Maria Miller MP welcomed the Education Secretary announcement of a package of exceptional measures to support those students taking their exams and other assessments next year.
In recognition of the challenges faced by students, exams will be different next year – grades will be more generous, students will be given advance notice of some topic areas, and steps will be taken to ensure every student receives a grade, even if they miss a paper due to self-isolation or illness.
Maria commented;
“The Government is determined to prevent any further disruption to young people’s education, and these extra measures will give students the clarity and confidence they need to achieve every success.”
Grading will be more generous than usual, in line with the national outcomes of 2020, so those students sitting their exams in summer are not left disadvantaged by any disruptions to their studies as a result of efforts to tackle coronavirus.
Students will be granted advanced notice of some topics areas which will be covered in their GCSE, As and A Level examinations, which will help focus revision, while exam aids including formula sheets will be provided in a number of exams.
Contingency measures will be developed so students who miss exams due to illness or self-isolation are not penalised. The Department of Education have developed with Ofqual a series of measures which will allow students, who miss one or more exams due to self-isolation or illness, but are still expected to completed a proportion of their qualification, receive a grade. They will be given the opportunity to sit a contingency paper held shortly after the main exam. Further details will be announced in the New Year.
An expert group have been commissioned to advise the Government on helping minimize the impact of Covid on students. The Expert Panel will monitor regional levels of disruption to education cause by Covid and will be able to make further recommendations to help students, from wherever they are in the country, get fair grades and be able to progress to the next stage of their education or enter the workplace.