Uncertainty still hangs over the outcomes for vocational students in Cornwall following the Government’s A-level grade U-turn.

While the Department for Education has addressed the issue of A-level and GCSE results by saying that grades will be determined by teacher assessments, this policy has not, as yet, been extended to cover Btec courses, despite the fact that these students’ grades have been moderated by the same algorithm used by Ofqual to revise A-level grades last week.

Some 250,000 students study under the Business and Technology Education Council, and today Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said he was in talks with the awarding body Pearson to review grades.

Megan Cast, who is a student at Camborne Science and International Academy, said she had achieved distinctions in all her units so far for her Drama Btec, but that her predicted grade of Distinction overall had been downgraded to a merit.

’On results day I was mortified,’ she said.

’My dream has always been to study at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. With the grades I  have been given this is no longer possible.

’My future is now uncertain.’

Megan said she it was too late for some people to get into University on the courses they wanted this year as places have been filled. She said that Btec students had been ’overlooked’ in the furore over A-level results.

’I feel shocked and rather upset with how we have been swept under the rug, like we don’t matter,’ she said.

’We can only hope that the government will listen to our plea and help us achieve the grades we deserve.’