Cllr Jasmine Ali responds to government u-turn on A-level results

18 August 2020

Cllr Jasmine Ali, cabinet member for children, schools and adult care, said: “I welcome the overdue announcement that the Government has agreed to accept teacher assessments for A Level students this year following the cancellation of exams. It is right that the Government has listened to young people and teachers, instead of sticking with a deeply unfair algorithm that resulted in large numbers of students having their results downgraded.

"This has been an incredibly difficult year for our schools and students, who have missed out on so much because of lockdown and school closures. The uncertainty around national arrangements for exam results has only made it more stressful for our young people. While I welcome the Government’s u-turn I am concerned that the confusion over results risks adding to the distress of our young people and damaging confidence in our schools, who are working hard to reopen next month.

"I’m proud of Southwark students who have performed exceptionally well this year in very challenging circumstances. Despite the difficulties posed by COVID-19, the outcomes for Southwark students have improved at all measures, which demonstrates the outstanding effort of our young people. The council will continue to work with schools to ensure students receive the support and guidance they need during this difficult time, and we will continue to do all we can to support Southwark students from all backgrounds to fulfil their potential.”

Page last updated: 18 August 2020