ASCL calls for review into grading fiasco

The Association of School and College Leaders will be formally writing to the Secretary of State for Education to request an immediate independent review into the grading fiasco.

General Secretary Geoff Barton said: “There is an urgent need for the Department for Education to commission an immediate independent review which will rapidly establish exactly what went wrong with the process for awarding grades to A-level and GCSE students this summer, and to publish its findings and recommendations.

“This degree of transparency is necessary at a time when public confidence has been badly shaken.

“It seems to be clear that the statistical model for moderating centre-assessed grades was flawed, and that it produced many anomalous results. But how did this happen, why were the problems not foreseen, and why were ministers not on top of this?

“Most importantly, what lessons can we learn for the future? While the government plans for students to sit GCSEs and A-levels next summer, there is currently no Plan B if there is widespread disruption because of coronavirus.

“The government and Ofqual should be putting in place a robust contingency plan, drawing on the lessons from this summer’s debacle.”