Applicants to Oxford University who successfully appeal over their A-level results have been told they may have to wait a year before they can start their degree courses.
Some students who achieve the top grades after challenging their results could have their places at Oxford deferred until autumn 2021 if the institution reaches maximum capacity.
The university has said it would not be possible to meet “ongoing social-distancing restrictions” and other challenges presented by Covid-19 if it went above its maximum intake of students.
A levels 2020:
The move comes after universities minister Michelle Donelan told universities to hold places for applicants challenging A-level grades until they receive the outcome of their appeal.
On the suggestion that some applicants could be asked to defer places until 2021 if they appeal, shadow health minister Justin Madders tweeted: “Haven’t these kids gone through enough already?”
Siobhain McDonagh, MP (Labour) for Mitcham and Morden, said there had been some “terrible cases” at schools in her constituency, including with the University of Exeter which would not accept mock exam results of one student, despite education secretary Gavin Williamson saying that they would be equal to official results.
Meanwhile, the Ucas (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) deadline for applicants to meet their academic offer conditions is September 7, which leaves exam boards less than four weeks to issue outcomes of appeals.
But schools, colleges and universities are still unclear how the new appeals process will work and what the likely timescale will be.
England’s exams regulator, Ofqual, has said it is “working urgently” to set out how mock exam results will form the basis of an appeal, but further details will not be ready until next week.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “We would encourage universities to show some flexibility about applications, and not to undermine the appeals process by insisting students must defer.
“These are unique circumstances in which students who were on course for places and have not had an opportunity to sit exams are at risk of losing out because of a statistical algorithm used to calculate their grades. They deserve a spirit of generosity.”
A University of Oxford spokesperson said: “We intend to take every student who meets their offer grades as well as those where we consider there are mitigating circumstances for them missing their grade.
“As we do every year when grades are re-marked, some students may be offered a deferred place.
“Once we reach our maximum intake of undergraduates in 2020, we will have to defer entry to 2021 for any additional candidates who appeal successfully and whose place is then confirmed.”
