BLANCHELANDE College’s head teacher is convinced that the A-level marking system is flawed. ‘We’re absolutely convinced that there’s been some error in marking this year,’ said Lesley Le Page.

‘It’s definitely a cause for concern.’

And she added that it was not the first time.

‘Every year the number of queries seems to be increasing,’ she said, adding that a number of students had this year missed out on their first choice of university.

She said if the students gave their permission, papers of those affected would be returned to the examinations boards – AQA, EdExcel and OCR – for re-marking.

‘There are enormous discrepancies between the performance of students in different papers.

‘Some of the differences we see in marking are scary.

‘When you hear, ﾓoh, sorry, it’s a clerical errorﾔ, but you realise that the student is 20 marks out from their predicted grade, it’s unbelievable.’

Mrs Le Page was not hopeful that better news would be quick to follow.

‘We expect it to be a long, slow process.

‘It could ultimately affect the students’ futures.’

But a spokeswoman for EdExcel was quick to dispel the Blanchelande head’s claims.

‘A-level students are our absolute priority,’ said head of corporate communications Stevie Pattison-Dick.

‘The head teacher is making quite damaging claims and she’s been very general in her condemnation.’

Mrs Pattison-Dick said that the exams body had a digitized system in place which looked at all papers submitted by students.

All were marked on-screen by a number of experts, she added.

Mrs Pattison-Dick said that, from experience, the number of grades raised as a result of re-marking was quite low and that due to the digitized system, re-marked papers could be turned around in a couple of days.

One student affected at Blanchelande was 18-year-old Vonnie Mahoney, from St Sampson’s, who achieved one A grade and two Cs, for English, French and Spanish respectively, but had been awarded a D for her French oral.

‘I’ve not done too badly,’ she said.

‘But when I finished my French oral exam, my teacher was ecstatic and said that my performance had definitely been of A-grade standard.

‘So I’ve dropped three grades. I’m getting the paper re-marked – it could mean the difference between a B and a C grade.’

A spokesman for the exams boards said that a review of marking involved an evaluation of the work by a senior examiner to ensure that it had been marked according to the authorised scheme.

Following review, students’ grades can be confirmed, lowered or raised.

He said that a priority service was available for students if a place in higher education depended on the outcome and that a clerical check would be conducted to ensure the marks had been calculated and recorded correctly.

‘Re-moderation is available if a centre wants its coursework to be reviewed,’ he said, adding that the outcome of the enquiry would be communicated in writing.

‘If the centre remains concerned following the re-mark, an appeal can be lodged with the awarding body.

‘Where a centre remains dissatisfied after the awarding body appeal stage, an appeal may be made to the independent Examinations Appeals Board. This body acts as the final arbiter.’

Mrs Le Page said that she was fully expecting a similar situation when GCSE results are released next Thursday.