Student's hopes rise and fall as coveted place slips away
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Your support makes all the difference.James Lacey lost his place at Manchester University after his A-level psychology coursework was downgraded to a U.
The 19-year-old former pupil at Knights Templar School in Baldock, Hertfordshire, was also rejected by his second-choice university and is spending a gap year working in Marks & Spencer.
James was predicted to score an A in psychology and B grades in his other two subjects. He was offered a place at Manchester University if he achieved ABB grades while his second choice, Birmingham, asked for BBB. He lost both places after he was awarded B grades in geography and mathematics with statistics, but a C in psychology because of the downgrading of his coursework.
MONDAY
I wake up to find many more schools have come forward to complain that their students have been marked down. Although most of my class were affected I was the only one who was left without a university place so I had been feeling very alone. I feel a bit better now knowing that I'm not the only one. But I'm shocked at the scale of the problem.
The QCA is saying it's all the teachers' fault but so many schools are affected that I can't believe that's true. My school is being extremely supportive and tells me not to worry.
TUESDAY
Estelle Morris says she sees no need for an independent inquiry, which comes as a bit of a blow. The QCA keeps saying there's nothing wrong. It is almost as if they are trying to cover something up. I feel worried and confused.
WEDNESDAY
Leaked letters from OCR seem to show that they did tamper with the grade boundaries. I get my hopes up that they are going to admit it was all a fix. But then OCR and the QCA defend it, saying that moving the boundaries is normal practice. Go into school to talk to my teacher about my coursework. She shows me you needed 39 marks out of 50 to get an A and 30 to get a U. It seems absolutely crazy. Later, Estelle Morris says the disputed papers are going to be re-marked. My paper was being re-marked anyway.
THURSDAY
Estelle Morris announces an independent inquiry. I am glad that she's been forced to make a U-turn. But my experiences this week make me wonder how independent this inquiry will be.
I worry that as the new investigation doesn't deliver its final report until November that this could slow up the remarking of my paper. If I'm stuck with my C grade I will have to retake in January. If I don't get the results of my re-mark until November then I will be left with very little time to revise.
FRIDAY
It seems that the QCA is trying to shift the blame on to teachers, which really makes me angry. My teacher has been so supportive over the past few weeks. A friend tells me that his school has had the results of their re-mark back – they came back not a single mark higher. I realise now, for the first time this week, that nothing is going to change.
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