General

A levels and other examinations were always unfair, yet perhaps it took a pandemic to see it. You can be amazingly clever, but if you're disadvantaged then there is a high chance that you'll have issues with stress deregulation in your body. What that means is, that for your body, an increase in stress will defocus your brain and hinder exam performance. For a student who lives with more affluence, there is a good chance (yet not a guarantee) that their stress response is well regulated and in exam conditions their brain achieves a higher level of focus. So, maybe the government didn't do such a bad job of their algorithm (though there are heart-breaking stories out there for sure that need correcting), maybe it's actually evidence that unfairness has been "baked into the cake" for generations. Perhaps that's the "big lesson" the government needs to ace.

General

James sat back and let the happiness soak right into his bones. He wanted the feeling to still be there when he was old. He closed his eyes and savoured the moment, but never released his grip on the seemingly inconsequential piece of paper and ink in his hands. For the first time in forever his body and mind relaxed. In that moment there were no expectations upon him, no deadlines and no schedules to meet. He was in, he'd made it, he was a winner.

By Angela Abraham, @daisydescriptionari, December 20, 2014.