A quick update on the exams situation. I am very sorry that young people, their families and teachers have had such a stressful week. I am hugely relieved that the Government has bowed to the inevitable and recognised that no matter how sophisticated, an algorithm is never going to give people the confidence they need that the grades are fair. Indeed the more sophisticated, to take account of the complexities of different schools and students, the more opaque the system, and the less it will be trusted. So they’ve done the right thing, both for A-Level and GCSE students
Some students who were marked down last week have missed out on university places which this week’s grades would have won them. Some of these will have now accepted offers from their second-choice universities. I joined a call last night with Education ministers in which they confirmed that students can release themselves from any places they have accepted. Ministers are putting maximum pressure on universities to honour their previous offers, and the Government has lifted the legal cap on student numbers so uni’s will be able to take as many students as they have physical capacity for. If the worst comes to the worst, they will have to defer their place until next year - but ministers are hopeful that in most cases places will be available this year.