Exam results day muted by pandemic

Instead of arriving at their schools and colleges to meet friends and teachers in anticipation of opening their sealed envelopes, A-levels students received their results at home via email or through school and college websites.

Over 700 pupils were unable to sit their exams this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, teachers graded pupils based on a range of evidence, including mock exam results and non-exam assessments and they were given the grade they were likely to have received if their exam had gone ahead.

To ensure pupils were fairly graded by their schools and colleges, the results were further assessed with the support of the independent qualifications regulator Ofqual.

The usual breakdown of pupils’ achievements is also not being published by the Department for Education to take away the added strain of the “league table” comparisons.

Councillor Robert Benham, Havering’s Cabinet Member for Education, Children and Families, said:

“This year the celebrations are a little muted as pupils are not able to gather together to get their results to either celebrate or to give each other some moral support.

“However, our congratulations go out to the pupils who achieved the grades they wanted and who are planning to go into higher education, work, an apprenticeship, or further training.

“For those that didn’t achieve the grades they’d hoped for, many schools have set up surgeries so they can speak to someone if they’re unhappy with the results and to look at the steps they can take.”

Some pupils will have the option to take a “re-sit” in autumn, once they’ve discussed it with their teachers.

For help and further information pupils can visit the Careers Helpline for Teenagers.