What the headteachers say

Headteachers today demanded a full independent inquiry as it emerged that some pupils had lost as much as a grade each.

Peter Farquhar, head of English at Stowe School, said the OCR board now had to make a public apology. He said the board should reinstate the original marks.

"This is a simple matter which does not require weeks of remarking," he said. "All that needs to be done is for the original marks to be reinstated - not just in coursework, but in all the modules - and that to happen immediately."

All 50 of Stowe's pupils were affected, losing an average of a grade each.

The master of Dulwich College, Graham Able, said: "We have no direct evidence that any pressure put on OCR was political as such. None of our evidence suggests interference at ministerial level, but I feel it is almost certain that indications were given to them by the QCA."

Dr Philip Evans, headmaster of Bedford School, said it was now vital to have a fully independent inquiry. He said: "It is not good enough that this be left to the regulator - it must be fully independent."

Chris Cleugh, headteacher at St Benedict's School in Ealing, said about 40 of his pupils may have been affected. Mr Cleugh said: "It is not retribution I am looking for, I just want the pupils to get what their efforts actually deserve."

Tony Little, headmaster of Eton, said the controversy had seen the school score only half of the A grades in English it would normally have expected. "Luckily it has not stopped our students getting into the university of their choice," he added.