A-levels: WJEC boss insists A-level grades will be fair

With thousands of pupils waiting nervously for their A-level results, Wales' main exam board has said it is confident they will get fair grades.

WJEC boss Ian Morgan said the exams were fair and teenagers would get the outcome they deserved.

The results of the first set of summer exams in three years will be announced on Thursday.

They were cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid and pupils were awarded grades decided by teachers.

Watchdog Qualifications Wales said it expected this year's Wales-wide results would be lower than in 2021 but higher than the last time exams were held in 2019.

Teacher grading led to "grade inflation". The 2022 system will attempt to bridge 2021 with "normal" grading in 2019.

In 2021, the number of pupils achieving an A or A* reached 48.3%. When exams were last held in 2019 that figure was 27%.

Mr Morgan recognised some learners would be challenged this year but believed exams were the fairest approach.

He said: "I'm absolutely confident that learners get the best opportunity through that exam route, to make sure they're able to show what they know and what they understand, what they can do and that their grades reflect that as an outcome for them."

Education unions highlighted ongoing disruption for staff and students during exam season caused by Covid.

And concerns were raised by teachers, parents and pupils about some exam papers.

The WJEC denied any questions were outside parameters they had set.

Pupils Morgan and Bethan outlined their fears as they awaited the results of their A-levels.

The 18-year old are both pupils at Cardiff's Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern.

Morgan said he was coping with "the fear of the unknown."

He said: "It's just not knowing what to expect, especially with all the complications that Covid sprung.

"We don't really know what it's going to be like because we've never had the experience before."

He believed social media had a negative effect on him.

"You saw everyone on social media, on TikTok saying 'the exams went awfully' or 'I'm not ready'," he said.

"You see lots of different things so you're thinking: 'Maybe I wasn't ready'."

Bethan found the pressure made it hard to revise.

She said: "I would struggle to get stuff done because I was very worried about what my grades would be and how the exams would go."

"It's quite nerve-wracking. Having not sat exams for years it was a shock to the system. I just hope they went well."

Qualifications Wales wrote in a blog that "apart from a few bumps, which are unfortunately inevitable in a system as complex as public examinations, things have gone broadly well".

The WJEC was "confident and comfortable" with the qualifications, Mr Morgan added.

Exams needed to include testing questions, he said.

Education policy director at University of Wales Trinity Saint David's, Gareth Evans, said concessions had been made to ensure youngsters were not disadvantaged.

The academic said: "Content has been significantly reduced in some subjects, pupils have been advanced notice of what is going to be in some examinations.

"In addition, grading is a lot more generous this year than in previous years to take account for the fact that Covid has again reared its ugly head from time to time and pupils have been disrupted."