A-Levels and GCSEs 2021: what new measures has Gavin Williamson announced to ensure exams are fair next year?

The changes come after all exams were cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic
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The Department of Education has confirmed that GCSEs and A-Levels will go ahead in 2021, though there will be significant new measures to ensure a fair grading system.

Due to the impact of coronavirus throughout the final months of preparation for the spring 2020 exam diet, students were given estimated grades and exams were cancelled.

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In light of this, students currently preparing for exams next year (2021) will be given advantages to ensure a level playing field when compared to 2020’s award system.

Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, announced the changes on 3 DecemberEducation Secretary, Gavin Williamson, announced the changes on 3 December
Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, announced the changes on 3 December

What changes will be made to exams in 2021?

UK Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has promised exams will go ahead, with a more ‘generous’ grading system.

Measures will include:

- Advance notice of some topic areas to focus revision - students should be told in January what to expect in their exam.

- Exam support sheets – such as formula sheets in science.

- Back up papers will be provided in early July for any child who was unable to attend the exam due to self isolation. If a child misses any part of a subject’s exams but completes some sections, an award will be granted based on the completed section alone.

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- Pupils from particularly affected areas could have an asterisk beside their final marks to highlight to universities and colleges their apparent struggles.

Clinically vulnerable pupils who were categorised as ‘shielding’ during the first lockdown may also be eligible to take their exams at home, depending on the threat coronavirus poses in 2021.

These exams would be monitored by ‘home invigilation’, according to the Department of Education.

Additional measures could be announced, following expert advice, before the summer exam diet.

Why have these measures been introduced?

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Mr Williamson addressed the House of Commons on Thursday, 3 December, and told MPs exams are “the best way of giving young people the opportunity to show what they can do”.

However, due to the Government opting to cancel all school exams in 2020, they have decided it is only right to offer exceptional measures for kids who may have missed school due to self isolation, illness or have been impacted in other ways,such as bereavement.

Pupils set to take their exams in spring 2021 will compete for higher and further education places with those who were granted predicted grades in 2020.

What did the Education Secretary say?

Gavin Williamson vowed "the same mistake as this year" would not be made in 2021, whereby children left school with estimated grades, and disadvantaged pupils lost out the most.

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Acknowledging that coronavirus has made it an "incredibly difficult" year for students studying towards their exams, he said: "We are not going to let Covid damage the life chances of an entire year of students by cancelling next year's exams.”

"It's children from the disadvantaged backgrounds who actually perform better in exams over teacher assessment." he highlighted, and stressed "every bit of evidence and every study that has been carried out has shown that children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds, children from black and ethnic minority communities are most disadvantaged from not sitting exams.”

How have schools and teachers reacted?

Paul Whiteman, the general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, commented: “Whilst the Government has not gone as far as we would have liked, they have moved significantly towards the profession.”

Chair of the Education Select Committee Robert Halfon echoed the concerns over the potentially damaging effects on disadvantaged kids.

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He questioned the approach, “ "Does inflating all the grades not just move the goalposts, in that the difference between the disadvantaged pupils and their better off pupils just remains the same?"

The measures were largely accepted by the General secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, Geoff Barton.

He explained: “This solution to next year’s A-level and GCSE exams will make them as fair as they can be in the circumstances. It is not perfect. Nothing can be given the fact that learning has been so disrupted by coronavirus and that pupils have been affected to vastly different extents.

“But various options have been discussed exhaustively, and, frankly, schools and colleges just need a decision. The uncertainty has gone on for much too long and they need to be able to get on with the job of preparing their pupils for these important exams.

Will the same be done across the UK?

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The Scottish Government has already decided to cancel all National 5 exams in 2021, with only Higher and Advanced Higher students expected to face exams in the Spring.

Meanwhile, Welsh secondary school pupils will face teacher-managed assessments in 2021 as opposed to exams - Welsh Education Minister KIrsty Williams commented that the decision was based on ensuring ‘“fairness” and a “level playing field” for all pupils.