A-levels and GCSEs in England will be awarded based on the "centre assessment grades" from teachers, the government has announced.

The U-turn comes after days of criticism by students, teachers, and cross-party MPs over the controversial system for awarding results.

About 40% of A-level results were downgraded after the exams regulator Ofqual used an algorithm based on schools' previous results.

The move follows a similar announcement by the Welsh government earlier this afternoon.

This means pupils in Richmond will now receive their grades originally predicted by their teachers rather than the government adjusted ones.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson had come under increasing pressure to reverse the government's grading system.

This also means that GCSE results will now be based on predicted grades.

Richmond Park MP Sarah Olney was delighted by the change after writing to Mr Williamson.

She tweeted: "We won!! I am very pleased to hear that my young constituents will be awarded the grades they deserve."

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