THOUSANDS of students celebrated a GCSE results day like no other across York, North and East Yorkshire today.

But as with A-levels last week, results day has been somewhat overshadowed after students expecting to collect Btec vocational results were not be able to after a decision by the exam board Pearson to carry out a review.

Students collecting GCSE results were given their centre assessment grades - ones which teachers felt their students would have achieved if this summer’s exams taken place - but they will be awarded their calculated grades from the exam boards if those are higher.

York Central MP Rachael Maskell congratulating GCSE students, but said: "Unfortunately, we know that, due to the fallout from the government’s mishandling of this year’s qualifications, students taking BTEC courses will now see a delay in receiving their results. This change was announced just hours before pupils were to receive their grades and therefore, I am working to ensure that all possible support is put in place as a matter of urgency.

"Clearly the events of the past week have thrown up more questions than answers about the priorities of this government, their mishandling of the situation and the level of confidence now left in both Ofqual, the examination regulator and the Department for Education itself."

Malton School, head teacher, Rob Williams, said he was glad to see the government accepting the professional judgement of its teachers, who are best placed to assess the evidence of what students have achieved in the months and years prior to the lockdown commencing.

He said that in the midst of a global crisis, it is only right that this generation of young people are not further imposed upon by a 'seemingly punitive algorithm'.

In Acomb at York High School, Rod Sims, said: “We are delighted that the system now being used to award the GCSE’s reflects accurately the hard work that the students and staff have put in, not just this year, but in previous years.

"We were extremely worried that a school such as York High School where we have made rapid and significant progress would have been penalised by a mathematical formula that did not know our students or our school.”

Head at Millthorpe School, Gemma Greenhalgh, said: "My colleagues and I share student's disappointment when we learnt that they would not have the opportunity to sit their exams, but their success on results day is the outcome of all their hard work over the two years and is very well deserved."

Simon Barber, Principal of Manor CE Academy, said: “This year has been an exceptional one and the Coronavirus pandemic has prevented our Year 11s from taking their exams and postponed the traditional end of school celebrations.

"We know how hard this wonderful group of students had worked throughout their time at Manor and we are pleased that their final results reflect their ability and potential and are based on the professional estimates of their teachers.”

Principal, Toby Eastaugh, at Vale of York Academy in Clifton, said: "We know how hard our students worked throughout their time at the Academy and, under very difficult circumstances this year, it is fair that they have received grades awarded by teachers using their professional judgement and knowledge of each child. I wish all our students the very best for the forthcoming academic year and remain confident that they will secure their chosen progression route."