As sixth-form students in the city receive their A-level results today, Liverpool’s Director of Education, Jonathan Jones, has a message for them…
Today will be a day of highs and lows.
This year in education has been challenging and unimaginable for everyone but has been particularly unsettling for students who would have ordinarily been sitting exams.
Thousands of students did not get the opportunity to demonstrate all they had learned and all their hard work in their examinations were cancelled.
Instead they have relied on teacher assessed grades sent in to exam board who then adjusted them to reflect previous years outcomes. It has been an anxious time for students, parents/carers and schools.
I hope the results they achieve are what they were hoping for and deserved.
But whatever the results, today need not be the defining moment.
Success takes many forms.
There are likely to be higher numbers of appeals to the exam boards about awarded grades. Students will also have the chance to sit their exams in the autumn term if they choose.
The picture of student outcomes in terms of grade appeals, any exam outcomes (not published) and destinations will remain unclear for sometime. There are no published school, city or national results this year.
The focus for the schools and colleges today has been on making sure their students are well supported to explore all the options that are available. Staff have focused their time and energy on supporting students to move forward and access university, apprenticeship, training and employment of their choice and reduce the impact of this most unusual situation.
I would like to take the opportunity to celebrate these young people and their commitment to their education and their futures.
No one underestimates their efforts. And we all wish them the best for whatever path they choose.
To all the young people receiving results: your city is proud of you!
Jonathan Jones
Director of Education
