PARENTS of sixth-formers and college students getting their A-levels today have been left outraged as grades are not as expected, or marked down.

Concerned Darlington dad Andrew Hancock has called this year's results process an insult after his 18-year-old son, who is expecting to start an aerospace engineering apprenticeship in September or January, was awarded a C in physics after being predicted an A.

Mr Hancock said: "He now feels he’s got nowhere to turn in terms of an appeal process, and it's left him and his teachers incredibly angry and frustrated."

Mr Hancock's son, who does not want to be named, was predicted an A in his physics A-level but has been awarded a C.

While his original mock exam result was a D, he pulled this up to a high B in other mock exam papers and was, in the end, predicted to get an A.

While this does not impact the teen's apprenticeship, he said it is hard not to focus on the disappointing grade and may sit a physics exam in autumn. 

The dad added: "And how can it be fair to expect students to sit an exam in the autumn after having been out of education for so long, when they now need to focus on their higher education? It’s an insult!

"And were this to be the case, how could teachers possibly cope with this and properly support all these students? It’s just such a preposterous suggestion.

"And how does the government expect English students to compete with their Scottish counterparts for university places now?

"Surely if one country in the UK gives students their teachers predicted grades, other countries must follow suit in the interests of equity and fairness across the board."

The Carmel College student is nonetheless proud of his As in both maths and product design, but is concerned for friends who did not meet the requirements for their chosen path.