Two years of extraordinary exam results that will result in ‘ripples for years to come...’

THE last two years’ extraordinary exam results with record top grades awarded will have ripples for years to come.

There is “no easy answer” on how to address this, said Eithne Hughes, director of ASCL Cymru.

The matter of next year’s grades is only one part of the wider issue of how to support pupils and a detailed plan is vital, she added.

“These results show a small increase in top grades compared to last year, but the system used to assess learners for GCSEs this summer is completely different to public exams and it is not therefore fair or reasonable to compare them directly.

“We are conscious of the debate currently taking place about how the turbulence of this year and last year will affect grading decisions in future years, but there is no easy answer to that dilemma and the immediate focus is to celebrate the achievements of this year’s cohort.

“The announcement of both A-level and GCSE grades this week gives us an excellent opportunity to look at a range of assessments which can be used to determine qualifications as we move towards the new curriculum for Wales. This will require brave leadership on the part of decision makers.

“The question of next year’s grades is only one part of the wider issue of how to support pupils in the wake of the pandemic. This must also involve a very detailed plan for reform, which must be fully-funded, ambitious and deliberately placed at the centre of all education policy.”

Ms Hughes said she was confident the teacher assessed GCSE grades were fair and accurate.

“We are very confident that this system will deliver fair and accurate grades to our learners, through a very different but evidence-based and robust means of assessment. It is not the same as sitting public exams and it is important that we do not fixate on comparisons with other years.

“We would like to congratulate students for their terrific achievements and give them huge credit for all they have achieved in extremely difficult circumstances.”

“We also need to thank our leaders and teachers for all the amazing work they have done to support our learners during the course of the crisis.

“GCSEs are primarily used as a means of progression to the next stage of education or training in colleges, sixth forms and apprenticeships, although GCSE English and maths have a more lasting legacy for students. Whatever the distribution of grades happens to be this year, colleges and sixth forms have very effective admissions systems and experienced teachers, and they are extremely good at matching students to the right courses.”

Laura Doel, director of NAHT Cymru, said: “Yet again, the grades awarded at GCSE level are a testimony to the hard work and dedica

tion of learners throughout Wales.

“This is a milestone moment for this cohort; this is the first time they have been through a nationally-recognised grading process and they have done so in the most extraordinary of circumstances. We congratulate them on everything they’ve achieved.

“We should all have the confidence that these results were awarded through a rigorous evidenced-based process by the people who know them best academically – their teachers.

“We cannot underestimate the role of schools in this process and our whole education workforce should be commended for all they have done to support learners.

“Many of these young people will be going on to study AS/A levels and therefore our attention must be turned to support them into this phase of learning.

“We owe it to these learners to look at the exam process and make sure we have a system that is equitable and supports the ambition for the New Curriculum of Wales.”

Commenting on the publication of

GCSE results in Wales and England, Dr Patrick Roach, general secretary of the NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, said: “Congratulations to all the young people receiving their GCSE results. This cohort of students has been through nearly 18 months of huge disruption and uncertainty and they deserve to be able to celebrate.”

Teachers too have faced huge challenges in drawing up centre assessed grades, not least due to the delays and failure of ministers to put in place timely contingency plans, despite the chaos which ensued over grading last summer.”