Teacher-assessed A-levels are 'much more accurate' than cancelled exams and students will get 'fair' results tomorrow, says head of grades watchdog - as union claims ministers have promised not to accuse staff of being too generous

Teacher-assessed A-levels are 'much more accurate' than exams and  students can be satisfied they will get 'fair' marks tomorrow, the head of the exams watchdog said today.

Ofqual interim chief regulator Simon Lebus said that traditional tests only provided a 'snapshot' of a pupil's ability and the new system allowed a fairer assessment gauged over a longer time period.

A-Levels and Scottish Higher results this year will be based on the in-school grading for the second year in a row due to Covid restrictions, and will be handed to  tens of thousands of nervous teenagers tomorrow.

Last summer, the fiasco around grading led to thousands of A-level students having their results downgraded from school estimates by what Boris  Johnson dubbed a 'mutant algorithm', before Ofqual announced a U-turn. This year there will be no algorithm used to moderate grades.

Speaking to the BBC Mr Lebus admitted that grades may be slightly higher this year, adding: 'I think a good way to think of it is exams are a bit like a snapshot, a photograph - you capture an instant, it's a form of sampling.

'Whereas teacher assessment, it allows teachers to observe student performance over a much longer period, in a rather more complex way, taking into account lots of different pieces of work and arriving at a holistic judgment.

'I think, from that point of view, we can feel satisfied that it's likely to give a much more accurate and substantial reflection of what their students are capable of achieving.'

It came as a teaching union leader said ministers had assured teachers they would not be accused of unfairly inflating results. 

Ofqual interim chief regulator Simon Lebus said that traditional tests only provided a 'snapshot' of a pupil's ability and the new system allowed a fairer assessment gauged over a longer time period.

Last summer, the fiasco around grading led to thousands of A-level students having their results downgraded from school estimates by what Boris Johnson dubbed a 'mutant algorithm', before Ofqual announced a U-turn.

Mary Bousted of the NEU told the Times: 'I think there was a political decision to put teachers in the firing line. We think there will be a rise in the top grades but I've been assured by government that they won't say teachers have been too generous.' 

Mr Lebus said that the watchdog wanted to create a system where every student was given a fair chance to show what they can do.

'I'm very confident that, when they get their grades on Tuesday and Thursday this week, they'll be able to feel satisfied that that's happened,' he told the broadcaster.

Mr Lebus said there have been three stages of checks to ensure students can feel they have been 'fairly treated', including Ofqual checking the policies that schools have for awarding grades and exam boards looking over them. 

Teachers in England have been required to consider a range of evidence, including mock exams, coursework, and in-class assessments using questions from exam boards, to make decisions on pupils' grades.

Headteachers had to submit a personal declaration that they believed grades to be accurate.

Schools and colleges were asked to provide samples of student work to exam boards, as well as evidence used to determine the grades for the students selected, as part of quality assurance checks.

It came after Sir Keir Starmer warned that 'chaos and incompetence' in Government had created extra stress for those awaiting their results.

The Labour leader said Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Education Secretary Gavin Williamson had failed to act early enough to ensure this summer's results operations run smoothly.

'It frustrates me immensely that this week's big moment in so many young people's lives is being risked by the chaos and incompetence at the top of this Government,' he said. 

The Department for Education said it recognises the 'unprecedented challenges pupils and students have faced' during the pandemic and that a 'rigorous system to ensure grades are fair' has been put in place.