Training Secretary Gavin Williamson has ‘carried out his greatest’, says Matt Hancock

Gavin Williamson has “carried out his greatest in very troublesome circumstances”, the well being secretary has instructed BBC Information.

Matt Hancock defended the schooling secretary amid ongoing criticism over A-level grading in England.

The federal government was pressured right into a u-turn on Monday after an algorithm to average teacher-assessed outcomes led to decrease grades for hundreds.

Mr Hancock mentioned the federal government was going through “large unprecedented operational challenges”.

The choice to permit college students to make use of the grades estimated by their lecturers adopted related choices in Scotland, Northern Eire and Wales.

It would additionally apply to GCSE outcomes, that are as a result of be revealed on Thursday.

A head instructor’s union, the Affiliation of Faculty and School Leaders (ASCL), has written to Mr Williams calling for a evaluate into the “flawed” authentic plan, saying “public confidence has been badly shaken”.

After asserting the change on Monday, Mr Williamson instructed the BBC he was “extremely sorry for the misery” induced to college students, however he repeatedly refused to say if he would resign.

He has been accused by Labour and the Lib Dems of making an attempt to shift the blame for the debacle on to regulator Ofqual.

And the Tory chairman of the schooling committee, Robert Halfon, has referred to as for Ofqual to be abolished in order that ministers can have “correct management and accountability”.

Requested on BBC Radio 4’s Right now programme about reviews Mr Williamson had tendered his resignation after Monday’s U-turn, Mr Hancock mentioned: “All of us are coping with unprecedented challenges and unprecedented circumstances. There has by no means been a yr once we have not been capable of do the exams.

“Gavin has confronted these very troublesome challenges and carried out his greatest in very troublesome circumstances.

“The large focus now’s on ensuring they’ll get to college in just a few weeks time and in addition that the faculties reopen in a fortnight.”

How did Gavin Williamson survive the exams U-turn?

The profession aspirations of many youngsters have been delivered a blow final week. So why are the profession prospects of Gavin Williamson not in tatters?

It isn’t just a few college students, lecturers and fogeys who’re scratching their heads over this query – however some Conservative MPs too.

Considered one of them mentioned to me: “Any minister who makes youngsters cry will not be in place.”

One other identified that he had loads of time to organize for the way college students must be assessed – exams have been cancelled 5 months in the past, on 18 March.

But Downing Avenue maintains the prime minister has full confidence in Gavin Williamson.

Learn Iain’s full evaluation

Nonetheless, Mr Williamson continues to be going through stress from opposition events, components of the schooling sector and college students to step down – in addition to from some unnamed Tory backbenchers and usually supportive newspapers, such because the Each day Mail.

Conservative former minister George Freeman mentioned the “examination shambles” raised “worrying” questions on management on the Division for Training.

Fellow Tory ex-minister and former MP Sir Nicholas Soames tweeted on Monday: “What might have been within the prime minister’s thoughts that led him to nominate so mere, so unreliable, so wholly unsuitable a person to some of the essential jobs in authorities?

“A catastrophic misjudgement, Williamson should go.”

And Liberal Democrat schooling spokeswoman and occasion management contender Layla Moran mentioned: “There should be penalties for this catastrophic failure of governance.

“Gavin Williamson should resign, and if he refuses to go Boris Johnson should sack him.”

In his letter to Mr Williams, normal secretary of the ASCL, Geoff Barton, mentioned: “It appears to be clear that the statistical mannequin for moderating centre-assessed grades was flawed and that it produced many anomalous outcomes.

“However how did this occur, why have been the issues not foreseen, and why have been ministers not on high of this?”

No 10 has mentioned the prime minister has full confidence within the schooling secretary.