Exam boards appear to have avoided a repeat of last year's A Level marking fiasco.

Top fee-paying schools, which were among the first to highlight marking problems in 2002, gave the exams an initial all-clear yesterday.

"From returns so far, there is no pattern to suggest any major problems in particular syllabuses or papers," said Graham Able, chairman of the Headmasters and Headmistresses Conference.

Writing in today's Guardian, David Miliband says that students should be praised for their results.

The schools minister also gives an early indication of what would form the priorities for Labour in a third term, saying: "A third term would enable us to address the 14-19 phase, promoting participation in academic and vocational subjects.

"Any reform must build on the strengths of the existing system and must not be rushed."