Will NE students be disadvantaged by procedures for summer 22 exams?
Following a public consultation on exams in summer 2022, the Department for Education and Ofqual have now announced the adaptations to GCSE, AS, and A level exams in England, with the intention to maximise fairness in light of Covid-related disruption.
The range of changes include a choice of topics in some GCSE exams, advance information on the focus of exams where there is not a choice of topics, and the allowance of support materials such as formula sheets during exams.
Ofqual has additionally set out its approach to grading following the last two years which saw an overall higher proportion of students receiving top grades compared to pre-pandemic years. Next year will be a transition year to reflect the recovery period, with grade boundaries to be set by exam boards reflecting a midway point between 2021 and 2019. Results are expected to return to their pre-pandemic grade profile by 2023.
Children and young people faced significant disruption to their education in the past two academic years. While there are concerns around grade inflation during the pandemic, the method for delivering grades has been robust and based on the professional judgement of teachers. It is important to bear in mind that the process for delivery of grades this year is not directly comparable with other years.
With this in mind, it is welcome that with these measures, there is no immediate return to ‘normal’. The announcements this week go some way to considering how best to deliver grades fairly following on from the unprecedented pandemic disruption. There are no perfect solutions, but these adaptations will help support staff and students as they prepare for exams this academic year.
However, there are no specific measures to address the different experiences of the pandemic regionally and for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. There continues to be a real risk that regions like the North East will be penalised again, with serious concerns that the disadvantage gap will continue to widen, following the progress made to close it in the years leading up to the pandemic.
The impact of Covid in the North East is significant, with Covid-related absences in the 20/21 summer term in our region higher than elsewhere in England. Additionally, across the whole academic year, students from disadvantaged backgrounds, students with EHCPs, and students who receive SEN support, have missed more school sessions than their peers.
It is also extremely disappointing that these announcements weren’t made much earlier. Staff and students needed certainty on plans for exams in 21/22 before the beginning of the Autumn term, to ensure schools were prepared for effective delivery of the curriculum.
Throughout the pandemic, Schools North East has lobbied for much clearer communication from DfE with the teaching profession, as well as timely guidance to avoid creating unnecessary work burdens for staff and anxieties for students. While it is frustrating that schools have had to wait until the end of September for guidance on exams, it is encouraging that unlike last year the DfE and Ofqual are now consulting on contingency plans should exams not be able to go ahead. We will continue to lobby DfE and other departments to ensure that, whatever disruption schools and students continue to face, exams and assessments will focus on fairness.