USP Palmers College in Grays has confirmed that it will offer a place to any student applying for a start there in September 2020.

The offer comes in a bid to ease concerns of school leavers worried about how their GCSE grades will be awarded after the government announced that May and June exams would be cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Students, parents and educational institutions have been unclear about whether qualifications would be graded or allocated.

There is still uncertainty around whether final grades will be informed by mock examination grades and assessments, predicted grades, or by another method.

Dan Pearson, USP Principal and CEO said: "This will be a worrying time for all Year 11 students, but particularly those who did not perform as well as they hoped in their mock exams but were working hard and expecting to get higher grades in their final exams.

"They will be understandably concerned about how their exam grades will be calculated and how this will affect their next steps. We want to provide reassurance that they will not be left at a disadvantage because of circumstances outside of their control."

The college, which also has a campus in Benfleet (SEEVIC), says it will be offering comprehensive advice and guidance for all applicants throughout the enrolment process to ensure that course choices are appropriate for their career aspirations and attainment levels.

The College still has places available for 2020 on a wide range of A-Level and professional BTEC courses. Apply online here