The Department for Education confirmed the move minutes after the Tomlinson inquiry into this summer's A-level results concluded he had done nothing wrong.

The inquiry also recommended that some entries may need to be re-graded.

Mike Tomlinson - the former chief inspector of England's schools - said he had not detected any political interference in the exam process and that the sheer complexity of the new, two-stage A-level system, meant that there had been "an accident waiting to happen".

The Education Secretary ordered the inquiry last week in response to complaints that exam boards were marking down grades after pressure from the exams watchdog.

What is your reaction to Sir William Stubbs' sacking? Has the inquiry restored confidence in the exams system?

This government, like the last Tory government, has an obsession with statistics and playing the numbers game. Everything comes down to image and what looks good to the voters. Meanwhile, our children suffer from being tested and educated to the point of being stupefied. Mark Twain was right after all: "Never let schooling get in the way of your education." Many kids will make out alright anyway; not because of the education system but in spite of it.
Alan Davies, Wales, UK

Estelle Morris has presided over a system of compete incompetence. On this basis alone she should go. She has shown herself not to be up to the mark. AS results are now in doubt but this is not the only problem. This year's AS students will now face additional university place competition from this years A2 students who are forced to defer their university entrance until 2004
John Pearson, UK

I resent the fact that people are saying that A-levels are easier. I believe that the pass rate is so high due to better teaching quality, improved resources (study guides and the internet) and from the hard work that all students put in. I am currently in year 13 and I found, as well as my peers, that the AS course is extremely challenging as you only have a term of teaching before an exam! It's ridiculous. I believe that students should be congratulated on their results, no matter how poor, due to the way that the exam system has been messed about by the government.
Luke, UK

A huge rethink of the whole system is necessary

Jim, UK

Let's get rid of the spin and the cover-ups; a far reaching clearout and a huge rethink of the whole system is necessary. Let's get the teachers back teaching (rather than "meeting targets") and the exam boards marking exams (instead of manipulating results to avoid political embarrassment). But let's not stop there; while we're at it, perhaps we could get the police to put down their pens and get back to catching criminals, hospitals could simply treat as many people as they can rather than worrying about "waiting lists" and MPs could then go back to doing whatever it is that politicians are paid to do (any clues?)
Jim, UK

I agree with the comments that Estelle Morris was doing nothing wrong by preparing an approach for each possible enquiry outcome - this is the job we would expect her to do. The one aspect that concerns me the most about this whole affair is the histrionics displayed by a large number of the affected students, whipped up even further by the media. I empathise totally with the difficulty of dealing with uncertainty, but those people who state that their "lives have been ruined" by missing out on their first choices need to gain some perspective. I know that this is a challenge when you're 18/19 years old, but trust me - worse things happen and your lives are not in tatters.
Emma Jenkins, UK

I don't know why everyone is calling for a switch to the International Baccalaureate as a solution to the present problems. Our administrators, Government Ministers included, can't even manage a relatively small modification to our existing system, never mind a complete change to something else.
Paul B, Oxfordshire, UK

I am wholly frustrated by this whole fiasco. My results were affected but I was lucky to get my place at my University. Estelle Morris hasn't really come up with an answer from this independent enquiry. We knew that things needed to be remarked. I think a fresh start for the QCA should also mean a fresh start for the Education Secretary with whom young people now have little or no faith.
Amy Dexter, UK

We no longer educate our children; rather, we teach them to pass exams

Ann, UK

We no longer educate our children; rather, we teach them to pass exams. My daughter achieved an A at GCSE English Lit. without having fully read any of her set books. We need thinkers and doers, not exam fodder, and the system does not allow for this anymore, Let us not forget that "when everybody is somebody, nobody's anybody".
Ann, UK

Someone's head had to roll, and there was no way it was going to be Estelle Morris' (or David Blunkett's - remember his "promise" 5 years ago to resign if standard's had not improved in 5 years). After all we can't really expect politicians to accept responsibility for their department's mistakes, now can we?
Paul, England

