Exam measures ‘ do not go far enough for Northern pupils’
THE VOICES of Northern education experts “must be heard”, to aid disadvantaged children ahead of next year’s exams, the flagship project to boost investment in the region has said.
The Northern Powerhouse Partnership’s ( NPP) call to action comes as Ministers have announced yesterday that extra measures to “boost fairness and support students” will be used for next summer’s GCSE and A- level exams in England.
Measures include more generous grading, advance notice of exam topics and additional papers were promised by the Department for Education to make up for the disruption faced by students during the pandemic. Those who cannot sit exams due to self- isolation rules will still get a grade.
However Sarah Mulholland, Head of Policy at the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said the measures did not go far enough to support pupils in the North who have been worst affected by coronavirus.
She said the Government’s priority should be focused on helping pupils catch up on lost learning, as there are concerns that pupils in the North of England have missed more school than their peers in other parts of the country and have faced the most disruption.
She pointed out in one case in the North of England a group of year 11s had just two weeks of face to face learning in the first half term of the year.
“There are stark regional disparities in Covid’s impact on pupils between parts of the North and the rest of England.”
The Department of Education has confirmed a new “expert group”, which will monitor variation in the impact of the pandemic on students across the country, will be set up.
Ms Mulholland has stressed Northern experts must be included to give advice to the Government to aid the most disadvantaged children and in high transmission areas.