The Department for Education introduced more “chaos” and confusion into this year’s exam results season last night by stating that students would not get their GCSE grades until next week.

But education secretary Gavin Williamson this morning contradicted his own department, saying that students would find out their actual grade this Thursday with certificates delayed until “a week later”.

U-turn: A-level and GCSE teacher grades stand

Ofqual: Watchdog withdraws criteria for students to appeal using mock grades

Controversy: Ofqual algorithm exected to have more severe impact at GCSE

‘Stop digging’: Delay GCSEs because of flawed algorithm, says Lord Baker

Last night’s DfE statement was apparently clear that “official results” would be delayed until next week, with students only learning the grades that teachers had given them - their “centre-assessment grades” (CAGs) - on Thursday.

These CAGs are being allowed to stand following yesterday’s dramatic Ofqual U-turn. But actual results could still be different as students are being allowed to keep their moderated grade, calculated through Ofqual’s algorithm, if it turns out to be higher than the CAG.

The DfE statement last night: “On Thursday schools and colleges will inform students of their GCSE centre-assessment grades, and official results will be released to students next week.”

‘Delay’ to official GCSE results

This led teachers to claim that the delay amounted to more exam results “chaos”. 

But this morning, appearing on BBC TV news, the education secretary offered a different timetable. He was asked: “What happens on Thursday with GCSEs? What are parents and children going to receive because we are told the official results will be a week later. What happens on Thursday?”

Mr Williamson answered: “Youngsters will be told whichever is their highest, whether it is their centre-assessed grades or whether that is the moderated standardised grade that has been provided by Ofqual, and certification will follow a week later.”

After the DfE statement last night, teachers were left asking whether this meant that only the moderated grades that were higher than the centre assessed grades (CAGs) would be released next week.

Tes columnist Mark Enser said: “Good grief. CAGs for GCSE pupils on Thursday and a week’s wait to see if the algorithm grade is higher? Why? Surely those are already in the system? The chaos continues.”

He added: “I’m assuming this also means they will only see the algorithm grade if it is higher than the CAG - the lower ones will be forever hidden.”

I’m assuming this also means they will only see the algorithm grade if it is higher than the CAG - the lower ones will be forever hidden... https://t.co/wjC2Q0P78M

- Mark Enser ? (@EnserMark) August 17, 2020

This year’s results were set to be awarded through a standardisation process after the Covid-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of A-level and GCSE exams.

Ofqual used assessment grades submitted by schools, along with schools’ historical performance data and a ranking of students in each subject.

However, the process came in for mounting criticism over the way some students had been deemed to have failed exams they never sat.

The majority of grades were determined through the standardising process, which at A level resulted in 39 per cent of teacher-assessed grades being downgraded.

Yesterday both education secretary Gavin Williamson and Ofqual’s chair, Roger Taylor, apologised for the distress caused by the process as it was announced that all GCSE and A-level students would receive their CAGs unless their Ofqual moderated grade was higher.