Oxford and Cambridge have become the first universities to reject government calls to hold places open for A-level students who are appealing against their grades, saying they will instead have to defer a year if their college has filled up.
The decision comes as frustration grows among schools and pupils over the lack of information about how to appeal their assigned grades and what data would be required. Ofqual, the exam regulator, is not due to release information until next week, and university courses are filling up fast.
On Tuesday, less than two days before the results were due, Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, announced that any pupil whose mock A-level grade was higher than their Ofqual results would be able to appeal. That move
A teenager who killed teaching assistant Lindsay Birbeck and buried her body in a cemetery has been jailed.
Rocky Marciano Price, 17, was caught on CCTV pulling a wheelie bin with Mrs Birbeck's body inside, before she was found in a shallow grave 12 days later.
Mrs Birbeck, 47, was found dead at Accrington Cemetery on 24 August 2019, after a major police search.
Her family had initially thought she had had an accident while on a walk, but as the search progressed they feared the worst.
At Preston Crown Court the judge, Mrs Justice Yip, jailed Price for life, with a minimum tariff of 16 years in custody.
"The attack was swift and brutal. I am sure the defendant lay in wait with the intention of killing a passing woman," said Mrs Justice Yip.
"Why he decided to kill her only he knows. If it had not been Lindsay Birbeck, it could have been someone else.
"This was the entirely random killing of a stranger."
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Price's trial had heard how Mrs Birbeck left her home in Accrington for a walk to a nearby wooded area known as the Coppice.
The defendant, who was 16 at the time, had been prowling in the woods looking for lone females and is thought to have killed her shortly after she entered the Coppice.
His victim was discovered wrapped in two plastic bags in a makeshift grave, after she went missing on 12 August, 2019.
A post-mortem examination concluded Mrs Birbeck died from neck injuries, which could have been applied through stamping or kicking, or kneeling on the front of the neck, a court heard.
An attempt had also been made to cut off a leg, possibly with a saw.
After police issued the CCTV clip of a young male pulling a blue wheelie bin behind him on Burnley Road, Price's parents took him to a police station.
The teenager, of Whinney Hall Road, Accrington, later admitted dragging the bin from the Coppice on August 17, with Mrs Birbeck inside, across Burnley Road to the cemetery.
He had claimed to police that he buried the body for a stranger, who had promised him "a lot of money".
However, a jury unanimously rejected his account that a mystery man had offered him a large cash reward if he disposed of a body.
Jurors returned their verdict exactly one year on from when Mrs Birbeck, a mother-of-two, was last seen alive.
Mrs Birbeck's daughter said it was "unforgivable" her killer, who has autism and learning difficulties, had not admitted his guilt and spared her family the pain of a trial.
'Murdered for no reason'
"My mum was a higher level teaching assistant and the irony is she would have taught boys like the defendant and would have tried her best to help him," said Sarah, 17, in a statement read to the court.
"To know now that he murdered her for absolutely no reason is heart-breaking and has not sunk in yet."
Her daughter recalled how the family initially believed she might have had an accident while out walking.
"Once mountain rescue had done their search I think deep down I knew it was going to be something bad," she said.
"My mum would not leave us out of choice, I knew that."
Nearly 40% of teachers’ estimates for pupils were adjusted down by at least one grade (Pictures: PA/Reuters)
England’s exam regulator has accused teachers of submitting ‘implausibly high’ A-level predictions, which meant it was forced into downgrading thousands of results.
Nearly 40% of teachers’ estimates for pupils were adjusted down by one grade or more as results day descended into chaos yesterday, with students complaining they had been let down by the system and experts warning poorer pupils will be impacted hardest.
But the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) said that although the vast majority of teachers had submitted accurate estimates, many significantly inflated their predictions.
‘Because there was no opportunity to develop a common approach to grading, the standard applied by different schools and colleges varies greatly,’ an Ofqual spokesman told The Daily Telegraph. ‘A rare few centres put in implausibly high judgments, including one which submitted all A* and A grades for students in two subjects, where previously there had been normal distribution.’
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The downgrades – amounting to some 280,000 entries – were enacted as the nation’s education officials grappled with the vexing issue of how to determine results in a year in which exams were cancelled due to coronavirus.
Overall, in England a total of 35.6% of grades were adjusted down by one grade, 3.3% were brought down by two grades and 0.2% came down by three grades, figures show.
Some 85% of candidates classed as having a ‘low’ socio-economic status by Ofqual had been predicted to achieve a C and above by their schools.
But this fell to 74.6% once final grades were calculated under this year’s new moderation process – a drop of 10.4 percentage points.
By contrast, the proportion of students from the least deprived backgrounds, or ‘high’ socio-economic status, awarded a C and above fell by 8.3 percentage points during the process, from 89.3% to 81.0%.
Ofqual said some teachers’ predictions had been ‘implausibly high'(Picture: PA/Reuters)
Ministers are now coming under increasing pressure to review the moderation and appeals system, with pupils complaining they have been let down, and experts warning poorer students will be affected most due to reassessments which consider schools’ past performances.
