Fairness and support for 2021 GCSE and A level exam candidates
Fairness and support for 2021 GCSE and A level exam candidates
Extra measures to "boost fairness and support exam candidates" will be used for next summer's GCSE and A-level exams in England, ministers have announced.
Generous marking
Notice of topics
Additional papers
Those who cannot sit exams due to self-isolation rules will still get a grade.
Head teacheer said it was "a reasonable package" of measures for the situation.
The DfE says "extensive engagement" with exams watchdog Ofqual along with exam boards and senior leaders across the GCSE and A level sector.
The new support include:
more generous marking than normal in line with GCSE and A level results of 2020. Keeping the 2021 in line with the previous year .
exam candidates will get advanced notice - at the end of January - of some areas covered in the GCSE and A level exams .
Maths and Science exams will include aids. Such as formula. Cutting down on the memorising
added "backup" exams - to be held in July - to provide exam candidates the opp. to sit a paper if they have to miss main exams because of Covid.
and a new expert group, which will monitor he geo variation in the impact of the pandemic
In extreme cases, where a student misses all their papers, a teacher-assessed grade will be given.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said these GCSE and A levels exams were the best way of measuring performance, and that it was "so important" they took place next summer.
"But this isn't business as usual. I know students are facing unprecedented disruption to learning.
"That's why exams will be different next year, taking exceptional steps to ensure they are as fair as possible."
Mr Williamson said it had been "incredibly difficult" year and he speaks "as a father" as well as education secretary.
Gavin Williamson told BBC Breakfast: "I know as a father of a 16-year-old who is taking GCSEs this year, who's been in a situation where she's had to self-isolate and her friends have, that we have to take extra measures, have to take extra steps, to make sure there's as much fairness for them."
Gavin williamson also gave a cast iron guarantee "absolutely" that exams will not be cancelled in 2021
