'There's not much forgiveness' - head girl at South Yorkshire sixth form speaks of frustration at grades U-turn

Hannah Hinchliffe, head girl at Penistone Grammar School sixth form, said she and her peers still feel let down following the government's decision to U-turn and go back to grades based on teacher's assessments.

She said: "So many of my friends got unjust grades and we couldn't celebrate. It was hard to see them so upset.

"We are still angry and have not yet had an apology or proper announcement from the government.

"We're thankful [the U-turn] has happened, but there's not much forgiveness.

"We can't forget what they have put us through, they are still hiding away. We feel like we've been discriminated against based on where we live, and for a government who say they want to reduce the north-south divide, it felt like it had widened."

Many students missed out on university places after their teacher-assessed grades were downgraded by an algorithm.

Following a huge outcry from students and teachers, the government announced it would go back to the original marks.

Hannah, aged 18, got the grades she needed to study biochemistry at Lancaster University, but was devastated to see her friends lose out.

Before the government U-turn, she penned an open letter to PM Boris Johnson, education secretary Gavin Williamson, and Conservative MP for Penistone, Miriam Cates.

She wrote: "Many of my friends cannot go on to study at university through no fault of their own, but the fault of the algorithm. Where is the humanity in such a 'system'?

"I consider myself one of the lucky students. Some of your future scientists, politicians, teachers, doctors have missed out on their places at university. There will undoubtedly be another pandemic. Who will provide key services during the next crisis?"

Hannah said she hoped Tory MP Miriam Cates, who was elected in December’s general election, was dumped at the next one.

"The government has had months to get this right, they have lost my vote. My constituency is Conservative, but come four years' time I would hope that would change.”

Miriam Cates MP said: “This has been a difficult few months for all school students, and none more so than Y13s who had their exams cancelled as a result of the pandemic.

“I welcome Hannah’s letter and her standing up for her peers at PGS, and my heart goes out to all those who were disappointed with the grades they had been given. There is no substitute for taking exams and Hannah is right that no algorithm, however well designed, can know students as humans with all the complexity that brings.

“It became clear that there were a large number of students for whom Ofqual’s process did not delivere the result they deserved. This was very upsetting for the students themselves and for their teachers, who have worked hard throughout the pandemic in very difficult circumstances.

"My priority is to make sure that students in Penistone and Stocksbridge do not lose out on university places. I have been clear about this with the DfE and am in frequent contact with ministers, feeding in the views of constituents.

“My team and I have been offering assistance to local students and parents and will continue to do so. It’s vital that our young people don’t lose out on the opportunity to progress to the next stage of their education - they have already suffered so much as a result of COVID.”

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