A protest by students, parents and teachers is planned for Downing Street on Friday morning, while at least one student is reportedly threatening legal action against Ofqual.
David Hughes, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, who has written to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, is concerned the process may have disadvantaged larger centres – such as colleges.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, called on the Government and Ofqual to review the moderation process in England ‘as a matter of urgency’.
A threat of legal action has been made by Curtiss Parfitt-Ford, an A-level student at a comprehensive school in west London, according to The Guardian. Supported by Foxglove, a non-profit organisation that campaigns against the misuse of digital technology, the student has demanded Ofqual corrects defects in the algorithm used to reassess grades, or be taken to court, the paper said.
Students at Norwich School receive their A-Level results (Picture: PA)
Education unions – including the National Union of Students – have called on the Government to follow Scotland’s lead and scrap moderated exam grades and use teachers’ original predicted grades instead.
On Tuesday, Scotland’s Education Secretary said lowered marks would be reverted back to teachers’ estimates following an outcry from students and parents.
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The Government announced late on Tuesday students in England would have the ‘safety net’ of being able to use mock exam results as the basis for an appeal if they are higher than the calculated grade.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called for all fees for A-level appeals to be waived in response to thousands of pupils having their results downgraded.
The Welsh Government has already announced there will be no fees for appeals there, but the Department for Education said appeal fees were a matter for individual exam boards in England, adding there was no charge if an appeal is upheld.
Sir Keir also urged the Government to consider the sort of grading U-turn made by the Scottish Government this week.
He said: ‘The unprecedented and chaotic circumstances created by the UK Government’s mishandling of education during recent months mean that a return to teacher assessments is now the best option available.
‘No young person should be at a detriment due to Government incompetence.
‘Time is running out. We need action in days, not weeks.’
Gavin Williamson is under pressure to review the moderation and appeals system (Picture: DW Images/Rex)
Mr Williamson ruled out following the Scottish Government in reversing position.
He told Sky News: ‘When we’ve consulted widely, when Ofqual consulted widely (on) the whole system of awarding, this is the message that we got from everyone – this is the right approach to go forward.
‘You’ve got to have a system that has checks and balances, that looks at the whole performance and making sure you maintain standards within the exam system, to ensure those results carry credibility.’
Bowling alleys weren't allowed to open as planned on August 1Credit: Alamy
Wedding receptions with up to 30 guests can also take place from this weekend.
Most businesses were able to reopen in July - including hairdressers, gyms and pubs - but a handful of indoor venues were scheduled to reopen on August 1.
Hopes of flinging open their doors again were dashed when Boris Johnson said the UK needed to pause reopening as multiple cities went into local lockdowns.
At the end of July, Mr Johnson said: "With those (case) numbers creeping up, our assessment is that we should now squeeze that brake pedal in order to keep the virus under control.
"We must keep our focus and we can't be complacent."
Since then there have been a number of local lockdowns after spikes in Covid-19 infections.
Case numbers in the UK have slowly crept above 1,000 this week for the first time since June.
On Wednesday there were 1,009 new cases of coronavirus in Britain.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has asked Matt Hancock to keep those venues closed in areas under local lockdown restrictions.
He said today: "The first thing that we've said to the Health Secretary is that we don't believe that it would be right to see the further relaxation with regard to the opening of a range of additional business premises this weekend or in the near future."
What can reopen from Aug 15 & what's still closed
CASINOS and bowling alleys were initially among a list of businesses due to reopen on August 1, but this was delayed after a spike in infections at the end of July.
The complex in Dalston Lane, Hackney, has been sealed off by police as they investigate the incident. Video footage shows officers rushing to the area in the early hours of this morning.
Members of the public were standing outside the building awaiting news.
One witness tweeted: "A block-wide evacuation has just taken place in Hackney on Dalston Lane.
"The whole block was awoken by police banging at 2:15 this morning."
They added police were responding to an "incident".
An online service for motorists needing traffic information, also confirmed the area had been closed off.
A tweet by Jambuseter read: "(A104) Dalston Lane (Both Directions) at the junction of Pembury Road. Road closed in both directions due to an incident.
More beauty treatments, small wedding receptions and live indoor performances will be able to resume in England from Saturday, as lockdown rules are eased.
Bowling alleys, casinos and soft play centres will also be able to reopen, PM Boris Johnson has announced.
It comes as the government introduces tough new measures targeting breaches of social distancing restrictions.
Fines for refusing to wear a mask could reach a maximum of £3,200 and illegal rave organisers face a £10,000 penalty.
"Most people in this country are following the rules and doing their bit to control the virus, but we must remain focused and we cannot be complacent," Mr Johnson said.
"That is why we are strengthening the enforcement powers available to use against those who repeatedly flout the rules."
The prime minister said that plans to open up more of the economy this weekend "will allow more people to return to work and the public to get back to more of the things they have missed".
But Mr Johnson reiterated a warning that the government "will not hesitate to put on the brakes if required, or to continue to implement local measures to help to control the spread of the virus".
