GCSEs to be adapted and reimagined

Next summer’s exams will be as fair as they can, says Philip Blaker, Chief Executive, Qualifications Wales

AS we settle into a new academic year with the effects of the pandemic still impacting our education system, we are keen to make sure everyone with an interest is kept up to date on plans for qualifications in summer 2022.

We announced in March 2021 that exams would be held in summer 2022, a position that has since been confirmed across the UK.

We said at the time, and reiterate now, that in the current circumstances we believe exams are the best way to fairly assess the performance of learners.

They provide consistency for learners and education centres across Wales.

This said, we are taking the opportunity presented by the new curriculum to reimagine GCSEs, including how they are assessed.

At the same time, we fully understand that learners who sit their assessments next year have endured two years of unprecedented disruption to their learning experience due to Covid-19. We also understand that this disruption is not yet over.

Only last week it was reported that more than 70,000 children were off school in Wales for at least one session that week, including 10,000 for Covid-19 reasons. Most of those were secondaryage pupils. We know this causes problems for learners and their teachers.

That is why as the regulator of qualifications in Wales we have approved a range of changes, called adaptations, to the assessment requirements.

The effect of these changes, details of which were published by WJEC over the summer, will be to reduce the impact of lost face-to-face teaching and learning time during the pandemic.

We have also decided that the most equitable approach for learners, particularly those who want to progress to university, is to align our approach to grading with England. 2022 will be treated as a transition year to reflect that we are in a pandemic recovery period and learners’ education has been disrupted.