Exams may be delayed to help pupils catch up
Students need extra time to complete courses after losing three months’ work, says Education Secretary
School exams in 2021 could be delayed because GCSE and A-level students have missed so much work. Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary, told the Commons that he intends to consult with the exam watchdog and draw up plans on how to help pupils complete their courses. Asked if next May’s exams would be pushed back to July, he said he would consult Ofqual about “giving children extra time in order to be able to learn and really flourish and do incredibly well”.
SCHOOL exams in 2021 could be delayed because GCSE and A-level students have missed so much work, the Education Secretary has said.
Gavin Williamson told the Commons that he intends to consult with the exam watchdog and draw up plans on how to push exams back in order to give pupils “extra time” to complete their courses.
It is the first time a government minister has revealed any details on what will happen with exams next summer, and comes amid rising concern about the amount of lesson time pupils have missed during lockdown.
His remarks followed a question from Alex Shelbrooke, the Tory MP for Elmet and Rothwell, who asked whether next summer’s exams would be pushed back from May to July.
Mr Williamson said this was an “important point about how do we add more teaching time in”.
He went on: “That’s why we will be consulting with Ofqual about how we can move those exams back giving children extra time in order to be able to learn and really flourish and do incredibly well.”
Pupils in Year 10 and Year 12 who are midway through their GCSE and Alevel courses have so far missed out on three months of their courses while schools have been closed.
They have been allowed to return to the classroom from June 15, but only a quarter are allowed in the school building at any one time.
GCSE and A-level exams typically run throughout May and June, with results for both awarded to students in mid-august.
Dr Tony Breslin, a former chief examiner for GCSES and a chairman of examiners for A-levels, said that pushing exams back next summer was the most sensible solution.
“The marking schedule does not need the length of time that it needed a decade ago since there are now far more digital papers,” he said.
Earlier this year, the Government announced that no exams would take place this summer and all students due to take their GCSES and A-levels would instead receive predicted grades.
But so far, there are no special arrangements in place for students who would ordinarily take these exams next summer.
Sir Michael Wilshaw, the former chief inspector of schools, has previously warned that Year 10 and 12 pupils may have to resit a year of school after missing so much of their GCSE and Alevel courses.
He has said that if he were a parent of a child due to sit their exams next year, he would “want them to have the same opportunity as other pupils”.
Mr Williamson also told the Commons
‘We will be consulting with Ofqual about how we can move those exams back giving children extra time’
that the Government’s catch-up fund for schools could be spent on summer schools. Robert Halfon, chairman of the education select committee, asked whether the £1billion of catchup funding can be used to set up summer schools or camps.
Mr Williamson replied that “summer camps and how this is targeted to de- liver [the] best educational advantage is one of those schemes that has been suggested”.
He said that Ofsted inspectors will be asked to check how schools are helping pupils catch up on missed teaching.
The schools watchdog will be asked to look at “how this has been implemented, and how children have been supported in their catch-up plans”.
Mr Williamson told MPS that the Government will unveil plans next week for the “full return of every single child” to school.