Commenting on the statement delivered by Education Secretary
today on
changes to the arrangements for exams in 2021, Patrick Roach,
General Secretary of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union, said:
“The announcement of a three week delay to the timetable for most
GCSE and A level exams next year will not provide meaningful
additional time for students whose preparation for examinations
has already been disrupted over a number of months.
“Moving the timetable is unlikely to create much additional
teaching time per subject, will place significant pressure on the
awarding system and the additional time pressures in turning
around exam papers risks a reduction in the number of people
willing to work as exam markers.
“Reducing content in examinations and enabling greater scope for
students to answer optional questions must also be strongly
considered in order to reduce the pressures on students and
teachers.
“It is of equal concern that the Education Secretary has failed
today to set out any detail on what contingency arrangements are
to be put in place should exams not be able to go ahead in the
revised timetable next year or to clarify what measures will be
put in place to ensure pupils are not disadvantaged in any way
due to the high likelihood of further disruption over this
academic year.
“We cannot risk a repeat of the chaos which engulfed this year’s
exam results and it is imperative that a range of robust and
transparent contingency measures are developed, in consultation
with the teaching profession, to address the wide range of
possible scenarios schools and pupils may find themselves in over
the coming year which could impact on exams and the fair
assessment of pupils’ abilities.”
