School-leavers reassured over A-level database bug

Allegations that this year's A-level results could be jeopardised by a database fault have been hotly denied by the Oxford and Cambridge Examinations and Assessment Council (Oseac).

Oseac spokesman, Quentin Langley, told Silicon News: "The rumours are inaccurate and malicious - there is no way grades will be confused or the league tables affected. We were having problems with our database system, but the A-level results are now graded and ready for release on August 20."

Problems first arose in April, when the Council introduced a database to record students' details. The database was developed in-house following the merger of four separate examining boards.

Langley said: "Delays in implementation forced us to write to schools, advising them to be especially vigilant when checking the number of exam papers." He conceded that there had been a possibility that students' names might not be linked with the correct papers, but stressed that "those problems have now been overcome". Oseac chief executive, Ron McLone, is expected to issue a public statement to this effect later this afternoon.

The council's regulator - the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) - has not ceased its investigation into the case. Despite Langley's assertion that the QCA was being updated informally, the authority is waiting for a written explanation on the matter.

Following Oseac's written statement released today, QCA will report back to the Department for Education and Employment. The department stated last week that it was "seeking reassurance, as ministers would be very worried if there were a problem."