As a Head of Dept for many years in comprehensive education, I would just like to point a finger at the rushed introduction of the AS/A2 system. As usual, everybody knows better that the teacher in the classroom about how best to teach, introduce new syllabi and tests. I was under the impression that the rushed introduction was down to Blunkett rather than Morris? If so, why is he so uncharacteristically quiet?
Tim Swain, Wales

May I put one thing straight here. Comments that the UK education system is poor should visit the States. We are vastly superior to many other countries. These people who knock our system should try education in Iraq, France, the USA etc. I mark GCSEs from countries around the world and I can assure you we have the best here! I believe in some cases that teachers are to blame for the current A Level fiasco. I mark/moderate for a board and this year saw an outstanding record of poor staff guidance.
Charles, UK

GCSE and A levels are basically an exams for profit exercise

Mike, UK

When I sat my A-levels it was still under the rule that you studied the subjects for two years and then sat the exams at the end of it. Now with the newer modular system students can re-sit a module if they want to try to get a better grade. GCSE and A levels are basically an exams for profit exercise. The exam boards change the grade boundaries to make their exams look more attractive to schools so more will take their exam next year.
Mike, UK

Coursework at school is manipulated by parents, teachers and tutors too easily for it to be a useful indicator of a pupil's ability. Certainly a child whose parents help them will do much better than one whose parents can't. All teachers set the coursework to give their pupils the best chance of gaining marks. This is why the independent sector is seemingly the worst hit by the downgrading as the parents are generally well educated and the teachers have more time to give to each child.
Jim, England

As a teacher I agree with Jim (England). Coursework is so open to abuse it is unbelievable. I also mark written papers at this level and have no idea where the grade boundaries are going to be set so have no chance to 'mark down' or 'up'.
Another Jim, England

This inquiry seems more concerned at deflecting blame from the people responsible and less at helping the students affected. It is the students who have been let down here and so far all we can establish is that Ms Morris is not at fault. She should go, not so much because of what has happened before last week. It is because of her lack of a game plan and genuine sympathy for the thousands of affected students. If the Education Minister is not ultimately responsible then this is a sad day for the future of Britain's children.
Greg, UK

And some people think this Government should run the railways!
Colin, UK

As a pupil myself, I am outraged by the present system; not only are we overloaded with work, being the most examined youngsters in Europe, but now we are forced to contend with an exam system that has failed us. The government has no right, as the Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith said: "to play politics with children's futures".
Alison Potter, England

It is us, the students, who as usual have been forgotten about in this whole saga

Rachel Hudson, England

I have just started my A2s this year and I am horrified by the mess that has been made with this year's exams. Not only will I have to worry about whether my exams have been marked correctly I also have to compete with even more students for a university place as this year's students have been promised a place on their course next year. How does the government expect the universities to cope with at least 30% more applicants next year? I just hope that the problem is sorted out soon for the sake of us, the students, who as usual have been forgotten about in this whole saga.
Rachel Hudson, England

There's nothing new in adjusting grades. I took A-levels in the late 60's. We were told then that only a certain percentage would achieve a particular grade - so we were in competition with everyone else. There was also another grade 'O' Level Pass - which I assume meant a pass at 'A level' but because of the quota system we couldn't be given even the lowest grade pass!!
Peter, England

So, the man completed discharged by the official report is sacked by Morris in order to 'restore public confidence'? I think she needs to be given a dictionary, as she obviously does not understand the meaning of the word 'confidence'. Political figure-fudging is what has happened here. It's time to scrap the ancient A-level and run 100% with the Swiss-run I.B. That would prevent all future government intervention in such a precious article.
Jason Anderson, London, UK

What a farce

Roman, UK

What a farce. Estelle Morris should resign, because even if we are to believe this farcical story that it was all a misunderstanding, she is the one in charge not the poor scapegoat who had the guts to publicly challenge her.
Roman, UK

