Responding to the proposed adjustments for exams in 2022, Julie
McCulloch, Director of Policy at the Association of School and
College Leaders, said:
“Giving advance notice of the subject areas that will be examined
in 2022 should allow students to focus their studies and reduce
the risk that they will face questions on subjects they haven’t
studied in sufficient depth because of the disruption caused by
the pandemic.
“The key question is when this advance notice should be given.
The proposal in this consultation is that this should happen in
the spring term next year.
“There will be mixed views on this. Some school and college
leaders will feel this is too late and that advance notice should
be given earlier because students have been so badly affected and
need this time. Others will feel this is the right decision in
order to keep learning as broad as possible during the autumn
term and avoid narrowing of the curriculum.
“We would encourage leaders to respond to the consultation and we
would strongly urge the government and Ofqual to keep this matter
under review and be prepared to bring advance notice forward if
disruption continues next term.
“We are very concerned that the consultation does not include
proposals for a contingency plan in the event that exams cannot
go ahead in 2022. The last thing we want to see is exams
cancelled again but given what has happened this year and last
year it is simply a matter of common sense and prudence to map
out a contingency plan at this stage. Students, teachers and
leaders deserve to know what this would look like as soon as
possible, so that they can plan accordingly, rather than
decisions being left to the last minute yet again.”
