Three Dudley College students given wrong grades in AS-level examination results mix-up

An error collating media studies grades meant the students were initially given better results than they actually achieved.

One teenager was left devastated after seeing her A grade wiped out when she was informed it was actually a B.

Another student saw a B grade reduced to a C.

Dudley College has apologised for the gaffe, which they said was the fault of a Welsh examination board.

The three students received the wrong grades on A-level results day last week, but the college said they were quickly informed about the errors.

One mother said her 17-year-old daughter, who attended the Dudley Sixth campus on Ednam Road, was upset to find out she hadn't done as well as she thought.

She said she was sent a text by the college explaining the results were not correct.

The teenager opened her results to find she had achieved two As and a B, only later to have one of the As downgraded.

The mother, from Sedgley, said: "We celebrated, took her out for a meal.

"She was over the moon with two As and a B. She had tears rolling down her eyes when she was told.

"I was absolutely seething. I think it's despicable to give results and then take them back. I drove straight to the college to speak to her tutor. I can't believe an institution like that would make such a mistake.

"This shouldn't happen to anybody else next year."

A spokesman for Dudley College said in a statement: "We sincerely apologise that in three instances there was a temporary transposition error in collating and communicating AS level results from the Welsh Examination Board.

"This was rectified as soon as possible and the small number of learners impacted were informed immediately. In this particular case this meant the learner achieved an overall grade B not a grade A .

"We hope that this did not detract from the learner's sense of achievement in securing an A and two Bs in their AS results, which they should be rightfully proud of.

"We issued over 3,000 results and do make every effort to ensure accuracy.

"In this instance we are sorry that we fell short of providing the highest quality service that is our norm."

The mix-up put a blot on what was otherwise a hugely successful A-level results day for the college. The number of students achieving higher grades rose and 30 out of 37 subjects received a pass rate of 100 per cent. There was also success at Halesowen College where an overall pass rate of 99 per cent was recorded with all students gaining at least one A-level.

Elsewhere in the borough, Old Swinford Hospital in Stourbridge recorded a 100 per cent pass rate across 23 subjects. At Bishop Milner Catholic College in Dudley, 43 per cent of students picked up A* to B Grades.