‘Better late than never’: Students frustrated and elated over A-level U-turn

‘They put a lot of time and effort into this rubbish algorithm, which has been a monumental failure, to just literally give us what the teachers predicted us anyway’

A-level students successfully protest outside the Department of Education (Reuters/Henry Nicholls)

Students have expressed both joy and frustration at the government’s decision to allow predicted grades to inform their results.

Thousands of young people across the country were left with their plans for the future dashed after being downgraded by an algorithm which appeared to particularly impact high achieving students at lower-performing schools.

However, after the government announced it would allow the grades decided upon by teachers to stand – a decision that followed days of protests from pupils – many have expressed mixed feelings at the episode.