HEADTEACHERS last night gave a guarded welcome to the tough stance taken by Education Secretary Estelle Morris after she ordered an independent inquiry into the growing A-level grades scandal.

Former chief schools inspector Mike Tomlinson has been asked to investigate claims by heads that the exams watchdog, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), pressurised exam boards into downgrading results to counter claims that A-levels had been "dumbed down". He will present his initial findings within a week.

The row blew up after dozens of schools reported suspicions of deliberate manipulation of students' papers. Scores of students who regularly achieved grade As ended up with Ds, Es and even Unclassifieds - equivalent to a fail - in their coursework.

David Dunn, headteacher of Yarm School, Teesside, said: "I'm quite confident that the inquiry is going to find that these papers have been manipulated. What we may never know is who gave the instructions. The whole thing stinks of political manipulation."

Father Leo Chamberlain, head of Ampleforth College, near York, also welcomed the inquiry. But he said: "I think the statistical manipulation is a disgrace and for the QCA to suggest that that has nothing to do with the Government or them is also pretty unlikely."

Yesterday, Estelle Morris fielded accusations that her department had ordered the QCA to make it harder to get A-grades at A-level.

"I want to state categorically that there has been no political interference at all in the workings of the QCA and the examining boards," she said.

Any revision of grades is likely to be too late for the students who missed out on their first-choice university places.

A spokesman for Newcastle University said they were already over-subscribed and, with lectures getting underway next Monday, it was not practical to accept any more students.