Inquiry into claims by schools that A-levels were fixed

The Government's exams watchdog, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), is investigating claims from schools that boards marked down A-level papers this year to avoid grade inflation.

Exam boards have faced an unprecedented number of calls from schools to re-mark exams this year – the first year students completed the AS/A-level sixth-form curriculum.

Both the Secondary Heads Association and the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said the controversy would damage the credibility of the examination system in the eyes of schools.

David Hart, general secretary of NAHT, said it was a "scandalous situation", adding: "This is yet another dent in the confidence that schools have in the exam system. I think it poses serious questions about the way the marking of these papers has been carried out."

Graham Able, headmaster of Dulwich College in south London and a leading member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, which represents top independent boys' school, said 30 schools had expressed reservations on the way A-level coursework grades had been awarded.

The concerns were over the history, psychology and English literature exams of the Oxford and Cambridge and RSA (OCR) exam board. Dr Ron McLone, the board's chief executive, has promised to meet private school heads next week to discuss their concerns.

Mr Able told of one former pupil who had been offered places by Oxford and Yale in the United States but was granted a U grade for his history coursework which his teachers considered A-grade standard.

"There appears to be considerable discrepancies between what they, the candidates, have done in other papers and the coursework element."

The OCR confirmed yesterday the number of requests for A-levels to be remarked had soared from 1.600 to 4,000 this year. It acknowledged that the grade boundaries for A2s, the second half of the new A-levels, had been raised in almost every subject this year to ensure the boards met their remit that the new exam was just as challenging as the old A-level. (The AS level, usually taken in the third term in the sixth-form, is of an easier standard than the old A-level).

A statement from the board said there was a possibility "that those involved in teaching at AS-level may not have fully appreciated the significantly harder demands of A2 assessment".

It insisted all its marking had been in accordance with rules laid down in the code of practice covering exams, which is designed to maintain overall standards.

The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance, the biggest exam board, also said requests for re-marks had risen from 1,000 priority requests – where a university place is at stake – last year to more than 3,000 this year.

George Turnbull, a spokes-man for the alliance, gave two reasons for the rise: this was the first year of the new system and students were now able to challenge the marks for individual units of their exams.

Mr Hart rejected an OCR suggestion that schools were to blame for the rise in re-marks.

A QCA spokesman said: "Statistical evidence about the distribution of grades between units is being examined and individual cases are being followed up. However, on the basis of our extensive observations of awarding meetings over the summer, we believe the awarding process is sound."