The head teacher of Castle Rushen High School has sent an email to parents admitting responsibility over an exam failure.

The email from Keith Winstanley apologises for the error which came to light before the exam on May 25.

It has been confirmed that 84 students were entered for the exam.

In the email, Mr Winstanley said: ’While the investigation is ongoing it appears clear that the situation was our fault. Students were taught a set text that was relevant for exams up to November 2017, but not for summer 2018.

’This was an error in our programme of study for Year 11 English literature.’

The Examiner detailed earlier this week how students had been taught An Inspector Calls by J.B Priestley, only to discover that the book was not on the 2018 syllabus and therefore not in the exam.

Mr Winstanley explained the examination was worth 25% of the total grade for the course and that the other 75% was unaffected by the school’s error.

The school is currently awaiting a response from the examinations board, Cambridge International, and hopes for a response by the end of this week.

As previously stated by the Department of Education, Sport and Culture, the school insist the examination will not affect students’ A-level applications.

Mr Winstanley said the school also will, if necessary, issue students with documents explaining the circumstances of their result.

utmost

He added: ’The staff of the school all try their utmost to help our students, on this occasion we have let them down.’

A parent with a child at the school told the Manx Independent: ’I’m disappointed with the school for allowing this to happen.

’To be taught the wrong year’s set text goes to show there was a massive error on the school’s part. Mistakes happen but this is a pretty big mistake, English is such an important exam.

’It’s not something that should happen, you send your children to school in the hopes of them doing well then when a mix up like this happens you can lose faith in the education system.’

However, she did appreciate the apology from Mr Winstanley.

Parents who have spoken to the Manx Independent raised the issue of where the buck stops for the mistake now the school has admitted fault.

A school spokesman told the Manx Independent: ’The head teacher is, ultimately, responsible for everything that goes in their school.

’However operationally the programmes of study are controlled by subject team leaders and other promoted post holder teachers.’

The spokesman also confirmed that students will be able to resit the exam: ’Under IGCSE there would be an opportunity to re-sit the exam components as early as November, carrying forward the course work that students submitted this summer.

’However this would be on a set-text from the 2018 syllabus.’

Now the school, students and parents await the examination board’s decision.