Exam grades

London: English authorities on Wednesday reassured school pupils they would be graded fairly for exams missed because of the coronavirus, after the Scottish government was forced into a major U-turn on the issue.

As in many countries, British pupils were unable to sit exams as planned in April, May and June due to the Covid-19 lockdown, and instead will receive a moderated grade based on an assessment by their school or teacher. But the publication of key results in Scotland last week caused uproar and demands for its education minister John Swinney to resign, amid complaints that the moderation process had caused the downgrading of grades for the poorest pupils.