More than 30 pupils have been given a lower mark in their GCSE in English due to a clerical error by the exam board.

Thirty-one pupils studying at Alec Hunter Academy in Stubbs Lane, Braintree, have been awarded no marks for an assessment they sat in Year 10.

A statement sent to the Times by headteacher Trevor Lawn read: “The headline figure of 5+ A*-C grades including English and maths is unclear at present.

“This is due to the fact that the school has identified a clerical error in English language by the AQA Exam Board, resulting in 31 students being awarded no marks for Controlled Assessment carried forward from Year 10."

A spokesman for the AQA exam board said: "When we sent these 31 students their results we hadn’t included their coursework marks, so the results weren’t right.

"We’re really sorry that this happened and will review our processes to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

See this week's Braintree and Witham Times for the full story.