Opinion: A-level debacle has shattered trust in educational assessment

Professor Mary Richardson (UCL Institute of Education) writes how the U-turn by the UK Government on taking teachers' predicted grades for students' A-levels has contributed to massive distrust in the education system. After five days of uncertainty and anxiety, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced on August 17 that students in England would be awarded their centre assessment grades (CAGs) this summer - that is, the grade their school or college expected they would most likely have attained had they taken their exams - or their moderated grade, whichever was higher. The announcement follows widespread outrage after it emerged that the poorest students were hardest hit by the inadequacies of the algorithm used to moderate their grades. Collective sighs of relief were palpable as teachers no longer faced the stress of an appeals process while also preparing to start one of the most complex and challenging years of their careers. Students, however, whilst feeling some semblance of relief, were not all satisfied with this outcome. For many, their future is scarred with uncertainty. Trust in the system.