Oxford college says it will honour all offers regardless of A-level grades
An Oxford college has said that it will honour all of its offers even if students did not make the grades in response to the shock A-level results on Thursday.
Worcester College said it was welcoming its "most diverse cohort ever", adding: "in response to uncertainties surrounding this year's assessment, we have confirmed the places of all UK offer-holders, regardless of their A Level results".
Meanwhile, those with offers from the rest of the Oxbridge colleges who appeal their grades successfully will still have to take a year out if the process takes more than two weeks, according to university policy.
Some students who achieve the top grades after challenging their results could have their places at Oxford deferred until autumn 2021 if the institution reaches maximum capacity.
The university has said it would not be possible to meet "ongoing social-distancing restrictions" and other challenges presented by Covid-19 if it went above its maximum intake of students.
Cambridge University has also said students may be asked to defer their entry until autumn 2021 - depending on when they find out their appeal outcome.
The move comes after Universities Minister Michelle Donelan told universities to hold places for applicants challenging A-level grades until they receive the outcome of their appeal.
Graduates from both Oxford and Cambridge have written to their colleges asking them to follow Worcester's example and honour the offers made, especially those given to students from underperforming state schools who were more likely to have their grades bumped down by the algorithm. A campaign called #HonourTheOffer received hundreds of posts on Twitter from Oxbridge graduates urging their colleges to let those with bumped-down grades in.
The Cambridge graduates said: "We hope that the University can be ‘sufficiently sophisticated’ in its approach to offers in this Admissions Cycle, and that it does not simply double-down on an unjust grading system which has already proven itself unfit for purpose. It would be for the benefit of all that Cambridge welcome all these talented students, giving them the opportunities they wholeheartedly deserve."
Cambridge professor Priyamvada Gopal has called for the offers of all state school pupils to be honoured.
She said: "Given our far too slow track record on 'widening participation', as a matter of principle, Cambridge should honour all existing offers made to state sector candidates regardless of result.
"I am calling on my own college, Churchill to do so and I invite Fellows of other colleges to do the same. Honour the offers to state sector candidates."
