On Thursday 13th August 2020, thousands of young people across the country received results for exams they never got to sit. Granted, the circumstances were unavoidable – a global pandemic being a pretty justifiable reason to cancel exams. However, what is not remotely justifiable is the way the results themselves were calculated.

A-Levels are the key to students futures. Whether they want to go to University or do an Apprenticeship (or something entirely different), young people need positive results. Yet this year, the system of grading that was in place of the exams has crushed the hopes, dreams and aspirations of thousands.

This is not to say all were disappointed, and to those who got the results they wanted and/or achieved enough to get their Firm choice for University or get the opportunities post-Sixth Form that they wanted – I offer my wholehearted congratulations.

But to say I was left incandescent with rage and upset to see so many hard-working young people have their grades downgraded by the standardising system would be an understatement, so just try and imagine how the affected students and their families must feel!

Take the following heartbreaking story: a high achieving pupil getting incredibly high level grades in an incredibly low performing school had her results downgraded so badly that her place at Cambridge University was revoked. Just imagine how she feels. It's devastating to say the least.

According to a report in The Guardian, it is pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds in deprived areas that have been hit the hardest by the downgrading. This just goes to show that the grading system focuses less on a students ability, but instead on their postcode. A classist system like this is simply not fit for purpose.

Take a school in East London, where deprivation levels have historically been some of the worst in the country. At said school, a huge 47% of students had their grades downgraded, with some predicted C's going down to a U, and some A*s going down to a B. This cannot be because of teachers overestimating.

What has happened is that the standardising process has meant that due to historically low performance, and the deprived area the school is in, the grades have been downgraded as there's clearly absolutely no way in which pupils at the school could possibly boast academic talent. This classist view is appalling.

The Government has hidden behind the statistic that says more people have taken up University places. This may be true, but the fact is that a hell of a lot of that statistic is made up of pupils who, due to downgrading, have been rejected from their firm choices and had to settle for second/third choice etc. And they're lucky enough to have been accepted into Uni. Many students have not.

It is the duty of the Government to ensure all young people are able to reach their potential and have fair opportunities based on their own ability. However, these results show a complete failure to achieve that duty. I know students who have described their emotions as being 'heartbroken'. Some who are anxiously waiting to appeal (a system that would appear to be flawed in itself). Some who have been left having to reconsider their futures.

I welcome the major climbdown from the Government to ensure they cover the cost of all appeals, but I warn them: there's going to be thousands. I do hope that the rumours suggesting that should a student successfully appeal, their classmates could be downgraded, proves to be untrue as this sounds absolutely appalling.

As a Labour Councillor for Broken Cross and Upton, and Cheshire East Council's Champion for Young people, I have written to Macclesfield's MP, David Rutley to express my serious concerns and have set out 5 points I wish for the government to fix. These are:

1. Ensure a fair and transparent appeals system, free of charge (this aim has partially been met).

1. Guarantee no student will be disadvantaged by the appeals system (i.e. if one student gets their grades upgraded, the 'rank order' system will not mean other pupils them subsequently get downgraded).

1. Prioritise deprived areas and pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds in the appeals process, as they are the demographics that have suffered the most from this awfully flawed system.

1. Plead with UCAS and universities to take the pandemic and the subsequent issues with the grading system into consideration to ensure pupils get the fairest and strongest chance of getting into university.

1. Fix the system so that this mistake is not repeated with the GCSE Results next week.

Whilst there is permanent damage that has been done to the affected student's mental health, the Government must now step up and do what is right for our young people.

No pupil should be disadvantaged with unfair grades that are clearly not representative of their ability. Grades that have been imposed upon them by the fact they couldn't sit their exams.

No student should be failing an exam they haven't sat, especially when their previous results in mocks, assessments etc, have been of a higher standard than their final result.

I stand with every single disappointed and upset student who has suffered from this shambolic, flawed grading system, and will not stop fighting for them to fully realise their dreams and aspirations. Because our Young People deserve the very best, and the Class of 2020 have faced unprecedented challenges.

If you wish to get in contact with me about the issue, please email me at [email protected]

Cheshire East Councillor for Broken Cross and Upton,