A-Level Results: Yorkshire students impacted by RAAC crisis celebrate grades despite denied up-lift

The Liberal Democrats had been lobbying for special dispensation after figures showed 7,600 sixth form students had seen their education affected due to the closure of school buildings.

However, the exams regulator Ofqual said that such a move would be unfair with its chief regulator Sir Ian Bauckham, explaining it would be “difficult” to allow a special uplift to pupils in all schools affected by RAAC and then not make adjustments for other factors such as teacher shortages.

While Woodkirk Academy in Wakefield remained open for lessons, the Sixth Form Centre had to close as a result of the deteriorating concrete, meaning students lost their independent study and mentoring areas.

Principal Mr Tim Jones said: “RAAC has presented a particular challenge for students, but they have achieved some excellent results. They are higher both than the past two years when grade boundaries were softened as exams transitioned from the absence of the exams during the pandemic, and prior to the pandemic.

“They are the result of a huge amount of hard work, resilience and a commitment to excel in the face of the challenges presented by the loss of their facilities.”

Department for Education (DfE) figures, as of February 8, show 234 education settings in England have been identified as having the collapse-risk concrete in their buildings. Of these, 94 are listed as secondary schools, including six in Yorkshire.

Acknowledging the potential impact, exam boards did offer extended coursework deadlines – up to 45 days – to schools and colleges which had struggled to access specialist facilities due to building closures.

The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) has also said schools and colleges can apply for “special consideration” after Thursday if they feel their results have been affected by the disruption during the exam series – such as a “noisy environment” in the exam hall due to nearby building work.

Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “I really hope that we don’t see young people being majorly disadvantaged in RAAC schools because it will be a travesty on top of something that has already disadvantaged them and put them in a difficult situation.

“I would welcome anything that allows students to gain recognition for the turbulence and the adversity that they face, be it through Raac or anything else that hasn’t been recognised.

“I would hope that university admissions officers, but also schools and colleges and the whole system, make allowances for these young people because young people have had an incredibly traumatic period and they need all the support they can get right now.”