Responding to comments by Schools Minister during education questions in the House of Commons today
about the process for awarding grades this year, and next
summer’s exams, Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the
Association of School and College Leaders, said:
“We are increasingly concerned that we are no closer to
understanding what went wrong with this year’s GCSE and A-level
grades, and that lessons have not been learned.
“Schools Minister says Ofqual assured the government that the model for
standardising grades was fair. Last week, Ofqual chair Roger
Taylor told the Education Select Committee that Ofqual advised
the government about the risks associated with this approach from
the outset.
“It seems that Ofqual and the government are intent on blaming
one another. Students, parents, schools and colleges all deserve
clarity about what happened, and we once again call upon the
government to commission an independent review.
“More worryingly, Ofqual and the government now appear to be
pinning all their hopes on students being able to sit a full set
of exams next year, despite the evidence we have seen in the
first few days of term that there is likely to be ongoing
disruption because of coronavirus.
“The grades fiasco which took place this summer should surely
serve as a stark warning about the difficulties if students are
unable to take exams. And yet, there is no back-up plan if exams
cannot be taken, or if the preparation of students is
significantly disrupted.
“It is imperative that the government and Ofqual act swiftly to
put in place a robust contingency plan before time runs out.”
