BREAK: The Welsh government has announced that they are cancelling GCSE, AS and A-level exams in 2021. Students will instead be graded through in-class teacher assessments.
Education minister Kirsty Williams on the decision: "It is impossible to guarantee a level playing field"
Education minister Kirsty Williams on the decision: "It is impossible to guarantee a level playing field"
Teaching unions in the rest of the country have been arguing the same thing. That with so much pupil and staff absence, lockdown time missed, varying geographical restrictions and worsening educational inequality between rich and poor, exams in 21 are a fools' errand.
After all, we cancelled exams for kids who had basically finished their courses but in England now are planning to press ahead with those for students who have missed a lot of teaching time and in some cases continue to do so.
The fear in the world of education is that they're cancelled in England at the last and we're back to square one: little time to work out an alternative model of assessment which takes us back to the nightmare of last summer.
As things stand
Wales: cancelled all exams
Scotland: cancelled equivalent of GCSEs, highers postponed.
NI: exams postponed by several weeks.
England: exams postponed by several weeks.
Once again, clear inequality for students across the UK.
Wales: cancelled all exams
Scotland: cancelled equivalent of GCSEs, highers postponed.
NI: exams postponed by several weeks.
England: exams postponed by several weeks.
Once again, clear inequality for students across the UK.
If you’re a head, teacher or pupil- as ever keen to hear your views on this and what’s happening in your school. DM in confidence.
Something to consider: if we are going to move away from exams, ofqual and authorities across the UK are going to need to devise a system for private candidates. Last time virtually no special provision was made for them and it’s had a dramatic effect on many lives.
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