No answers for failed T Level students in re-mark fiasco

A college and awarding body have been locked in a row for six months after only one student passed a niche T Level.

Nine out of 10 learners taking the control and instrumentation engineering and manufacturing specialism in the 2022-23 academic year were initially given high marks by Middlesbrough College, worthy of at least a pass.

But nine then received an ‘unclassified’ grade when results day came around in August following moderation by City & Guilds.

The college challenged the marking “disparity”, arguing that the awarding body’s assessment was “not an accurate reflection” of students’ work and skill level.

But one outraged parent, who raised the alarm with FE Week after struggling to find answers for six months, said her son had almost turned his back on education after suffering a 55-mark downgrade.

Eleanor Hutchinson said her son now worked part-time in a food factory and added: “He’s disillusioned and he’s hurt – he thinks he’s let everyone down.”

Middlesbrough College said it was pursuing “all formal re-mark and complaints processes” with City & Guilds.

Meanwhile, the awarding body said there were “processes in place to support learners in situations such as this and we have ensured these are available and are being followed”.  

Most of the nine failed students received a ‘partial achievement’ in their overall T Level after scoring ‘unclassified’ in their specialism. They were part of the first and only group in England to take the assessment last summer.

The fiasco came to light amid the retendering process for the design and delivery of the maintenance, installation and repair for engineering and manufacturing T Level.

City & Guilds has held the contract, worth £3 million, since 2020 and rolled it out as part of wave three in 2022. Licences for these T Levels are up for renewal this spring. It is unclear whether City & Guilds will bid to develop the next version of the qualification.

The awarding body opted not to bid for two other T Level contracts from wave one, which retendered last year. One of those, onsite construction, was scrapped by the government in December.

Middlesbrough row

Ms Hutchinson said her son received 78 out of 90 from a Middlesbrough College assessor, placing him in the highest band, but a City & Guilds’ moderator cut the final mark to 23.

He was one of the ‘control and instrumentation’ students to receive a ‘partial achievement’, which is awarded where a learner completes their industrial placement but does not pass either the core or occupational specialism components. 

The student does not get a certificate but can get UCAS points based on their grade in the component they passed.

Ms Hutchinson said her son – who has the equivalent of a ‘D’ in a single A-level – had not been told by his college or City & Guilds why their respective marks were so different.

A college spokesperson said while “teething problems” with qualifications and “staff shortages” in this particular skill area were not uncommon, it is believed the marking disparity is a unique issue.

They added: “We have been in extensive communication with City & Guilds since August, including pursuing all formal re-mark and complaints processes, and we have had direct communication with the chief executive of City & Guilds, including during the last seven days.”

Failed students have been offered “extensive support” and some have moved on to apprenticeships or higher technical qualification courses, the college said.

But the spokesperson added: “This does not take away the frustration and disappointment they must be feeling with both the result and the time taken to try and resolve this matter.

“We can only apologise and reassure them that we are pursuing every avenue in an effort to obtain a satisfactory resolution.”

City & Guilds said: “We are continuing to support the centre in their future delivery of these important qualifications.”

Middlesbrough College had 64 learners on the T Level maintenance, installation and repair for engineering and manufacturing route who were assessed last year.

Including the control and instrumentation specialism students who only received a ‘partial achievement’, the college’s pass rate was 79 per cent, against a national pass rate of 82 per cent.

Awarding troubles

Other awarding bodies have experienced T Level problems. Ofqual issued a £300,000 fine to NCFE for major failings in its 2022 health and science assessments.

The government is injecting more cash into second-generation T Level contracts amid concerns the first contracts forced awarding bodies to work at a loss.

Despite the shaky start in the rollout of some T Levels, the previous government sought to scrap overlapping BTECs and other level 3 courses in a bid to boost low T Level uptake.

Following a “short review” under Labour, the level 3 courses have been given a temporary stay of execution until 2027.