Boris Johnson faces calls to mark kids’ A-level grades UP but exam boards say teachers gave ‘implausibly high’ grades

BORIS Johnson is facing huge pressure from his own backbenchers and Labour to U-turn on A-level results after the grades chaos.

A whopping 39 per cent of teacher predicted grades were cut by a computer algorithm – sending results day into meltdown.

Thousands of students had their A-level grades marked down yesterday over the covid crisis

Sir Keir Starmer called on the Government to drop the grades and return to teachers’ predictions

Labour branded the system “fatally flawed” and demanded No.10 copy Scotland, tear up the system and give out higher grades as predicted by teachers.

But the exams regulator said it was forced to act after teachers dished out “implausibly high” grades.

Ofqual said: “Because there was no opportunity to develop a common approach to grading, the standard applied by different schools and colleges varies greatly.

“A rare few centres put in implausibly high judgments, including one which submitted all A* and A grades for students in two subjects, where previously there had been normal distribution.”

Scores of pupils yesterday told how they had lost out on their dream places at university over the fiasco.

Tory MP and education select committee boss Robert Halfon demanded the appeals process is massively widened.

While education bosses warned of a looming disaster with next week’s GCSE results.

Sir Keir Starmer fumed: “Young people and parents right across the country, in every town and city, feel let down and betrayed.

“The unprecedented and chaotic circumstances created by the UK Government’s mishandling of education during recent months mean that a return to teacher assessments is now the best option available.”

Mr Halfon called for Downing street to urgently widen the appeals system so every pupil can appeal their grade if their headteacher agrees.

He said: “It’s a mess.

“We need to have as wide an appeals system as possible. A lot of these problems will go away if students get to appeal.”

Lib Dems called on Gavin Williamson to resign over the debacle.

Education spokesperson Layla Moran said: “Gavin Williamson is an education secretary out of his depth and out of excuses.

“”He must take responsibility for his mistakes and step down with immediate effect. Our young people and our country cannot afford these blunders to continue into September ahead of a potential second wave.”

Several Tory MPs voiced their discontent about the exams system – in a sign of a possible growing rebellion for the Government.

David Davis, former Brexit Secretary, said that “Yesterday’s results do not properly recognise… that students determined to go to their first choice university work hard and effectively to up their grade.”

Telford MP Lucy Allen tweeted: “An algorithm that awards a ‘U’ to student that did not have the chance to turn up for an exam is fundamentally flawed.”

And Julian Sturdy, the MP for York Outer added: “In my opinion, we shouldn’t be downgrading grades or worrying about grade inflation this year as we are clearly living in unprecedented times.

“We need to fix this situation swiftly before it has a permanent effect on the future of students in York and across the country.”

Headteachers have warned they expect an even bigger fiasco next week when teens get their GCSEs.

Students had their teacher predictions assessed by computer models

However, overall there were more As and A*s than last year

Many were delighted but others missed out on their offers

But Whitehall insists they are not budging, and said that grade inflation would have gone supersonic without moderation.

Grades would have shot up by 12 per cent in a single year if teachers’ marks were not changed, exam bosses have said.