GCSE and A-level students will get their results as planned in August, Education Minister Kirsty Williams has confirmed.

Thousands of pupils and students had been set to sit their exams this summer, but the tests were abandoned because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Instead, teachers will hand out “fair” grades based on pupils’ work.

GCSE results will be published on August 20, while A-level results will be out on August 13.

Confirming the dates, Lib Dem Assembly Member Ms Williams said: “As I set out in my letter to the Education Secretary for England on March 31, during these uncertain times, providing clarity and ensuring that learners are not disadvantaged in accessing their university places by a divergence in results dates have been key priorities for me. I am pleased this will now be the case.

“Sticking to the existing results dates has been the intention in Wales, supported by the advice of our independent exam regulator Qualifications Wales. Proposals in England to move to a much earlier results day introduced an unnecessary risk, and I had expressed my concerns to counterparts in the UK Government, as had the education sector here in Wales and UCAS.”

Ms Williams’ confirmation that results days will remain unchanged follows a decision by England not to move them.

She added: “GCSEs and A-levels are shared and owned across three countries within the UK. Making a joint announcement would have helped provide much needed assurance and certainty for all of our learners, their parents and practitioners at this difficult time.

“I hope that now confirmation of results day has been provided that our learners are able to make future plans with a little more confidence, although I recognise this continues to be a time of great uncertainty.”