GIVE STUDENTS A FAIR DEAL

AN open letter to Gavin Williamson,

I am writing to you in your role as Secretary of State for Education to raise my growing concerns with regards to upcoming GCSE and A Level examinations in 2021.

I have previously raised my concerns with my constituency MP (Ms Sara Britcliffe) but she has not responded to my letter.

It is important to note I am writing as an individual teacher.

I am not writing on behalf of my school/ college or any other organisation.

I am simply one teacher making a plea on behalf of my students and many other students across the North West and other regions of the UK.

Currently within the United Kingdom, both Scotland and Wales have amended their GCSE or equivalent exams for a system which will reflect the unique circumstances students and teachers have faced this year.

Similar action has also been taken for A level exams.

Sadly, within England there appears to be a blind obstinance that the exams will continue no matter what.

This is grossly unfair for students living in regions which have suffered more due to Covid outbreaks than those regions which have not seen the same challenges.

I have personally had to isolate from my classes.

Many members of my classes have had to isolate and complete year groups have been forced to isolate.

This means that, in some cases, students have had much less face to face teaching time than would be ideal.

Hence, despite teachers’ best efforts, students many not achieve their potential in exams.

In contrast, students in regions that have not been hit as hard by Covid are able to benefit from increased teacher contact time.

In short, the playing field is no longer level and students in areas which have been hit harder by Covid will suffer should exams continue.

This situation is compounded by the fact that many students in regions which have suffered from Covid are also in areas of higher deprivation.

As a result, their access to support and IT at home can, despite the best efforts of parents and teachers, be limited.

The promised increase in computers and IT did not materialise in anything close to the numbers required (or promised) and has left many students across the country trying to pass exams without the equipment or help they need.

This is simply unfair, students in more affluent areas often have access to better support and IT at home with many parents also supplementing schooling with additional private tuition.

In contrast students in less wealthy – and often poverty-stricken household – are simply unable to compete.

The attainment gap will continue grow.

I acknowledge that you previously recognised that many students had missed out on months of normal teaching at the start of the outbreak and you stated that it was your intention for exams to be delayed for three weeks in order to allow students more time to catch up.

Whilst it is questionable that three weeks would be enough to fill those knowledge and skill gaps this three-week extension is in reality only a few days for many subjects.

For example, the History GCSE paper for students in 2020 would have been on 4 June (in 2019 it was on 6 June).

In 2021 it will be on 8 June.

This is four days – not three weeks as you have led the public and Parliament to believe.

Public promises are not being met and this failure is leaving teachers fighting an uphill struggle.

I am willing to make my own sacrifices to ensure students are as ready as possible.

I am as proud to be a teacher as I was to serve my country for 24 years in the Armed Forces.

However, I am classed as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable and in theory should be trying to teach from home using a laptop and in the hope that every student has IT, a good internet connection and additional support.

Whilst there are increased personal risks in my decision to remain in the classroom, I would be failing my students if I was to leave their education down to remote teaching and the ‘Zoom’ website.

However, it appears this Government is taking a less proactive approach and is happy to see students in many regions stuffer and essentially be ‘thrown under the bus’ in order to maintain an illusion of examinations continuing as normal.

I believe you now have a moral obligation to resolve this, with clear leadership and decisive action to avoid any last-minute changes or the chaos of last summer’s exam results.

Cancelling the current planned exams for 2021 and establishing a system using Centre Accessed Grades, based on teacher assessed work in the classroom environment, would be one solution to this problem.

Teachers know their students well and it is not in either the teacher’s or student’s interest to overinflate grades.

I, like all teachers, recognise the value in fair assessment and this is all I am asking for now.

A fair deal for my students.

I there ask that you 1. Explain to me why you are not willing to change the GCSE and A level exam process for this year.

2. Explain to me what system, if any, is being prepared to deal any increase in volume of appeals which are likely to be submitted should exams continue.

Tony Grogan via email