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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Exam system hit by record appeals | Exam system hit by record appeals |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The exams system in England is unwieldy and becoming unsustainable because of a record number of pupils challenging their results, head teachers warn. | The exams system in England is unwieldy and becoming unsustainable because of a record number of pupils challenging their results, head teachers warn. |
| Last year 45,000 pupils - one in 14 GCSE students - queried their results. | |
| And the National Association of Head Teachers says the extra work and the cost of the appeals is pushing the exam system towards collapse. | |
| It is also concerned wealthier schools who can afford to pay for appeals are gaining an advantage for their pupils. | It is also concerned wealthier schools who can afford to pay for appeals are gaining an advantage for their pupils. |
| One in four of all the 45,000 GCSE pupils who challenged their exam mark ended up being upgraded. | |
| NAHT Deputy General Secretary Carole Whitty said: "If one in four are getting regraded then it does make you wonder if there are a load of students who - had they put their papers in for remarking - whether they might have been regraded too. | |
| 'Unstable' system | 'Unstable' system |
| "And this is an important message that is getting back in to the system. It's a very destabilising situation." | "And this is an important message that is getting back in to the system. It's a very destabilising situation." |
| She added: "If you had a system with well designed examinations and strong marking there shouldn't be any appeals at all, or maybe just a tiny handful," she said. | She added: "If you had a system with well designed examinations and strong marking there shouldn't be any appeals at all, or maybe just a tiny handful," she said. |
| "We're really creating a system which is very unstable." | "We're really creating a system which is very unstable." |
| Meanwhile, Richard Cairns, headmaster of Brighton College, expressed concerns about "the increasing number of children who seem to be getting marks that are out-of kilter with what we anticipate". | Meanwhile, Richard Cairns, headmaster of Brighton College, expressed concerns about "the increasing number of children who seem to be getting marks that are out-of kilter with what we anticipate". |
| "We're having to go through those marks very carefully with the children concerned and lodge more and more appeals," he said. | "We're having to go through those marks very carefully with the children concerned and lodge more and more appeals," he said. |
| Appeal expense | Appeal expense |
| The BBC's Cathryn Curran said critics claim more mistakes are being made at the marking process because of the growing number of exams. | The BBC's Cathryn Curran said critics claim more mistakes are being made at the marking process because of the growing number of exams. |
| There are also concerns over the cost of an appeal - on average it costs £45 to appeal against a GCSE result, and up to £35 for each A-level unit. | There are also concerns over the cost of an appeal - on average it costs £45 to appeal against a GCSE result, and up to £35 for each A-level unit. |
| Our correspondent also says some schools have told the BBC they do not appeal because they cannot afford the costs involved. | Our correspondent also says some schools have told the BBC they do not appeal because they cannot afford the costs involved. |
| The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has denied the exam system is close to collapse and insists it is fair on all pupils. | |
| One in four of all the 45,000 GCSE pupils who challenged their exam mark ended up being upgraded. |