Exam grades must be fair for disadvantaged

WITH A-level results day coming on Thursday, we cannot afford a repeat of what has happened in Scotland, where the most disadvantaged students have been downgraded and effectively robbed of their prospects.

I wrote to the Government and the exams regulator, Ofqual, in April to warn of the pitfalls of the awarded grades system. While I was happy to receive reassurances, recent events prove we have a right to still be concerned. It has been positive to see Ofqual announce that schools can appeal if grades are lower than they should be. But some students may still fall foul of unconscious bias in the marking system. Further accommodations should be made to ensure the appeals process is more open to them. Let’s ensure that BAME and poorer pupils are not penalised because of their backgrounds. Jennette Arnold OBE

Labour’s London Assembly education spokesman