10 Nov 2021 Mared Thomas Foulkes · Prevention of Future Deaths report North West Wales
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Concerns raised 3
Failure to distinguish pending assessment marks from failed marks View source Failure of examination results and marking processes to provide clear and non-misleading information View source Lack of a system for personal tutors to contact vulnerable students before release of failed examination results View source
No linked response statements No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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AI-generated summary
Mared Thomas Foulkes · Prevention of Future Deaths report
This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.
Report summary
Mared Thomas Foulkes, aged 21, died beneath the Britannia Bridge on 8 July 2020; the inquest concluded that her death was suicide. Concerns included complex and potentially misleading examination-result communications, and the absence of a system for personal tutors to contact vulnerable students before failed results were released.
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How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Failure to distinguish pending assessment marks from failed marks
Wider context from the report “(1) The sharing of examination results and how examinations are marked is complex, confusing and at times capable of appearing misleading. Mared had failed one Professional Skills Assessment during the second year of her degree (2019/2020) and had undertaken a resit during the first semester for which she had received a ‘provisional pass’. This was not ratified in the June exam board; instead it was to be ratified in the September exam board round in accordance with the University’s policy (though that was not obviously clear at the time). The indication therefore to Mared in July 2020 was that she had not successfully completed the year. The result was later ratified in September. Furthermore, marks of 39% and 1% (fails) for assessments are given in situations where marks could be ‘pending’.
” Source location Mared Thomas Foulkes · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Failure of examination results and marking processes to provide clear and non-misleading information
Wider context from the report “(1) The sharing of examination results and how examinations are marked is complex, confusing and at times capable of appearing misleading. Mared had failed one Professional Skills Assessment during the second year of her degree (2019/2020) and had undertaken a resit during the first semester for which she had received a ‘provisional pass’. This was not ratified in the June exam board; instead it was to be ratified in the September exam board round in accordance with the University’s policy (though that was not obviously clear at the time). The indication therefore to Mared in July 2020 was that she had not successfully completed the year. The result was later ratified in September. Furthermore, marks of 39% and 1% (fails) for assessments are given in situations where marks could be ‘pending’.
” Source location Mared Thomas Foulkes · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of a system for personal tutors to contact vulnerable students before release of failed examination results
Wider context from the report “(2) There is no system in place for personal tutors to contact students ahead of the release of failed examination results, especially in vulnerable students. Students are not contacted directly by telephone by their personal tutors ahead of the release of the results in the event of failed modules or in the event of being informed that they had not successfully completed the year despite the complex and confusing assessment and results process and potentially misleading process around the sharing of examination results.
” Source location Mared Thomas Foulkes · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Open source report
25 Jul 2019 Owen Arron Wynne Williams · Prevention of Future Deaths report West Yorkshire (West)
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Concerns raised 4
Delays in staff support availability after unexpected A level results View source Delayed UCAS availability after educational institutions release student results View source Lack of national agreement on the timing and manner of A level results release View source
Lack of national requirement for advance direct parental communication about A level results release and potential unexpected results View source See 1 more concern
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AI-generated summary
Owen Arron Wynne Williams · Prevention of Future Deaths report
This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.
Report summary
Owen Williams was found unresponsive, suspended by a rope tied to a tree in a secluded wooded area, after accessing A level results that did not meet the grades required for his intended university course; his death was confirmed later that day. The report identified concerns about the lack of national consistency in how and when A level results are released, delays before support is available, UCAS opening later, and the absence of a national requirement to inform parents in advance about the results-release system and potential impact of unexpected results.
Read the report on judiciary.uk
× Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Delays in staff support availability after unexpected A level results
Wider context from the report “I heard evidence from the Principal of the college that Owen attended that there is wide variance both locally and nationally of the timing and way in which colleges release A level results, some release results electronically as early as 6.00 am and later the same morning provide a facility within the school and college to provide support to students, some colleges / schools require the students to physically attend to obtain their results, when at the same time support by staff members is immediately on hand.
I understand UCAS is available from 8.00 am onwards, once again some hours after some students have obtained their results.
In particular, from the evidence presented to me it appears:-
1. That there is no national agreement across all educational institutions to the timing and manner in which A level results are released.
2. That there can be a significant time lag between results being released by some schools and colleges and the timing of when there is the availability of staff to provide support to those students that may have received unexpected results.
3. That UCAS is presently available some hours after some educational institutions have released student results.
4. That there is no national requirement for educational establishments to communicate directly to parents in advance of results day and explain the system in place for the release of the A level results at the educational establishment that their child is attending and to alert them to the potential that unexpected results can occur and to be alert to the impact that this may have upon their child.
” Source location Owen Arron Wynne Williams · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Delayed UCAS availability after educational institutions release student results
Wider context from the report “I heard evidence from the Principal of the college that Owen attended that there is wide variance both locally and nationally of the timing and way in which colleges release A level results, some release results electronically as early as 6.00 am and later the same morning provide a facility within the school and college to provide support to students, some colleges / schools require the students to physically attend to obtain their results, when at the same time support by staff members is immediately on hand.
I understand UCAS is available from 8.00 am onwards, once again some hours after some students have obtained their results.
