Boris Johnson faces backlash after blaming ‘mutant’ algorithm for grades debacle

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at Castle Rock School, Coalville, in the east Midlands. Picture: PA

Boris Johnson faced a backlash after he sought to blame the A-level results fiasco on a “mutant algorithm” and effectively sacked the senior civil servant at the Department for Education.

The British Prime Minister acknowledged the stress caused by the situation – which eventually resulted in a U-turn with A-level and GCSE grades in England awarded based on teachers’ assessments rather than the algorithm.

The UK's Department for Education announced that its permanent secretary Jonathan Slater will stand down because “the Prime Minister has concluded that there is a need for fresh official leadership”.

Labour accused Mr Johnson of trying to avoid taking responsibility for a “shambles” caused by his Government’s “incompetence”.

Mr Johnson, addressing pupils at a school in Coalville, Leicestershire, acknowledged that the situation had been “stressful” for those awaiting A-level and GCSE results.

“I’m afraid your grades were almost derailed by a mutant algorithm,” he told them.

“I know how stressful that must have been for pupils up and down the country.

“I’m very, very glad that it has finally been sorted out.”

Mr Johnson had previously claimed that the algorithm-based grades would be “robust” and “dependable”.

Shadow education secretary Kate Green said: “Boris Johnson is shamelessly trying to avoid taking responsibility for the exams fiasco that his government created.

“Responsibility for this shambles lies squarely with Downing Street and the Department for Education, who set out how they wanted the algorithm to work and were warned weeks in advance of issues, but repeatedly refused to address the problems they had created.

“It is this Tory government’s incompetence that is to blame for the exams fiasco.”