- Exams expected to take place next year because they are the
best and fairest form of assessment
- Government and Ofqual launch consultations on arrangements
for qualifications to mitigate disruption to education
- Adaptations proposed to ensure fairness for students and
other cohorts
Exams next year are set to recognise and mitigate the disruption
to students’ education, under proposals on arrangements for 2022
launched today (12 July).
The department and Ofqual are seeking views from students,
parents and teachers on proposed arrangements for GCSEs, AS and A
levels in summer 2022, along with vocational and technical
qualifications in academic year 2021-22.
The suggested arrangements for GCSEs, AS
and A levels include choices about the topics students will
be assessed on for some subjects, and giving schools and colleges
advance information about the focus of content of the exams for
other subjects.
Exams are the best and fairest form of assessment, but the
disruption caused by the pandemic meant it would not have been
fair to young people for exams to take place this summer.
Instead, teachers have determined young people’s grades, using a
range of evidence to assess their performance. Detailed guidance
and training has been provided to support schools, and a series
of checks have been put in place to make sure grades reflect
students’ abilities.
Education Secretary
said:
“This year we have rightly asked those who know students best –
their teachers – to determine young people’s grades. While I know
the wait for results can be an anxious one, students and their
families can look forward to receiving results next month in the
knowledge that they will reflect young people’s hard work and
enable them to progress to their next stage.
“Exams will always be the fairest way to assess students, which
is why they will take place next year, but it’s right that next
summer’s arrangements take into account the disruption young
people have faced over the past 18 months.”
The proposed arrangements to assessments come alongside the
government’s ambitious package of measures to support students’
education recovery, backed by over £3 billion, including
tutoring, summer schools and mental health support, as well as
further training and development for teachers.
The consultation proposes a range of measures to help mitigate
the impact of disruption to students’ education, focussing on the
following areas:
- Giving schools and colleges some choice about the topics or
content their students will be assessed in GCSE English
literature, history, ancient history and geography;
- Providing advance information of the focus of exam content,
to help students focus their revision;
- Giving students a formulae sheet in GCSE mathematics and an
expanded equations sheet in GCSE physics and combined science;
- Changing requirements for practical science work and
practical art and design assessments.
Ofqual and the department are also running a consultation on
arrangements for
vocational, technical and other general qualifications
(VTQs). This builds on the 2021 arrangements, which enabled
awarding organisations to put in place adaptations such as
streamlining assessments, providing revision guidance, and making
changes to invigilation, including the introduction of remote
invigilation and remote assessment. Plans for VTQs in 2021/22 are
intended to be confirmed to enable assessments to commence early
in the autumn term.
Since March 2020 awarding organisations offering VTQs have
adapted qualifications where appropriate and are now well placed
to take these adaptations into the next academic year. Ofqual is
proposing minimal changes to the VTQ arrangements, and is
consulting on the impact of the move away from teacher assessed
grades and on minor updates to regulations to take account of
current circumstances.
Simon Lebus, Ofqual Interim Chief Regulator,
said:
“With things slowly returning to normal we are launching a
consultation so that the flexibility we are building into
qualifications will future-proof them against any public health
crisis.
“And we want employers, colleges and universities to have the
confidence in those qualifications to allow students to move to
the next stage of their lives.
“We look forward to feedback on our plans from students, parents
and teachers to ensure we understand their needs, particularly
those whose education has been more harshly affected by the
pandemic.”
Plans for summer 2022 GCSE, AS and A level exams are expected to
be confirmed early in the coming autumn term. Ofqual is also
considering how best to grade qualifications in 2022 to be as
fair as possible to that cohort, as well as to past and future
students, and will announce a decision in autumn.
While the Government intends for exams to go ahead in 2022, it
will continue to work with Ofqual on contingency plans in the
event that it is not possible for exams to go ahead fairly and
safely in 2022. These arrangements will not be necessary for
exams in 2023.
ENDS
Notes to editors
- The GCSE, AS and A level consultation will close on 1 August.
- The consultation on vocational and technical qualifications
will close on 26 July and plans are expected to be confirmed in
early August.
