Teacher assessed grades could still be given to school and college pupils next year, according to the education secretary.
Gavin Williamson said he hopes to move back to examinations for school pupils in 2022 but admitted the Government will consult on a contingency plan "largely based around" teacher-assessed grades for next year.
In an interview with Sky News, Mr Williamson said: "In the last academic year we have conducted an extensive consultation as we move back to examinations, and in a few weeks' time as we go back into the winter period we will be doing another extensive consultation as to the contingency, which will be largely based around teacher-assessed grades.
READ MORE: A-level results day 2021 LIVE updates: Latest news, grades, Clearing details and how to appeal
"But we very much hope that we will be moving to a system of where we are able to move into the more normal pattern of examinations from next year, but always conscious that this pandemic, we have not always been able to predict the course of it, it has continuously changed, and it's absolutely right that we have contingencies there, as we always do."
When asked about teacher assessments for next year he said: "What we are saying is you will probably have seen our consultation in the last academic year, we are very much planning to move back to examinations as a form of assessment, but we always have to have a contingency plan in place, and that's why we will be consulting in the next academic year on those plans."
However, the education secretary has said he expects universities to go back to face-to-face teaching.
He told Sky News: "Universities are autonomous institutions. Our guidance is clear, our direction is clear and we do expect all universities, unless there's unprecedented reasons, to be moving back to the situation of actually delivering lessons, lectures, face-to-face."
A-level students across the Liverpool City Region and all over the UK will be getting their results today.
The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc in the education sector over the last 18 months with exams being cancelled once again in the summer.
Teachers have instead determined grades based on a “range of evidence” which includes mock exams, coursework and in class tests.
Teachers were only allowed to mark pupils on what had been taught after months of school and college closures due to Covid-19.
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