used was clearly flawed, I wonder how we have got to a point that we cannot tell young students that A-level results are not the be-all and end-all, and that Gavin Williamson has not ruined their lives for ever. Tony Blair’s policy of getting half of students into tertiary education bred a myth that anyone who doesn’t go to university is a failure.

David Turner, London

To The Independent

The controversy over exam grades in the UK is interesting, as people call for teachers’ predictions to be used as the main judge of academic performance and exam grades. Unfortunately, teachers have been proven to be poor predictors of exam results. A report by the University and College Union in December 2016 showed that only 16% of actual exam grades were accurately predicted by teachers. Seventy-five per cent were over-predicted and just 9% were under-predicted. This shows that the Government is right to adjust grades accordingly.

Inevitably, there will be a minority of students who are unjustly affected, and a free-of-charge and effective appeal system is the right way to go.

David Roxburgh, Brigstock, Northamptonshire