Estelle Morris has been accused of over-reacting to the A Level "grade fixing" row.

The education secretary faces claims that she panicked after it emerged that fewer than 1300 pupils have seen their A Levels upgraded following this summer's exams fiasco.

Forum Response: Association of Teachers and Lecturers

Gwen Evans, deputy general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said: "The lessons to be learnt from this costly business is that the time has come for the whole of the assessment process to be transparent and a matter of public knowledge.

"Deeper issues do remain. The system, which translates individual marked scripts into overall grades, is an inevitably complex one. The time has come for its many stages to be clearly explained to everyone - learner, parent and teacher.

"As a result, perhaps we shall all understand just what the limitations of our assessment system is and why the current reliance on test results as the measure of success is so deeply flawed.

"Inevitably, there are going to be some young people whose less than realistic dreams of better grades have been dashed by today's realities. We send our good wishes to the tiny minority of young people who have moved from the very top of one grade to the bottom of the next. Let us hope that this year's A2 students can now concentrate on studying not worrying."

Forum Response: Universities UK

Diana Warwick, chief executive of Universities UK, said: "We welcome the end of a difficult period of uncertainty for many A Level students.

"Universities have said consistently they would honour all conditional offers made to students who are now in a position to take them up, but this may still mean starting a course next year rather than this. We will work with students and their families to resolve things as quickly and smoothly as possible."

Forum Response: National Union of Teachers

Doug McAvoy, general secretary of the NUT, told ePolitix.com: "There are those who will say that the numbers of regradings are relatively small, and in percentage terms they are. But 1200 young people have had their marks tampered with and their confidence damaged by deliberate interference in their gradings.

"Mike Tomlinson is to be congratulated on the work he has done and the speed with which he has accomplished his task. The education secretary was right to set up the enquiry. The appeals system is there to deal with errors not deliberate decisions to downgrade students' work.

"People should not underestimate the impact of young people receiving unit grades below those expected. Some will have had their confidence undermined by artificially low unit grades.

"It is clear from Mike Tomlinson's work that the A and AS level exams are sound. Deliberate interference has affected gradings, but not the quality of the exam.

"Young people, parents, teachers and employers should not have their faith in the exam for next year undermined by this serious, one off event.

"Those who called for an immediate introduction of some form of baccalaureate should now take time to reflect on what if any further changes are needed to the examination system.

"The main task now is for the secretary of state to ensure that next year's examinees do not suffer the trauma that has beset this year's students."