Williamson won’t quit
GAVIN Williamson resisted pressure to resign as the blame game over the Government’s exam system U-turn deepened.
The embattled Education Secretary refused to say whether he offered to quit during a conversation with Boris Johnson about the A-level and GCSE fiasco.
He also declined to give his backing to Ofqual head Sally Collier amid speculation that the qualifications regulator is being lined up as the scapegoat in the row.
Ministers faced an outcry over a computer algorithm used to determine results as this summer’s examinations were scrapped due to the Covid-19 crisis.
Distress
Nearly 40 per cent of this year’s A-level students found their grades reduced from predictions made by teachers.
Despite refusing to budge for several days, Mr Williamson finally agreed that predicted grades can be used as official A-level results if they are higher than those awarded by the computer modelling.
He said yesterday: “I’m incredibly sorry for the distress that it’s caused.”
But appearing to shift the blame towards Ofqual, the Cabinet minister said the regulator “didn’t deliver” the grading system that the Government had been “reassured” would be in place.
Declining to say whether he had offered to resign, Mr Williamson admitted having an uncomfortable talk with Boris Johnson.
He said: “It’s not a conversation that you ever want to have to say to the Prime Minister that we’d have to make these significant changes.
“But my belief is if something’s wrong, if something isn’t working, the key thing to do is to fix it.”
Tory MP Robert Halfon, chairman of the Education Select Committee, said: “What has happened has been a mega-mess and I really feel sorry for all the pupils and students and parents across the country who’ve had so much anguish over the past week.”
Labour’s shadow universities minister Emma Hardy said Mr Williamson’s delay in allowing pupils to be given grades estimated by teachers has caused a “massive headache” for universities.
She said: “His delay in making this decision has meant that more and more places at university have been filled up.”
Asked whether Mr Williamson should quit, she said: “Well, I know if I was in charge of the Government he certainly wouldn’t be in my team.”
Geoff Barton, general secretary of Association of School and College Leaders, has requested an independent review into the grading fiasco.
He said: “It seems to be clear that the statistical model for moderating centre-assessed grades was flawed.”
Officials at the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), which represents the exam boards, insist GCSE results will be published on schedule tomorrow.
A JCQ spokesman said: “Following yesterday’s announcement to allow awarding in England, Northern Ireland and Wales of centre assessed grades, the exam boards are working hard to provide the final Centre Assessment Grades – or calculated grade if higher – GCSE results to schools and colleges.”