Results 2020 - Woodhouse A level Students unfairly downgraded

Dated: 13 August 2020

This article amended 20/08/2020 following Ofqual changes to grade assessment criteria

Half of Woodhouse College A level student’s grades were moderated down by exam boards. This means that the results are lower than recent years even though the students had similar GCSE grades to previous cohorts.

Despite the savage reduction in grades, 101 Woodhouse students still achieved straight A* or A grades in all of their A levels. And a dozen students scored 3 or more A*s across all subjects.**

18 of our 28 students who secured an Oxbridge offer have qualified. Helped in no small part by our very successful Woodhouse Oxbridge Academy - a whole raft of workshops, trips and mock interviews that prepare our students for Oxbridge applications.

Similarly, our Medicine Academy has helped 26 students into degrees at top medical universities.

And an initial count shows that at least 280 of our students will be heading to Russell Group universities, with this number expected to rise. **

** UPDATE 20/92020 Since the government U-turn over Ofqual grading and the switch to Centre Assessed Grades (CAGs) this article should now read - 37 students got three or more A* grades at A level. And 167 students got three or more A*/A grades at A level. 330 progressed to Russel Group universities.

Before the reversion to CAGs... Principal John Rubinstein said “Ofqual committed to moderating grades to fit the pattern of the last three years, but they have reduced our grades to lower than any of the previous three years. This is outrageous and deeply unfair on our students.

That said, I am extremely proud of our student’s achievements. Throughout the massive disruption to academic life caused by the Covid-19 lockdown they have worked incredibly hard, in some cases even harder than at college. Both students and staff coped amazingly well with our revised procedures and online classes have been really well attended.

Our students are ambitious and hard-working, they really want to succeed at A level and progress to good universities, and almost all of them will, despite the governments mismanaging of the exam grades this year. Most of them wanted to take the exams to prove themselves and they feel cheated that they have missed out and maybe dropped a grade through no fault of their own. Hopefully their correct grades will be reinstated as soon as possible.

In line with many of my fellow sixth-form heads, I call on the government to follow the example of the Scottish government and revert to teacher predicted grades."

Student Hanu said “I received ABB and will be going to Queen Mary University of London to study Business Management with Law. I would have liked higher grades of course but it is what it is, and I can’t wait to start the new step of my life.”

Student Bardia earned A*A*A* and will be studying at Imperial… “I’m really happy with my results!”

Student Alex said “My results were A* A* A in history, philosophy and English respectively meaning I got into my firm choice of Cambridge University to study English. I want to say thank you to Woodhouse because I feel like they have really supported me across both years and have helped me fully tap into my potential as a student.”

Student Nicole said "I got given A*AB, which I am quite happy about as it means I can get into my first-choice university (Leeds) without any trouble. However, with these grades being the same as my Summer mocks from last year, I do feel as if I could have achieved a little higher if the real exams were to take place! The system in general seems a little unfair as I know many people whose "grades" don't reflect the work they have been doing and have left them in a tough place university-wise. The results don't feel especially significant as it doesn't really feel like I have done the work to properly achieve them, but I guess that is the same for everyone.Now it's time to prepare for university!"

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