19. EXAMINATION RESULTS TODAY

Today, the ‘A’ level results were made available to tens of thousands of young people who have waited patiently to see if they have achieved the necessary grades for university.

At The Acorn School there has been none of this waiting, because we have our own, unique Equivalency Assessment System. The senior students here achieved their university places several months ago, so have known for some time where they are heading. How come? By using the now, out-of-date Route B entry through UCAS, our students apply by using the school’s internal assessment equivalency system and wait for a university interview to be offered. I am delighted to say that, yet again, we have had no student refused entry to the university course they have chosen, unlike the large number of young people who may be disappointed that their grades have not been good enough to enter their chosen course in university. This year, the year of Coronavirus, the government have made a wise decision - all students will be assessed by their teachers and awarded the certificates that they feel they should receive. It took a virus to knock some sense into the government, and this ‘accidental wisdom’ will help a lot of young people to feel that they have seen some sense after all!

In 2004, the government announced that it was to change the criteria for league tables. It was not to be the GCSE and A level successes, but the percentage of young people who pass on to higher education after leaving their school.

When I read this, I was aware that our school is at the very bottom of the current league tables – because we don’t sit state examinations! However, in the new system we would be at the very top, as 100% of our students gain university places.

Thank you to the wonderful British government’s educational Tsars!