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James O’Brien: A Level algorithm demonstrably delivered further advantage to the children born with the most

James O’Brien has been credited for giving a blistering account of the structural privilege that the A Level algorithm bestowed on the most advantaged children in society.

Speaking on his LBC show the presenter said the equation used by the government to calculate this year’s results “demonstrably delivers further advantage to the children born with the most”.

He took aim at the 5th Baron Bethell for a tweet that claimed “grit and perseverance” got him to where he is today, despite his privileged background.

“The 5th Baron Bethell extolling the virtues of grit and perseverance from a social media account that he probably set up on his House of Lords computer”, O’Brien lamented.

“He is a minister solely by dint of having inherited a barony and he honestly can’t see how disgraceful his comments are”.

According to Ofqual’s figures pupils at private schools received double the improvement in A* and A grades compared with those attending state comprehensives.

O’Brien said the result is that boys and girls who attended some of the best schools in Britain will come out with “even more of a head start in life than the kids who went to the comprehensive school around your corner.

“It beggars belief. It really beggars belief”.

Watch the clip in full below:

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Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

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