Update 31 August:
Following the government’s subsequent policy reversal regarding the Ofqual algorithm last week, the College has now received all Centre Assessed Grades for the small number of applicants whose offers were still unconfirmed. Balliol has now been able to confirm offers, some on deferred places, to all those remaining applicants whose schools assessed their grades as meeting their conditions, or having used the same flexibility on the grounds of disadvantage as we had done previously within the University’s Common Framework.
Update 17 August 2020:
Balliol has now confirmed offers to its largest ever undergraduate cohort, including to all offer-holders from a state school or a disadvantaged background. These offers have been made on the basis of careful individual review of each case under the University’s Common Framework on Admissions, the agreed processes by which the collegiate university handles admissions. As a result almost 72% of our intake of UK undergraduates this year will come from the state sector.
Statement 14 August 2020:
The College shares the concerns raised by many people, including Old Members of Balliol, about the impact of Covid-19 on this year’s cohort of school leavers and the nature of the processes through which they have been assigned their A‑level grades. Oxford University has responded to Ofqual’s consultations about the awarding of grades this year and highlighted these concerns, particularly where they relate to the potential for a disproportionate impact on disadvantaged students. The University continues to work constructively with Ofqual to review and refine the outcomes in order to ensure fairness in admissions into next year.
Oxford and Balliol remain committed to a fair and robust admissions process that identifies academic potential. Most Balliol offer holders did meet their conditions despite the extraordinary circumstances. For those that did not, the College’s admissions team has taken great care in reviewing each case, with greater emphasis being placed this year upon the additional performance measures that we are lucky to have as a result of the Oxford admissions process, alongside the UCAS form, predicted grades, and the individual circumstances of candidates. As a result and in light of the extraordinary situation, the College has admitted a much higher number of students who did not meet their offer-conditions than it would under normal circumstances. At present, 12% of our intake for 2020 will be students admitted as a result of flexibility shown by the College, and we anticipate advising other offer-holders in regard to appealing their grades.
Our sympathies are with all those students whose final year at school has been so disrupted by the impact of Covid-19 and we look forward very much to welcoming our 2020 cohort this autumn.