Fight for better marks (From Stroud News and Journal)

Fight for better marks

STUDENT Claire Prosser is to take legal action against an examining board after her GCSE English Literature exam was given the wrong grade.

The former Archway pupil from Cashes Green believes the move will hamper her ambition to become a teacher.

Claire, 16 is believed to be one of ten former Archway School pupils who have had their grades downgraded.

Her father Steve told the SNJ this week: ""It is an absolute injustice."

Claire is now studying at Cirencester College for 'A' Levels in Maths, English and a pre-teaching course.

But Mr Prosser said she has been warned that if the D grade is not altered she won't be given a place at Cheltenham to do her degree.

"Claire wants to do a degree at the Cheltenham and Gloucester University and this could now all go out of the window," said Mr Prosser.

"She needs the exam board to reinstate her grade otherwise her career could be in ruins," he said.

Claire passed nine GCSE's last summer and was surprised to learn she had been awarded only a D grade in English Literature. "She thought she had done well enough to warrant a C grade and was very disappointed," said Steve.

But her disappointment was doubled when Mr Colin Bellford, deputy head at Archway school contacted the Prosser's to inform them that Claire had actually been awarded a grade C in English Literature but the examining board AQA had down graded her mark to a D.

"Archway phoned to ask for my permission to approach the exam board and get the paper re-marked," Steve said. "Mr Bellford told me that Claire had obtained a mark of 72 percent," said Mr Prosser.

" It is crazy you don't get that sort of mark and get a D grade," he said.

Mr Prosser has now contacted a legal firm in Bristol which specialises in fighting exam boards.

"They feel we have a very good case and a good chance of getting the mark changed. We will certainly fight this injustice."

The SNJ contacted Mr Bellford at Archway School but while he acknowledged the case he refused to comment on the Prosser's situation.

For more Stroud stories, see this week's SNJ.