Cruel and unfair to attack higher A-level grades, say school leaders

London school leaders on Monday warned it would be “cruel and grossly unfair” to dismiss this year’s A-level and GCSEgrades for being higher than normal.

Education experts urged people not to criticise the grades, which will be announced this week and are expected to be significantly higher because they are based on assessment by teachers rather than exams.

Sir Dan Moynihan, chief executive of the Harris Federation which runs 50 schools around London, said: “It would be grossly unfair if anyone says these results are meaningless.

“Most people saying that won’t have had children going through these tough circumstances. This is the hardest year they have been through. It has been horrendous.”

Exams were cancelled for the second year running due to the pandemic and grades are based on teacher assessment.

Teachers graded students on work they learned during Covid, which is different to last year when teachers graded pupils based on what they thought they would get in an exam.

Schools had to submit evidence for a sample of grades, which were checked by exam boards, and headteachers had to submit a personal declaration that the grades were accurate.

In some instances schools were asked to review the grades they awarded — but it is not known how.