Exams will change, says minister

EXAMS will change after the experience of the last two years, Education Minister Jeremy Miles said.

As Wales reported record GCSE results under teacher assessment for a second year, the minister said lessons learned in the pandemic should be used in exam reform already underway.

He spoke as teaching union NEU Cymru called for clarity about next year and an early contingency plan in case exams have to be cancelled again.

The Welsh Government and regulator Qualifications Wales have said the intention is to run exams with reduced content next year.

But with only a few weeks before the start of term there is still no plan for what to do if exams can’t run in 2022.

David Evans, secretary of NEU Cymru, warned there must be a plan B to avert the lastminute planning and chaos of this year if Covid halts exams for a third time.

Mr Evans said: “For next year, we need a back-up plan in place, to avoid a repeat of the chaos and significant unnecessary workload, pressure, and stress experienced this summer. Sadly, we will likely see more disruption for some students during the next academic year.

“Welsh Government needs to put a Plan B in place and make funds available now, so education settings can start planning for next year. This would benefit everyone in education.

“We have an opportunity here in Wales to capture any positives from this year for young people, as we look at building a new curriculum with a new qualifications system which truly supports young people.”

The problem everyone running exams now faces is how to grade and assess future exams after two years of much higher grades in 2020 and 2021.

Mr Miles said GCSEs in Wales were already being reformed before Covid to bring them in line with the new curriculum. But the first results of Wales’ reformed GCSEs won’t be out until 2027.

Mr Miles said it was too early to say what will happen next year, but beyond that he wants Wales’ reformed GCSEs to “have the same ambition”.