The fragile trust I had in the government to make sure our formulated results did us justice was shattered this morning as I stared in shock at my grades.
I had been marked down in two subjects, but I still knew I was one of the lucky ones in “class Covid”.
About a week after my predicted grade exams, I was hospitalised for problems relating to my mental health. Things were very difficult in the run-up to those exams and, given the circumstances, I was especially proud that I achieved A*AA.
That’s why I felt I had been robbed when I received my real results this morning. I had been awarded AAB. Having already turned down university offers that these grades would have satisfied in favour of giving Oxford a shot, these results were particularly disappointing - even though to many people they would still seem like good grades.
Finding out that my centre assessment grades were AAA only increased my sense of indignation at this year’s grading system.
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I plan to appeal my results. But as the uncertainty of this process looms ahead of me, I can’t help reflecting on the enormity of today’s outcomes, both for myself and my peers.
What first struck me about the results my peers and I received today was the apparent complete lack of regard for personal and academic circumstances.
At the school I attended, we were given a two-week period to complete our 4,500-word history coursework directly before our mock exams in early February. Of course, the school had no idea that these exams could wind up counting as our final result, and Ofqual would not have accounted for the fact that our history cohort did not have a fair opportunity to revise for our mock exams in when marking me down based on them.
However, as a result of this, my chances of obtaining the A grade I was predicted in English literature were ripped away, leaving me unable to apply to my dream university.
There also seemed to be an utter disregard for the fact we did not prepare as thoroughly for our end of Year 12 exams and mock papers as we would have for our actual A levels, because we did not expect our final grades to be based on them.
The mental preparation, intense classes on exam technique and last-minute revision, for many pupils like myself, is what really leads us to achieve higher in external exams than we do in school-assessed papers. Unfortunately, this fact also seemed to have been forgotten when calculating our results.
A large proportion of the grades I and my cohort received today seemed to have been calculated inconsistently, leaving us feeling shocked, confused and cheated.
For instance, Ofqual appeared to have lowered my English literature result owing to the outcome of my mocks, but did not award me an A* for Classical civilisation, despite my achieving this grade in the mocks and consistently throughout sixth form. It feels like they picked and chose what evidence they used for each individual subject, exposing themselves to accusations of unfairness from teachers, pupils and parents alike.
However, in what appears to me like a results lottery, some of my peers achieved exactly what they were predicted and deserved, my girlfriend included. She is celebrating a hat-trick of A*s - a result that matched her performance in the mocks and predicted grade exams.
This just shows how potentially unstandardised Ofqual’s “standardisation model” really is.
But despite all the unfairness, we now have to pick ourselves up and move forwards. We have to look at the positives.
For those who wished to go to university in September, but did not achieve the results they needed, Ucas’ clearing process has been a lifeline.
A fellow student, who was offered a place by the University of Liverpool on her BBD predictions, had to face the upsetting news of being rejected by them this morning following a disappointing CCE outcome. After proactively seeking out other courses she would be happy to start in September, she has now been guaranteed a place at Nottingham Trent University.
They do not list the specific grades you need to be offered the place on the Ucas clearing page - rather, you call the universities you are interested in to give them your clearing number and discuss your situation. This is an invaluable resource, not only for the 2020 cohort but for everyone who applies to university through Ucas.
Above and beyond academic study, my experience as an A-Level student during the pandemic has taught me valuable life lessons of adaptability, resourcefulness and fighting your corner, using the channels open to you.
Good luck to all those disappointed students today who will be joining me in the appeals process and the teachers who will be supporting them.
Ollie Wells is a student who has just completed Year 13.
