- Teachers to provide students’ grades using a range of
evidence that reflects students’ hard work and ability
- Students would be assessed only on what they have learnt, to
recognise the disruption caused by the pandemic
- Students, employers and sector to give views on teacher
assessment proposals in consultation launched today by Department
for Education and Ofqual
Students who were due to sit exams this summer will receive
grades determined by teachers, as part of proposals published
today (Friday 15 January) to maximise fairness and help young
people progress to the next stage of their education or training.
Following the cancellation of this year’s summer exams, the
Department for Education and Ofqual have launched a consultation
seeking views on how to award grades in a way that reflects
students’ performance accurately recognising the disruption they
have faced this year.
Grades will be based on teacher assessment, with teachers
supported in making decisions with guidance and training from
exam boards.
The consultation will consider the range of evidence teachers use
to award a grade, which could include coursework, other forms of
assessment and papers provided by exam boards, to support
consistency and fairness across schools and colleges.
The proposals ensure students are given the opportunity to
demonstrate the standard at which they can perform and
incentivise them to continue learning throughout the rest of the
academic year.
The consultation will also seek views on results being issued to
students earlier than usual to allow enough time for appeals to
be processed ahead of the start of the new term.
The government has been clear that while cancelling exams was a
last resort, it remains committed to ensuring that students
receive a grade that reflects their hard work throughout the year
and supports them to progress through their careers.
Education Secretary said:
“Fairness to young people has been and will continue to be
fundamental to every decision we take on these issues, and I’m
determined that despite all the challenges posed by this
pandemic, they will not prevent students getting on with and
making a success of their lives.
“These proposals should give young people confidence that despite
exams being cancelled, they will still receive a grade that
reflects their ability. This is quite rightly an issue of great
public interest and concern and it’s important that those working
in education alongside students, parents and employers are able
to have their say.”
Interim Chief Regulator Simon Lebus said:
“We know that everyone wants clarity on the way ahead quickly.
Above all, we need to support students to carry on with their
education for the remainder of the academic year. Students and
learners will carry with them for the rest of their lives the
grades they are given on the basis of these arrangements, so we
must make sure they are as fair as they can be in these difficult
circumstances.”
The consultation asks whether externally set papers should be
mandatory or optional for schools and colleges. Where they are
used, they would form only one part of a teacher’s wider
assessment of a student.
Students should be assessed on what they have learnt, rather than
against content they have not had a chance to study. There are
proposals to give teachers flexibility to choose the papers they
use for assessment based on the areas of the curriculum their
students have covered.
Teachers’ assessments would be subject to quality assurance
checks by exam boards.
A range of options for private candidates to be assessed and make
sure they receive a grade are also part of considerations.
Similar alternative arrangements are proposed for students taking
vocational and technical qualifications, such as BTECs and
Cambridge Technicals, to ensure students are treated fairly and
are equally able to progress. For qualifications where a
practical demonstration of skills is needed, assessments would
continue to be able to take place.
The consultation builds on of months of joint contingency
planning between the Department and Ofqual and sets out the
government’s position in making sure young people receive a grade
that reflects their ability and lets them progress.
During this period of national lockdown strengthened remote
education expectations are in place, with schools expected to
provide a set number of hours of high-quality remote education
for pupils. Schools, colleges and young people are supported by
deliveries of laptops and tablets for those who need them most,
with the Government now providing 1.3 million devices, and work
to make sure families have the mobile and internet data they need
to access key education sites.
Vocational qualifications with written exams scheduled in
February and March, will not go ahead as planned, alternative
arrangements will be put in place.
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-how-gcse-as-and-a-level-grades-should-be-awarded-in-summer-2021
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-alternative-arrangements-for-the-award-of-vtqs-and-other-general-qualifications-in-2021
