A huge congratulations to every young person in Bethnal Green and Bow who has received their exam results this summer. It has been an incredibly difficult year, and I hope that all students can take pride in what they’ve achieved during these hugely challenging circumstances. 

The Government’s chaotic and rushed results system has failed so many young people. The unfair Ofqual standardisation system meant that almost 40% of A-level students in England saw their results downgraded, all dependant on their postcode and the school or college they attended, disproportionally impacting those from deprived areas. The Government continued to fail students, by delaying BTec results in the evening before they were due. The Government’s incompetence has left students in turmoil about their future.

Whilst I welcomed the Government’s U-turn to give all students the grades they were predicted by their teachers, this should never have happened in the first place. The Government has had months to sort out exams and results. 

These mistakes could have a significant impact on the lives of thousands of young people and severely damage their future. The Government needs to listen to what schools and universities are saying and address the clear inadequacies in this system. They need to ensure that additional places are provided so that no-one loses their place at university or apprenticeships because of their fiasco.

The only person who deserves a ‘U grade’ in all of this is the Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Willamson for his complete mishandling of the exam and results system.