Expectations are growing that the government is to announce a major U-turn on A-level and GCSE results this afternoon as pressure to award students teacher-assessed grades mounts.

There are reports that MPs have been told to expect an announcement later today following a week of controversy surrounding the way Ofqual has awarded grades this summer.

A Downing Street spokesperson has refused to rule out a U-turn and a government minister has hinted today that more developments with this year’s grades are expected.

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The government has ruled out delaying the publication of this week’s GCSE results following the fallout from A levels last week.

Following the coronavirus cancellation of exams, results have been awarded through Ofqual’s standardising process, using grades submitted by teachers along with schools’ historic performance data, pupils’ prior attainment and a rank order of pupils by grade and subject.

However, it proved to be massively controversial at A level after it emerged that 39 per cent of the centre-assessed grades submitted by schools had been moderated down.

And it has resulted in private schools seeing a rise in their proportion of A and A* grades that was more than double the increase for any kind of state school. 

Today, Downing Street refused to rule out a Scottish-style U-turn that would mean grades are based on teacher assessments rather than on an algorithm.

Asked specifically if that was a possibility, a Number 10 spokesman said: “We will continue to work hard to come up with the fairest system possible for pupils.”

Amid speculation that a U-turn could be coming over the controversial way that results were awarded, a Number 10 spokesman said Mr Johnson broke into his holiday to speak to education secretary Gavin Williamson this morning.

“The prime minister spoke to the education secretary and senior officials this morning,” the spokesperson said.

“We continue to work hard to come up with the fairest system possible.”

Commenting on the exams controversy, defence minister and Plymouth MP Johnny Mercer said: “I do not believe this is the end of the story - there are too many clear injustices.

“At this time we must not panic and await developments. I am limited to what I can say publicly. I have had many private conversations.”

Former Conservative education secretary Lord Baker has called on his current counterpart Gavin Williamson to delay the publication of GCSE results next week because Ofqual’s model has produced “barely explicable” A-level downgrades.

Former Conservative MP Nick Boles has said that Boris Johnson will force Mr Williamson into a U-turn on A levels and predicted that a new education secretary will be appointed in the autumn.

Johnson will force Williamson to U-turn on A levels. But he won’t get rid him just yet. He needs him to take the rap for GCSE results and any chaos that arises when schools re-open. But there will be a new Education Secretary this autumn.

- Nick Boles (@NickBoles) August 17, 2020