GCSE and A-level students in England will be given grades that have been estimated by their teachers in a government U-turn. 

Tens of thousands of students in England are set to see their grades increased after almost 40 percent of grades were reduced from teacher predictions.

This year's A-level grades were decided by an algorithm devised by Ofqual and the same process was due to be used for GCSE results.

The chairman of Ofqual, Roger Taylor has since apologised for the "uncertainty and anxiety" caused by the grading fiasco.

Today, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson held crisis talks with Education Secretary Gavin Williamson and senior officials.

The PM had previously defended the "robust system" which prompted backlash from parents, teachers and even other Conservative MPs last week.

It has been confirmed that the change will also apply to GCSE results in England, which are due to be released this Thursday.

Students who were awarded a higher grade by the moderation process will be allowed to keep it, but for many pupils, their teachers’ predictions could see their grades increased.

This afternoon, Ofqual chairman Roger Taylor said: “Our goal has always been to protect the trust that the public rightly has in educational qualifications,” he said.

“But we recognise that while the approach we adopted attempted to achieve these goals, we also appreciate that it has also caused real anguish and damaged public confidence.

“Expecting schools to submit appeals where grades were incorrect placed a burden on teachers when they need to be preparing for the new term and has created uncertainty and anxiety for students. For all of that, we are extremely sorry.”

The Northern Echo:

Before today's announcement, England’s Children’s Commissioner Anne Longfield previously said the algorithm used by Ofqual was “irredeemably flawed”.

She called for the centre assessment grades provided by teachers to be used for GCSEs but acknowledged it would be “difficult to put that genie back in the bottle” for A-level results which have already been announced.

In a stinging criticism of the Government’s handling of the episode, she said: “It is notable that other countries in Europe have managed to find better, more creative and fairer ways than the UK of replacing or managing final school examinations during Covid-19.

“In due course, I hope the Government and Ofqual will consider the injustices that occur when the efforts, talents and dreams of children are considered to be reducible to the output from a statistical model.”

Shadow education secretary Kate Green said teachers’ predicted grades should be used for both GCSEs and A-levels.

“The injustice and chaos surrounding A-level and GCSE results must come to an end,” she said.