But the projections were submitted only because there were no exams to sit. So projections based on mock results and teachers' knowledge of their pupils ability, in order to to come to a final grade, with the projections being further assessed by exam boards.
The problem seems to be with the mechanism used to level out the results, which effectively ignores teacher projections in certain circumstances and which put too much onus on previous results at each school, meaning pupils who are above the average get pulled down, and then ones who achieve at the 'expected' average get pulled down further because of the bell-curve requirement.
This disproportionately impacts able pupils at previously mid to low-achieving schools.
I agree that it would be massively helpful if universities took a more flexible approach but there are no signs they are doing that (I have only heard of one in the news that has said they will give a place to everyone who had been offered a conditional place). As for employers, well if pupils are unable to get into university then many are unlikely to be in a position to have those conversations with the companies they aspire to work for. And with so many people potentially looking for work due to covid-related job losses, those leaving school with low A-Level grades will struggle even more, as there's a good chance they wouldn't make it past the first CV sift.
Right now there is no clear mechanism for appeals, because OfQual pulled their criteria and haven't been able to come up with an alternative. So no one knows how to appeal or on what grounds, in the meantime universities are going ahead with confirming placements anyway. And all this just 3 days before GCSE results come out, when it will be rinse and repeat because the same algorithm has been used.
The whole thing is a debacle.
