An exam watchdog has criticised the South's biggest examining board for failing to reach acceptable standards.

The Argus revealed last month how pupils at Brighton and Hove High School had been made to wait for more than a year for their history A-level grades.

The crisis cost some students their chosen university places, while others abandoned ambitions to go on to higher education.

Teachers launched a complaint when four of the nine students at the £5,000-a-year girls' school who took the paper failed.

The report upheld the complaint that the subsequent delays at examining board Edexcel were "inexplicable and unacceptable".

The Examinations Appeals Board watchdog has published its report into the case, which concludes by saying the administrative failures at the board were "unacceptable and should not occur for any centre in the future."

The board which oversaw the complaint has agreed to allow the finalised results, eventually released in August, to stand.

One student has had her paper elevated to an E, enough for to take a college place. The rest have been upgraded to Ns.

Edexcel has apologised for its failures and assured the panel its inquiry, appeals and response procedures have since been revised.

The case has now been closed.