It is nonsense for Estelle Morris to state "it was nothing to do with ministers" when asked why this A-level debacle arose. The new A-level process and examination came about because New Labour are obsessed with examinations for the sake of examinations and do not care about the quality of teaching. I am a very disgruntled parent who has seen the quality of teaching go down simply to allow for more testing! Estelle Morris should go. I used to be a New Labour voter - but not any longer.
Stephen Evans, UK

There is an old saying, the buck stops here. Estelle Morris has overseen a failure, and she should resign.
Bo Price, UK

This has led me to lose all faith in the education system

Alison Jane, UK

I am disgusted with the way this year's A level fiasco has been handled. I had Sociology coursework downgraded from an A to a D, and my record as a straight A student in that subject suggests to me that this is wholly inaccurate. This, and all that has happened to so many others, has led me to lose all faith in the education system. It is disheartening to hear the sweeping generalisations made by the people telling us how easy exams are nowadays. Not all of us are lazy or lacking intelligence - I dedicated a lot of time to studying for exams and coursework over my 2 years at college.
Alison Jane, UK

Just another New Labour mess. If the going gets tough - sack someone and blame them for your own failure. We've seen it before and we will certainly see it happen again no doubt.
Chris Powell, Swansea

The political lobby were gunning for Estelle Morris and they are disappointed that Tomlinson completely cleared her

John Holland, England

The political lobby were gunning for Estelle Morris and they are disappointed that Tomlinson completely cleared her. Why are they still calling for her resignation? Headteachers are pleased that William Stubbs was sacked and they want Morris to move on and sort out the mess. Let's hear more from headteachers.
John Holland, England

Ministers seem to think that the solution to every problem is more regulation and centralisation and we see that this fiasco is, in part, attributed to the lack of clear instructions to examining boards. However, when things go wrong they will never admit to any blame. It is always someone else's fault. Why does no one know the art of arm's length management - leaving it to the experts to develop and administer the system, while checking its validity through careful questioning? Ministers should be developing strategies, not meddling with areas of which they have minimal experience.
John, UK

What about the officials who advise her within her department?

Alistair Buchanan, England

Morris should go, but what about the officials who advise her within her department? This is just the latest in a long line of administrative blunders by that department. Time for a clear-out, perhaps?
Alistair Buchanan, England

Stubbs goes. Morris stays. Another nail in the coffin of ministerial responsibility. If she was not aware of this emerging fiasco until it happened then who has she been talking to and about what since she was given office.
Mark Stallard, UK

When I took my A-levels in 1996, this deliberate marking-down was already happening. After being told that I would achieve a result of A/B in Geography, I received a D. After I appealed to the examining board, the Geography papers of the entire year were remarked as all candidates had been deliberately marked down.
Eleri, UK

Whatever Ms Morris' involvement with this fiasco, the qualifications and prospects of this year's A-level students have been destroyed. She should resign out of respect and pity for all those poor students.
Henry Jordan, England

If the grades were marked wrongly then they should be changed

Nick Jones, UK

What has this got to do with Estelle Morris? Unless the independent inquiry ascertains that there was political interference, then Estelle did nothing wrong. Also, if the grades were marked wrongly then they should be changed; these results are life-changing. Finally, I am currently starting year 13, and would like to challenge anyone who derides A-levels as "easy" to come in and try them for themselves. If they don't then they should keep quiet and stop demeaning our hard work.
Nick Jones, UK

Mr Stubbs just wants to make sure Ms Morris gets the sack instead of him. He also wants to discredit the independent inquiry to justify that his inquiry was carried out correctly.
Cliff Hulcoop, England

The current school leavers must be wondering why they even bothered trying to achieve as the government keeps moving the goal posts.
Robert, Leeds, UK

Estelle Morris has been set up as a scapegoat by Downing Street. She'll be going soon.
David, Birmingham, UK

Most people would have picked the phone up and asked Estelle Morris what was going on