Under changes coming into force from 15 August:
Indoor theatre, music and performance venues will be able to reopen with socially distanced audiences
Wedding receptions in the form of a sit-down meal for up to 30 guests will be permitted
The piloting of a small number of sporting events to test the safe return of spectators will resume, commencing with the final of the World Snooker Championship at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre over the weekend
Casinos, bowling alleys, skating rinks and soft play centres will be allowed to reopen
"Close contact" beauty services such as facials, eyebrow threading, eyelash treatments, make up application and microblading will resume
Pilots will take place at conference venues ahead of the expected resumption of business events from 1 October at the earliest
The new guidance will not apply in areas where local lockdown measures are in place, the government said.
Devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have the power to set their own timings for the easing of restrictions.
The latest easing of England's lockdown was due to take place on 1 August, however this was postponed after the ONS expressed concerns about a slight increase in the number of people in England testing positive for coronavirus.
New guidance will also mean that staff offering "close contact" services, including hairdressers, will now have to wear a face mask as well as a clear visor.
The government said the move, which follows new evidence from the scientific advisory group for emergencies (Sage) is aimed at protecting customers and staff from respiratory droplets caused by sneezing, coughing, or speaking.
It also applies to businesses that operate remotely, such as massage therapists working in people's homes, and those learning in vocational training environments.
Nightclubs, dance halls and discotheques are among venues that remain closed in law.
Tougher enforcement measures
Under current guidance, people who refuse to wear a face covering where it is required face a £100 fine, which can be reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days.
The new enforcement measures will see that penalty repeatedly doubled for subsequent offences, up to a maximum of £3,200.
In England, face coverings are mandatory in many indoor settings, including public transport, shops and museums, with some exemptions for children or on medical grounds.
Transport for London and British Transport Police have already made 91,501 interventions based on present face coverings guidance, the government said - preventing 4,397 from boarding, asking 3,030 to leave the network and issuing 341 penalty notices.
There will also be a clampdown on illegal gatherings of more than 30 people, which could see those responsible hit with spot fines of up to £10,000.
According to the government, forces across England and Wales have already stepped up patrols to prevent illegal gatherings in areas of concern, such as Leicester and Greater Manchester, where it said deployments have sometimes been larger than on New Year's Eve.
Last weekend, West Midlands Police shut down 125 parties and raves - and closed a pub - taking action to stop illegal gatherings and anti-social behaviour across the region.
Further detail on the new enforcement measures is to be set out in the coming week.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said she would not allow progress against the virus to be undermined by "a small minority of senseless individuals".
"These measures send a clear message - if you don't cooperate with the police and if you put our health at risk, action will follow."
Heavy rain caused flooding in parts of England on Thursday afternoon, closing some of the country's busiest roads.
Highways England said severe flooding closed the M25 between junction six and seven and at one stage, there were delays of 70 minutes as queues stretched 11 miles to junction nine.
The M25 anti-clockwise between junction nine and eight was also closed due to flooding, with 80-minute delays, as other roads across England were also affected.
As at 11.30pm Thursday, junction seven to eight still had two lanes closed, according to Highways England's website.
Image:Children play in a flooded park in Newcastle-under-Lyme
The Met Office has warned that the flooding could last into next week, with weather warnings covering large parts of the UK.
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A yellow thunderstorm warning issued for Friday has been extended until midday on Saturday. This covers Wales and most of England.
Met Office forecaster Matthew Box said: "We've got the risk of thunderstorms right through to the start of next week, and maybe even beyond that."
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Some areas could see as much as 40mm of rain falling in less than an hour, the Met Office said.
The M25 remains CLOSED between junction 6 and 8 due to this flooding.@HighwaysSEAST have managed to pump enough water to get the hard shoulder running, so those trapped in the closure will slowly make their way through.
— Roads Policing Unit (RPU) - Surrey Police - UK (@SurreyRoadCops) August 13, 2020
On Thursday afternoon, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service received numerous calls relating to flooding in Devon, with some residents saying there was up to 18 inches of water inside their homes.
In Kent, 19 people were rescued from a train which became stuck after a landslide between West Malling and Borough Green, British Transport Police said.
Six flood alerts are in place for parts of the West Midlands. A flood alert means that flooding is possible.
But temperatures were cooler on Thursday, with a top of 29.6C (85.3F) in Frittenden, Kent, Mr Box said.
It follows six consecutive days of temperatures above 34C (93.2F) for the first time since at least 1961.
There is a risk of more stormy weather across the south on Friday, especially in the West Country and South Wales, with conditions remaining humid.
Mr Box said: "Although we're unlikely to see overnight temperatures stay above 20C (68F), apart from maybe in London, most places will see temperatures in the high teens for the majority of the UK, particularly in the south."
Thundery showers will return to the southwest and parts of South Wales on Friday and other areas will be cloudy, particularly central and eastern England.
Northern Ireland, north west England and western Scotland are likely to have sunshine, Mr Box said.
