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To: Gavin Williamson, Secretary of State for Education

Justice for 20k A level students left without grades

* Please give external A level students their UCAS predicted grades as an alternative to Centre Assessed Grades NOW.
And: * For those students who choose to resit again in the autumn, ensure that whichever grades are highest (predicted or autumn exam) are their official A level grades.
* Ensure universities allow students who get the right grades to defer to 2021 if they resit or if universities are full this year.

Why is this important?

There are approximately 20,000 students who did A levels as external students. Some are homeschooling, some re-sitting, often because of a tragedy in their lives. Since they were not in a school or College, CAG doesn't work for them as centres are understandably saying they cannot give them a grade. But it means that unlike every other A level student, they have been left with nothing. Government have said they can re-sit in the autumn. That means they can't go to university this year. But they could be given predicted grades NOW.

Most of these students cannot afford to take a gap year. They watch their friends move on and, through no fault of their own, they are left behind. Again.

Ferdaus, for example, got a place at Kings College to do medicine. He re-sat due to family illness last year. "I was very very anxious during the confirmation [of results] period. I'm depressed. It's not even limbo. It's nothing. I'm in a black hole."

Israt didn't do A levels last year as her father was dying. Now she's left with nothing and says she's 'never felt so low or suicidal.'

Another BAME student from a working class family had mental health problems and didn't get the grades they knew they could. Re-sitting was a financial burden on them and their family. Had got a uni place. "I'm a future psychologist. We're all future 'somethings' but our futures are being held hostage for another year. I'm devastated. I can't do this again."

Please sign the petition, circulate and contact your MP urgently.

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Updates

2020-08-27 22:39:36 +0100

100 signatures reached

2020-08-27 16:17:32 +0100

50 signatures reached

2020-08-27 14:07:59 +0100

25 signatures reached

2020-08-27 13:26:27 +0100

10 signatures reached