G. Heathcote, England

On hearing that Estelle Morris' officials were talking to the exam boards during the investigation, most people would have picked the phone up and asked Estelle Morris what was going on. William Stubbs doesn't appear to have done this but to have told the media. I wonder why? He should be asked.
G. Heathcote, England

Sir William is merely getting his retaliation in first.
Ian Marlow, UK

What is Estelle Morris actually accused of doing? Forward planning instead of just waiting till she is hit by a problem. If this is interfering I wish a few more ministers "interfered".
Jeff, UK

I am in year 13 and I'm worried this will happen to us next August. Will it affect us and our university places? Ms Morris should admit her mistakes about the whole AS/A2 and step down.
Carl Fielding, Isle of Man

Poor Estelle Morris

Dave, York, UK

Poor Estelle Morris. She really is damned if she does and damned if she doesn't. Imagine what would have been said if she had stood up when the results of the enquiry were announced and said she didn't know what to do next, and then had to look into the feasibility of re-marking. She would have been branded as completely incompetent. Let her make contingency plans, and wait to hear what the actual inquiry says - then make your judgements.
Dave, York, UK

If this enquiry concludes that there has been interference in the marking process Estelle Morris should resign immediately. Am I correct in recalling that David Blunkett, her predecessor, had offered to resign if a certain level of grades had not been achieved by this year? Given that she now has his job does she stand by that assertion for herself?
James Miller, UK

Until it is shown that the government has interfered with the exam process, Estelle Morris has nothing to resign over. It is the exam boards that handle the grading and ensure that standards are maintained not the government. Let's hang-fire and see what actually went on.
Dave, UK

The whole saga has been a disgrace but at least it seems Ms Morris wants to do something about it as soon as she has the results of the enquiry.
Sarah, Manchester

I have no faith in Estelle Morris or what she has said. All A-level papers should be re-marked so that students get fair results.
Glyn, England

Glyn, England says all A-level papers should be re-marked... That's exactly what Estelle Morris is looking into, yet people call for her resignation. I trust her more that the Tories or that Chris Woodhead has-been, and so do the head teachers. Isn't that what's important?
Rob, UK

I suspect we are getting a review because a few elite schools are complaining

Rod, UK

This process of using statistics is nothing new. It was used on me in the early 90's and throughout my university years. Moreover, having been a lecturer I've seen it used on others. This story is just a case of the press jumping on a story. Also I suspect we are getting a review because a few elite schools are complaining rather than for any other reason. I feel sorry for the children involved but perhaps these are the grades they should be getting after all.
Rod, UK

I've just done my A-levels and was one of the lucky ones who got 3 As. Does that mean that I was exceptionally good or just lucky not to be a victim like some of the others in my school? Secondly, I'm doing a gap year and applying to university this September. If the universities suddenly have to 'find' places for people in my academic year will that mean fewer places for me and the rest of us applying this September?
Michael Amherst, England

Hopefully this independent inquiry will open up some closed doors

Darren, Manchester, UK

I'm just starting my second year in college now, on my run-up to my A-levels, and am already worrying if the exam boards will mark our papers truthfully. It's disgraceful to try and mark hard-working students down and makes them feel less confident about themselves, not to mention ruining their future. Hopefully this independent inquiry will open up some closed doors.
Darren, Manchester, UK

Perhaps we should abandon A-Levels altogether now they have been completely discredited and move instead to the International Baccalaureate. This is centrally administered from Switzerland and would be completely free from political interference of any sort. The IB derives its existence by being taken seriously on an international level and would never sell out its standards as our boards have done.
Charles, UK

I agree with 'Charles UK' the A-levels should be scrapped, and replaced by the Baccalaureate, I have two sons at university, nobody has realised the effect this will have on all students in the future. Who do they put their faith in now? When students receive their results from now on, no matter what examination board has marked them how will they know they have been marked fairly? A very large can of worms has been opened here!
Kathy, UK

