Schools Minister Nick Gibb has apologised to GCSE and A Level students for the "pain and the anxiety" they felt prior to this week's exam grading U-turn.

The minister was told that his "judgement was flawed" as he appeared on BBC Breakfast on Thursday morning

Hundreds of thousands of students are receiving their GCSE results following a U-turn on grading - but BTEC pupils will have to wait for their grades amid last-minute changes.

Teenagers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be awarded their final results, the higher of either their teachers' estimated grade or the moderated grade, after exams were cancelled.

It follows the announcement that GCSE and A Level students would be able to receive grades based on assessments by schools or colleges, rather than an algorithm, after thousands of A Level results were downgraded last week.

Mr Gibb said: "To those hundreds of thousands of young people receiving their GCSE grades and the A Level students receiving recalculated grades, I will say this to them, congratulations on what you have achieved.

"But also how sorry I am for the pain, the anxiety and the uncertainty that they will have suffered as a consequence of the grading issues we encountered last week.

"And to reassure them that we are doing everything we can to put these matters right."

Mr Gibb has said he is hopeful that students will get their BTECresults next week.

Asked when they will receive their grades, he told the BBC: "Well as soon as possible, but I hope next week.

"Pearson are working to correct and to review those grades and to reissue them.

"And we're working closely with Ucas and the independent regulator and exam boards to make sure that no young person will be disadvantaged as a consequence of that delay."

He added: "Having spoken to Pearson and all the exam boards yesterday, I believe that they will be delivered next week."

Host Charlie Stayt asked why the pair did not foresee the issue that BTECs would suffer a delay as a result of switching abruptly to teacher assessment grades.

Mr Gibb responded: "Because the BTECs were not subject to the same standardisation process, they were much closer to teacher assessed grades themselves."

The BBC Breakfast host interjected: "Well obviously that's not the case because you've changed that. Otherwise we wouldn't be in the position we're in now."

He added: "Here's the thing, your judgement is flawed. You came back on our programme shortly after the GCSE and A level results came out to tell us that the system was robust and then it changed.

"Your judgement was flawed. On this occasion, your judgement after the A levels and GCSE decision was made is that BTECs, presumably you thought it was still robust because you didn't do anything - your judgement is flawed.

"Why should people have faith in you and Gavin Williamson?"

Mr Gibb responded by explaining that BTECs have been delayed as the results were close to teacher assessment grades already, before adding: "The feedback that went to Pearson was that because there has been some grade inflation into GCSEs and A levels, it was important for comparison purposes and for fairness for those young people a similar uplift applied to BTECs.

"And that's what Perasons are dealing with, and they are deadling with it and dealing with it effectively and swiftly."