Leeds A Level students to protest in Millennium Square despite u-turn on exams

James Fishwick and Martha Storey, both 19, are calling on anyone who is angry about the way this year's exams have been marked to make their voices heard in Millennium Square on Tuesday.

> First couple to get married at Leeds Town Hall post lockdown reveal what it's like to tie the knot in the age of coronavirusThere was an outcry from students, parents and teachers after almost 40 per cent of predicted grades were downgraded by the regulator’s “moderation” algorithm.

However, the government announced on Monday that grades given will now revert back to teachers' assessed grades.

GCSE results, due out this Thursday, will also now be based off students' predicted scores.

James, who studies history at the University of Bristol, said prior to the announcement that the exam grading system was 'ridiculous'.

> TV personality Gok Wan teams up with Yorkshire event companies for a live DJ stream in LeedsHe said: "The downgrades have mainly gone towards people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

"It's screwing them over. It's really difficult to get into a top university, or any university at all really, especially for students from these backgrounds.

"They are effectively saying they are not worth it.

"What I find absurd is they have been giving out 'U's' - an E or above is a pass - to students, when no one has even been able to take an exam to fail."

The pair both went to Greenhead College in Huddersfield, rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted, to study for their A-Levels, but James went to secondary school at Castle Hall Academy in Mirfield and Martha went to St John Fisher in Dewsbury - both schools are currently rated as 'Inadequate' by Ofsted.

> Taking time out to refine and review will help you reach your goals - Sophie Mei Lan, YEP opinion Martha is now studying maths and philosophy at the University of Oxford.