Politicians must pander to voters and ensure that results are achieved

Mike Holmes, Scotland

This simply illustrates the basic problem of democracy. Every parent is convinced that their little darlings are above average and thus politicians must pander to these voters and ensure that these results are achieved.
Mike Holmes, Scotland

In response to Mike Holmes, Scotland: I would remind you, Mike, the government is not pandering to our parents. We, as those who have just left school, and those who will take the exams this year, are voters too - and there are a lot of us.
Alasdair, UK

The exam results are used by universities and companies to determine if a person was among the cleverest in their year or not, hence the percentage system works. If one year the exam is too easy this system stops everyone getting an A, similarly if the exam is too difficult it stops a lot of people failing.
Caron, England

It is inconceivable that Ms Morris was unaware of any pressure being brought to bear by the QCA on examining bodies. This is the latest example of the adverse affects of political interference in the education and testing of our children. In its quest for so-called "equality and openness", this government has now completely destroyed any residual faith people may have held in the UK's education process.
Edwin, UK

Students who have been affected should accept the marking process

Chris Plant, England

There is nothing wrong with the new AS-levels, it merely increased the standard of the smaller number of students continuing to A2 (full A-level). This, combined with the standard adjustment of grade boundaries to get a set percentage of each grade per year, has caused this uproar. Students who have been affected should accept the marking process and stop moaning.
Chris Plant, England

My friend used to mark A-levels, some 15 years ago, along with other people I knew. Even in those days, percentages for each grade were expected to be achieved by examiners, and once you had achieved, say, the required 20% of students who had gained the higher mark, the rest had to be marked lower, or the board would not accept the marking. What happened in those days was that examiners, fearful of using up their quota on higher grades, would mark low throughout, so that they had the leeway to give higher marks when an exceptional paper appeared. This doesn't seem to be any different; just that the process has finally been exposed to public scrutiny!
Kate, UK

Take education right out of the political arena. Until it ceases to be a vote winner/loser and fodder for the tabloid press to get hysterical over it will never be right.
Derek Blyth, U.K.

I agree with Derek Blythe (above). The A level system WAS good, until politicians saw education as a vote winner. The worst thing to happen to education was the expression ' education, education, education'. Once that happened it was bound to be spun into chaos.
Paul, UK

It seems that nobody understands why we have exams. It is so that employers/universities are able to differentiate between the abilities of candidates. Exams are pointless if everybody gets an A-Grade. It is standard practice in universities to award grades based upon a distribution curve, with grades adjusted to fit roughly within this pattern. Candidates aspiring to go to university should get used to this. Furthermore examination bodies that are unable to set examinations which allow them to show a good differentiation between candidates are wasting everybody's time.
Paul, UK

Grade adjustments by statistical methods are nothing new

Trevor Vaughan, UK

Grade adjustments by statistical methods are nothing new and date back to the 60's. They are not manipulated for political reasons but based on sound mathematical theory. The technique involves normalising the distribution of exam marks for each year and apportioning grades according to fixed statistical rules. This ensures that the inevitable variation in exam difficulty each year is eliminated. Stop playing politics and look at the facts.
Trevor Vaughan, UK

Simple solution - get rid of coursework. I never did coursework in my A-levels and was examined the good old-fashioned way - by sitting exams. I have never been able to understand why so much emphasis is put on course "work", which is done with the help of textbooks, the internet and even parents.
James, UK

A great deal of the trouble concerning A level stems from the attempt to re-invent the wheel in broadening the syllabus by introducing AS levels. Attempts to reinvent the wheel are never successful. An excellent, and arguably superior, syllabus already existed - the International Baccalaureate, recognised by every University in the world, and a few British schools do indeed follow this syllabus. In view of the recent controversies over A level results (some claiming they are too high and others too low) The IB has the additional advantage of being entirely independently assessed, and comparable from country to country.
David Cook, UK

Parents spend years trying to encourage their children to do well and all this can change on the whim of some exam board. As one pupil said "it affects their whole life". This should never happen again.
Jan Peddie, England

