Williamson: Exam results will be fair

THE Education Secretary has insisted A-level and GCSE grades decided by teachers will be fair, amid concerns that the plan will result in grade inflation.

Gavin Williamson confirmed to MPs yesterday that “no algorithm” will be used to decide grades this summer, with the judgement of teachers relied on instead and any changes made by “human intervention”.

Mr Williamson defended allowing teachers to decide students’ grades, after exams were cancelled for a second successive year, as he insisted exam boards will carry out checks to “root out malpractice”.

Addressing the Commons about plans for grading, he said: “Ultimately, this summer’s assessments will ensure fair routes to the next stages of education or the start of their career. That is our overall aim.” Earlier, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the plans for teachers to grade pupils were a “good compromise” as he backed Mr Williamson, following last year’s exams fiasco. He said the process of issuing grades to students will be “fair” and “durable”.

Thousands of A-level students had 2020 results downgraded from school estimates by a controversial algorithm before Ofqual announced a U-turn in favour of teachers’ predictions.

Addressing MPs in the Commons on the grading process, Mr Williamson said: “Exam boards will be issuing grade descriptions to help teachers make sure their assessments are fair and consistent. These will be broadly pegged to performance standards from previous years, so teachers and students are clear on what is expected at each grade.”