School blunder cost UK pupils university places

Teenagers were given incorrect information about value of exams London – Arab Today Three students at a troubled secondary school in Wembley, England lost their university places after being given incorrect information about their A-level courses. The pupils at Copland Community School were told their AQA business studies course was equivalent to two A-levels, and only discovered it was worth one two years later, on results day last Thursday.
Headteacher Richard Marshall said he had \"apologised unreservedly” to the three pupils and their families, adding: “this should never have happened.”
The school had helped all three pupils successfully find university places, according to the school head.
\"I have assured the pupils and their families that I will not let this matter rest,” he said.
“I am investigating how this happened and will take appropriate action.\"
One of the students, Harrison Mathias, was rejected from four universities after finding out about the mistake, including the University of Bedfordshire where he had applied to study business.
He said: “I studied so hard for two years and when I got told I only had one A-level it was depressing. I was literally in tears.”
Mathias said he was concerned none of the teachers seemed to have been aware of the mistake.
\"I did work hard and I had good grades, and we all did so much for this school because it had a very bad reputation,\" he added.
He found out late on Monday he had been offered a place to study business at the University of Greenwich, after the university considered his grades and predicament.
He said: \"It\'s really good and I\'m really pleased, it\'s very nice of them to take me on my grades.\"
Copland has been deemed “inadequate” by official school inspectors Ofsted, and is barred from hiring newly-qualified teachers.