More pupils
caught up
in English
grades row

Analysis by the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) suggests that half the 133,906 candidates who received a D in English in June would have got a C if January grade boundaries had remained in place.

This is far higher than initial reports which suggested up to 10,000 pupils had been adversely affected.

The row centres on exam boards changing grade boundaries for English assessments during the year which meant the same standard of work could receive different grades depending on whether it was assessed in January or June.

Exam regulator Ofqual is looking into concerns over the marking of English papers and is expected to produce a report tomorrow.

Leeds City Council is considering a judicial review unless the grade boundaries are returned to their January level and this summer’s exams are remarked.

National GCSE results published last week, revealed 69.4 per cent of all exams were given at least a C grade – down 0.4 per cent on last summer – the first fall in the qualification’s 24-year-history.

As the row over marking continued yesterday council leaders warned that schools have a moral responsibility to keep the costs of pupils uniform down.

Hard-pressed parents should not end up forking out for expensive uniforms because their child is attending a new free school or a converted academy that is “rebranding” itself, the Local Government Association (LGA) said.

Figures show that more than half of England’s secondary schools have now converted to academy status, and about 50 free schools are due to open from this September.

Twenty-four free schools opened in 2011. The LGA said that schools which decide to alter their uniform – for example a newly converted academy that decides to change its emblem – should restrict changes to one or two items or to sew-on logos.