Education Committee to question Ofqual on summer exam results and next steps for students

On Wednesday 2nd September at 9.45am, the Education Committee is to question officials from the exams regulator Ofqual on the errors made in the process of awarding this summer’s exam grades and how students who have been adversely impacted are now being supported.

The committee has arranged for Education Gavin Williamson to give evidence on September 16.

The Government announced four days after A and AS level results day that students would receive centre assessed grades for both GCSE and A and AS levels, after widespread criticism that Ofqual’s standardisation model had resulted in too many unfair and inconsistent outcomes for students.

The Committee will question Ofqual Chair Roger Taylor and officials on what went wrong in the awarding of grades, where responsibility lies and how and why problems with the standardisation model were not identified earlier.

MPs are also likely to ask what steps are being taken to support students, schools and colleges who have lost out because of the standardisation model and subsequent U-turn, and about lessons learnt to ensure a fair system should exams be cancelled in the future.

Ofqual developed the system for awarding grades after this summer’s exams were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On July 11, a report from the Education Committee warned that the system could be unfair on certain groups, including disadvantaged students. The Committee called on Ofqual to publish its standardisation model.

Secretary of State for Education Gavin Williamson MP is also likely to face questions about the summer exams when he appears before the Committee for a regular accountability session on 16th September.

Witness schedule

Wednesday 2nd September at 9.45am

● Roger Taylor, Chair, Ofqual

● Dr Michelle Meadows, Executive Director for Strategy, Risk and Research, Ofqual

● Julie Swan, Executive Director for General Qualifications, Ofqual

This session will be held virtually and will be available to watch at parliamentlive.tv

ENDS

Committee Membership: Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP (Con, Harlow), Kim Johnson MP (Lab, Liverpool Riverside), Apsana Begum MP (Lab, Poplar and Limehouse), Jonathan Gullis MP (Con, Stoke on Trent North), Tom Hunt MP (Con, Ipswich), Dr Caroline Johnson MP (Con, Sleaford and North Hykeham), David Johnston MP (Con, Wantage), Ian Mearns MP (Lab, Gateshead), Dawn Butler MP (Lab, Brent Central), David Simmonds MP (Con, Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner) Christian Wakeford MP (Con, Bury South)