SIX challenges against grades awarded in one A-level subject have been lodged by St George s School in Harpenden. Head Norman Hoare said this week that they referred to one small subject which he declined to name. But he confirmed that three A-level pap

SIX challenges against grades awarded in one A-level subject have been lodged by St George's School in Harpenden.

Head Norman Hoare said this week that they referred to "one small subject" which he declined to name. But he confirmed that three A-level papers and three AS papers were being urgently re-marked because there was dissatisfaction with the low grades awarded.

He added: "The results didn't match with our predicted grades. The person who teaches this course is a registered examiner at this examination board. He knows the standards and feels very strongly about it."

He said that as of last Friday, the day after the A2 and AS marks were released, there had been no outstanding problems raised by students although he accepted that some might not have got their first-choice university place.

Mr Hoare said priority re-marking only took a few days but it was an expensive process which would be paid for by parents at this stage.

Should the examination board come back with improved marks for the entrants, the school would have to consider whether to challenge the marks of the remainder of the subject group.

But on the whole he said he was delighted with the St George's results particularly out of the top 10 marks in the country in A-level art, nine had come from students at the Sun Lane school.

Top marks for the district's schools - page 7.