A-level results can't be finalised "until October"

Universities have been told that they shouldn’t view exam results as “finalised” until the end of October. OCR, a leading exam results board, added to the statement saying that all results “remain provisional” until all re-marks are complete. Re-marks aren’t fully finished until the end of October, which is a month after most degree courses start.

Universities don’t want to wait until October to make their final decisions, which means that many students could miss out on their university places due to human error in the marking of papers.

The news comes as it emerged that more than 45,000 exam grades were changed this year on appeal, an increase of 15%on last year. It has increased by as much as 50% on 2011.

The General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, Mr Lightman said he wasn’t sure if the increases were as a result of “fundamental weaknesses in marking”, but did point out that there is now a “lack of confidence in the exam system”.

Richard Harman, who is the Chairman of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference said that “The college or university places of tens of thousands of students have been needlessly jeopardised this autumn and the exam boards must be made to do much better.”

UCAS, who run the admissions platform for most UK universities, released a statement in which it said, “We strongly advise students who have requested a remark to contact the university or college immediately and explain their situation.

“Institutions guarantee students who have requested a remark that their offer remains open until 31 August.

“After this point universities will make their best endeavours to keep a place open for the student until the process is resolved, or may provide the option of deferred entry the following year.”