This fiasco undermines the whole principal of working hard

Dave, UK

How can you expect young people to try hard at school, when the results of their work face being 'adjusted'. This fiasco undermines the whole principal of working hard to achieve your best.
Dave, UK

What are we doing to the morale of our young people? These are the future of our country! I took my A-levels 25 years ago but still remember the stress of preparation. I now have a son going through AS levels this year and for whose benefit? This "one approach for all" just puts too much stress on the students and drastically reduces the time available to study. If we must change the system then let's do it properly. It's bad enough that their hard work is demeaned every year with the usual whinge that the exams are getting easier but are we now seriously fixing results to avoid adverse publicity?
Alan Cook, UK

The government should come clean and admit that it has spent five years encouraging the manipulation of exam results, and now, to try and avoid the annual round of result inflation, have damaged the hopes of thousands of university entrants.
Allen, UK

It is about time the government gave them all an apology for messing continually with their school lives

Terry Emerson, London, UK

This year's A-level students have been guinea pigs for new ideas throughout their school lives, with SATS, AS levels and modular A levels. The pressure has been unrelenting and harmful. It is about time the government stopped tinkering and gave them all an apology for messing continually with their school lives. Let's give them all a break and let them enjoy their youth before it's gone!
Terry Emerson, London, UK

It's a widely acknowledged belief that grade boundaries are only allocated after the marks are collated. This lets examiners see how the results fall. Even at universities a 2:1 some years can be awarded to a candidate with 58%/59% whereas in other years it could take 61% to achieve. This runs through the heart of the UK's education system.
Rachel, UK

As a holder of A-levels gained some years ago when the courses were extremely challenging I resent the fact that every A grade issued makes me look more stupid. At least have the decency to change the name from A level to E (for easy) level.
Mike, UK

This should be taken as an opportunity to re-establish A-levels as tough and credible exams

Tom, England

Estelle Morris should resign over this fiasco which will disrupt both schools and universities for several months to come. This should be taken as an opportunity to arrest grade inflation and to re-establish A-levels as tough and credible exams. It also worries me that it was only because the results of private schools were tampered with that this story came to light. I wonder how many state school students have been unfairly graded in earlier years.
Tom, England

I think people with low grades should stop complaining. It is just sour grapes! A month ago everybody complained that the tests were too easy now they are complaining that they have been unfairly marked: you can't have it both ways! If they had worked hard enough across all modules then students would have ensured they got good grades, regardless of having been marked down on coursework. Results should not be re-graded, students just have to learn to work harder.
Alex, UK

A full inquiry also needs to be carried out for previous years

Kate Barclay, UK

I took my A-Levels six years ago and missed out on my first choice university because of gaining a C grade in an exam. Not only was this my strongest subject but I had been told I had scored above 90% in my coursework but had effectively failed the exam. I found this impossible to believe due to my hard work and predicted grades but was told I had been deliberately marked down in an attempt to lower grades. The scandal of A-Levels has just erupted this year but my bet is this has happened every year and a full inquiry also needs to be carried out for previous years.
Kate Barclay, UK

All students missing a place at university or the job they wanted because of this mistake should take legal action the government. Also I think teachers deserve one big apology for Morris.
Garry, England

Most people who sat their A-levels in the past, will always believe that the standards must have fallen since their days at school, for the same reasons that every generation, believes that later generations are worse behaved, less intelligent etc.. The problems we see with this years exam results, stem, in my opinion, from the fact that many people think that they should always get what they want, regardless of whether or not they deserve it. Teachers should perhaps also shoulder some of the blame, when they predict that a pupil will achieve certain grades, on the basis of mock exam results, from papers which bare no relationship to the actual exam.
Dave, UK.

A-levels nowadays are just a laugh. They are meant to be an indication to universities and employers of how able a person is in a particular field, but with the current 90-something percent pass rate how can they be? This downgrading is just another example to show that the education we give our children is appalling.
Lew, London, UK