On my way home after a hectic, emotional and definitely UNPRECEDENTED #Alevelresults day. I spent the day supporting students in an @AccessProjectUK school inTower Hamlets. Here's ma thoughts (1/many):

This is the first time we've ever had to deal with a results day based on calculated grades, during a pandemic and when university admissions systems are a result of the marketised sector.

We knew it was going to be complicated when exams were cancelled in March, and following #SQAresults last week. Not to mention the 11th hour announcement from @GavinWilliamson last night - but tbf I was optimistic unis would be understanding

What struck me the most today was how precarious the individual students' outcomes were based on their postcode, school, teachers, characteristics, parents, firm and insurance uni policies. And that's if they weren't in clearing

For those in clearing it was CONFUSING. Universities were slow to make choices with lots of students still not having uni decisions confirmed when @ucas_online track updated and clearing lines opened. And ofc track was crashing.

If you're in clearing (and track is *actually* telling you that) it's an intricate strategy about which unis and courses you contact, and the order you call them in and how long you stay on hold whilst losing time to call other institutions.

You've also got to consider if you should try your luck at your firm/insurance choice to see if they'll take you anyway.

Then when you do get through, it's genuinely is luck of the draw as to who you get on the phone, how seriously they take your case and who they will transfer you through to.

An important word here is 'case'; students have got to sell their story. They need to be able to articulate in a nice professional way what their situation is: grades, subjects, motivation for the course and uni.

And then all about their school, the results picture in school across different subjects, if they are appealing and detail the characteristics that might mean their application will be rightly contextualised (e.g. free school meals, their postcode's POLAR quintile).

And all of this to a stranger on the end of the phone just a few minutes after they've received results and/or uni decision that they're gutted about.

Obviously this is probably the first time students have needed to pitch themselves as disadvantaged and thought about all these weird 'widening participation' terms that are used to define and track them.

On top of this there's also your school to consider: are they even open for results day? If so, is it in time for clearing lines opening? Do they have staff who know about the politics of clearing and how to help, are there even enough staff to help?

Are there phones and laptops that work for you to access the info and make the calls? Are they appealing grades? Are they willing to vouch for you what your centre assessed grade was and your most recent mocks? Can they explain to your parents what's going on?

And after all that to be told by admissions departments that they cant/wont lower entry requirements, tell you to call back when your appealed grade has been confirmed and that places have been taken by 'higher quality candidates' is just awful.

We all know why those places have been filled and those candidates have higher grades: its cos they're at 'better schools', in 'better neighbourhoods' that mean they'll have been given good grades.

And if they miss their offers they've got teachers and parents with the knowledge and resources to appeal and overturn those admissions decisions.
Results day is always unfair for disadvantaged students, but I feel that today was next level.

For so many students a couple of grades being downgraded has a huge impact on the unis they can get into the opportunities HE can give them. It's so sad those opportunities have been taken away by a system that could have supported them.

I've just re-read this and realised how negative it sounds! I dont have the stats yet but I know that at @AccessProjectUK we worked really hard to help all our students so I'm sure itll be a happier picture overall