In particular, from the evidence presented to me it appears:-
1. That there is no national agreement across all educational institutions to the timing and manner in which A level results are released.
2. That there can be a significant time lag between results being released by some schools and colleges and the timing of when there is the availability of staff to provide support to those students that may have received unexpected results.
3. That UCAS is presently available some hours after some educational institutions have released student results.
4. That there is no national requirement for educational establishments to communicate directly to parents in advance of results day and explain the system in place for the release of the A level results at the educational establishment that their child is attending and to alert them to the potential that unexpected results can occur and to be alert to the impact that this may have upon their child.
” Source location Owen Arron Wynne Williams · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of national agreement on the timing and manner of A level results release
Wider context from the report “I heard evidence from the Principal of the college that Owen attended that there is wide variance both locally and nationally of the timing and way in which colleges release A level results, some release results electronically as early as 6.00 am and later the same morning provide a facility within the school and college to provide support to students, some colleges / schools require the students to physically attend to obtain their results, when at the same time support by staff members is immediately on hand.
I understand UCAS is available from 8.00 am onwards, once again some hours after some students have obtained their results.
In particular, from the evidence presented to me it appears:-
1. That there is no national agreement across all educational institutions to the timing and manner in which A level results are released.
2. That there can be a significant time lag between results being released by some schools and colleges and the timing of when there is the availability of staff to provide support to those students that may have received unexpected results.
3. That UCAS is presently available some hours after some educational institutions have released student results.
4. That there is no national requirement for educational establishments to communicate directly to parents in advance of results day and explain the system in place for the release of the A level results at the educational establishment that their child is attending and to alert them to the potential that unexpected results can occur and to be alert to the impact that this may have upon their child.
” Source location Owen Arron Wynne Williams · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of national requirement for advance direct parental communication about A level results release and potential unexpected results
Wider context from the report “I heard evidence from the Principal of the college that Owen attended that there is wide variance both locally and nationally of the timing and way in which colleges release A level results, some release results electronically as early as 6.00 am and later the same morning provide a facility within the school and college to provide support to students, some colleges / schools require the students to physically attend to obtain their results, when at the same time support by staff members is immediately on hand.
I understand UCAS is available from 8.00 am onwards, once again some hours after some students have obtained their results.
In particular, from the evidence presented to me it appears:-
1. That there is no national agreement across all educational institutions to the timing and manner in which A level results are released.
2. That there can be a significant time lag between results being released by some schools and colleges and the timing of when there is the availability of staff to provide support to those students that may have received unexpected results.
3. That UCAS is presently available some hours after some educational institutions have released student results.
4. That there is no national requirement for educational establishments to communicate directly to parents in advance of results day and explain the system in place for the release of the A level results at the educational establishment that their child is attending and to alert them to the potential that unexpected results can occur and to be alert to the impact that this may have upon their child.
” Source location Owen Arron Wynne Williams · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Open source report
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Jointly host a roundtable with UCAS and education-sector organisations to consider the student journey and agree support for pupils encountering exam-result difficulties.
Verbatim wording from the response “I am determined that we avoid any situations where students with unexpected results feel that they have nowhere to turn. In order to ensure that no pupil finds themselves in this situation, later this year, my department will be jointly hosting a roundtable with UCAS, who are responsible for the release of information about university places on the morning of A level results day. We will invite organisations from across the education sector to consider the student journey – from sitting exams to receiving results – to agree how, together, we can ensure that pupils are supported should they encounter difficulties. Attendees will include the JCQ (Joint Council of Qualifications) and the Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA). I understand that UCAS and the SFCA will be responding to you separately.” Source location 2019-0250-Response-by-Department-for-Education
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Provide telephone and social-media support through the Customer Experience Centre during the Confirmation and Clearing period.
Verbatim wording from the response “Most importantly, our Customer Experience Centre offers support via telephone and social media during the Confirmation and Clearing period, ensuring students have access to the right information and advice for their needs.” Source location 2019-0250-Response-by-UCAS
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Jointly host a roundtable with education-sector representatives to explore consistent school practice, embargo timing, student support and alternative higher-education choices.
Verbatim wording from the response “On receipt of your letter, we contacted the Department for Education (DfE) and (JCQ) to discuss our own concerns about the time at which students can access their results without support from their school or college – and the inconsistency in approach. We believe improvements could be made to the process, and we are keen to work with DfE, JCQ, awarding organisations, schools, and colleges to improve the overall experience for students. In order to take this forward, we will jointly host a roundtable with DfE to explore how we can support students throughout the examination and results periods, particularly those who do not receive the grades they had hoped for.” Source location 2019-0250-Response-by-UCAS
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Exam-results release timing is determined by JCQ for GCSE, AS and A levels, and by individual awarding organisations for other qualifications.
Verbatim wording from the response “The time at which GCSE, AS and A level results can be released by schools to pupils is a matter for the JCQ, a membership organisation representing independent awarding organisations including the four exam boards offering GCSE, AS and A level exams in England. The JCQ oversees exam processes” Source location 2019-0250-Response-by-Department-for-Education
Open published response
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.