Pupils at UCL Academy have been withdrawn from their A-Level exams due to poor performance in their mocks.
The school said it has “robust plans in place” to support students.
The Academy, based in Swiss Cottage, said “any decision to withdraw a student from an exam is a difficult one for us to take.
“It is one we make by working with a student and their family”.
Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said it was “pretty disturbing and pretty unethical conduct” by the school.
UCL Academy said 97% of its A-level exams would be taken as planned.
“Only in individual circumstances would a decision be taken to withdraw a student from an examination, or recommend a switch to an AS exam.”
This has caused disruption for pupils in their final year of A-levels.
The only way for barred pupils to sit their A-levels now, is if they pay £500 to £600 to do so privately.
Students at UCL Academy could be withdrawn from a number of their A-level exams, just weeks before they sit them. Credit: Getty Images
Failure to take adverse circumstances into account
Pupils at the Academy are complaining that they were only informed of this decision just weeks before their actual exams.
One particular student, Zehra, said that her health concerns were not taken into account.
“I have health problems, but they didn’t care. There was no consideration.
“I already have anxiety and health problems and this made it a lot worse.”
She said there were “genuine reasons” why her February mock exam had not gone “as well as it could have”, and that it was unfair to withdraw her.
There will now be an anxious wait for the students of the UCL Academy affected by this decision as their higher education future appears in jeopardy.
Are you affected by this story? Then get in touch with us on Twitter @CityLondonNews or on Facebook @CityLondonNews.
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Standfirst
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HeadlineLondon Academy withdraws students from A-level’s after poor mock exam results
Short HeadlineStudents wait to find if they can take their A-levels
StandfirstUCL Academy pupils say they fear having to defer university applications and be forced to pay £450 to sit an exam elsewhere.
Pupils at UCL Academy have been withdrawn from their A-Level exams due to poor performance in their mocks.
The school said it has “robust plans in place” to support students.
The Academy, based in Swiss Cottage, said “any decision to withdraw a student from an exam is a difficult one for us to take.
“It is one we make by working with a student and their family”.
Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said it was “pretty disturbing and pretty unethical conduct” by the school.
UCL Academy said 97% of its A-level exams would be taken as planned.
“Only in individual circumstances would a decision be taken to withdraw a student from an examination, or recommend a switch to an AS exam.”
This has caused disruption for pupils in their final year of A-levels.
The only way for barred pupils to sit their A-levels now, is if they pay £500 to £600 to do so privately.
Students at UCL Academy could be withdrawn from a number of their A-level exams, just weeks before they sit them. Credit: Getty Images
Failure to take adverse circumstances into account
Pupils at the Academy are complaining that they were only informed of this decision just weeks before their actual exams.
One particular student, Zehra, said that her health concerns were not taken into account.
“I have health problems, but they didn’t care. There was no consideration.
“I already have anxiety and health problems and this made it a lot worse.”
She said there were “genuine reasons” why her February mock exam had not gone “as well as it could have”, and that it was unfair to withdraw her.
There will now be an anxious wait for the students of the UCL Academy affected by this decision as their higher education future appears in jeopardy.
Are you affected by this story? Then get in touch with us on Twitter @CityLondonNews or on Facebook @CityLondonNews.
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