Codes blamed for exams mix-up

A SCHOOL failed to enter more than 100 pupils for a GCSE exam because staff entered the wrong codes in an application, it has emerged.

Now the examination board involved in the science exam blunder has refunded the exam fees paid by the school after staff complained that they were complicated and "unclear".

Year 10 pupils, aged 14 and 15, were unable to take scheduled science GCSE exams in biology and chemistry in January after the school failed to enter them.

A parent was among the first people to notice an error had been made, along with staff from the school's science department.

It has now emerged that the error occurred when the wrong exam code had been inputted.

The school admitted making the blunder, blaming it on human error and saying the codes used to enter children for exams run by the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance were "complicated".

Head teacher Julian Baldwin, pictured, wrote to the AQA, which is the biggest examination board in England, raising concerns about the codes.

Mr Baldwin said: "We have had a letter from the examination board acknowledging that its examination codes were unclear. This played a significant part in the error that was made.

"The examination board has apologised to the school and to our students and refunded, in full, the cost of the examination entries."

Extra measures have been put in place by the school to ensure similar mistakes do not happen again.

A spokesman for the AQA said: "We made the refund of entry fees as a gesture of goodwill to the school, and as part of the ongoing support we provide in the administration of our exams.

"The school accepted that the error was their responsibility. We can understand how the mistake was made, and acknowledged this in our letter to the school, but we are not aware that any other school experienced the same difficulties in using the entry codes."

The pupils affected are now preparing to take the missed exams in the summer. Extra science lessons have been timetabled to ensure they will be fully prepared for the tests. The 1,700-pupil school in Station Road became an academy last year and has regularly received outstanding verdicts from Ofsted inspectors.

Mr Baldwin said that he was confident that pupils' exam results would not be adversely affected.

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