The National Education Union, which represents thousands of Swindon teachers, has criticised the governments new exam results system.

Education secretary Gavin Williamson announced students will now be able to use their results in mock tests to appeal if they are unhappy with the grades they are given and will also be able to sit exams in the autumn.

Hannah Packham, NEU South West regional secretary, said: “After months of defending the system devised by Ofqual to determine this year’s grades, Gavin Williamson has been forced into an embarrassing U-turn.

“He should have listened to concerns raised much earlier by teachers and assessment experts. He should have worked with the profession to establish a sound basis for grades.

“Even these changes do not level the playing field between Scottish and English students. Scottish students were given the option of having the best grade awarded either by the exam board, or by teacher predictions. English pupils do not have this option.

"Their alternative is the grades achieved in their mock exams, which do not take into account expected further progress.

“Most unfairly, English students are still more likely to be given lower grades - either by the exam board or by the mock exam.

“The third option is to re-take the exams in the Autumn term. How this will happen in Covid secure schools and colleges is a question which, like so many others, Mr Williamson has not yet answered.”