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The Govt& #39;s whole schtick was that students wouldn& #39;t be allowed to appeal, only schools, and even then only on the grounds that the algorithm had disadvantaged the whole school, not if an individual student had been disadvantaged. #AlevelResults
1/8 https://www.tes.com/news/coronavirus-A-levels-and-gcses-will-need-appeals-mocks-count">https://www.tes.com/news/coro...
1/8 https://www.tes.com/news/coronavirus-A-levels-and-gcses-will-need-appeals-mocks-count">https://www.tes.com/news/coro...
The reason, presumably, was to maintain comparability with other schools and to avoid triggering half a million individual appeals which would overload the system, undermine any consistent approach and delay uni/apprenticeship/job starts.
2/8
2/8
Along came Scotland& #39;s decision and that meant that comparability was out of the window anyway and so now the Govt looks bad whatever it does. Sticking to its position would have meant A levels were devalued against Highers. Shifting means they& #39;re devalued against other years.
3/8
3/8
The result is an L-turn, rather than a full U. Students still can& #39;t appeal, but schools can on behalf of individuals based on mocks which are utterly inconsistent and unfit as summative assessments.
The problem with an L-turn is you& #39;re now completely off-track.
4/8
The problem with an L-turn is you& #39;re now completely off-track.
4/8
So now the new arrangements will bring about all the problems the Government hoped to avoid: the comparability was compromised by Scotland and has now been completely dismantled by the English Govt; meanwhile, protracted and chaotic appeals will increase too.
5/8
5/8
And of course, the appeals system is unfairly stacked towards students whose schools will take up a burdensome appeal on their behalf.
We know how persuading schools to appeal usually works: parents, privilege, pestering.
6/8
We know how persuading schools to appeal usually works: parents, privilege, pestering.
6/8
I wish that wasn& #39;t true and we must applaud the many great teachers, schools and colleges who fight for their disadvantaged, disenfranchised kids, but the grade predictions data says they& #39;re the exception: privilege generates teacher expectation.
7/8
7/8
I sympathise with the Government finding itself in an incredibly difficult situation, but this eleventh-hour panic policy-making has failed to consider even the most basic implications, let alone whether they even have the legal authority. Challenges may well end up in court.
8/8
8/8
