Teacher unions backed the standardisation process

Teacher unions backed the standardisation process

Unions planned and helped the A level exam marking system in 2020.

Ironically, the teaching unions initially backed the way Ofqual had given guidance for the exam boards to how to mark and use standardisation.

We thought the air waves would be full of Unions shouting ‘I told you so’. But they have kept their head down. This is why.

(Image Courtesy of Guido Fawkes).

Ofqual, earlier in the year, lead by Sally Collier asked all stake holders the best way to grade this years A level exam results while not having actual exams.

The huge response of the consultation process from stake holders included 79 responses by ‘Teacher Representative group or union ‘.

The exam body Ofqual originally consulted widely on the way it would grade this year’s students without exams. The enormous number of consultation responses included 78 responses identifying as a ‘teacher representative group or union ’. In April the NEU, praised Ofqual and their resulting system. stating that “We are pleased that the Department for Education and Ofqual both recognise the professionalism of teachers… In any qualification system, but particularly one created in these circumstances, it helps with consistency and fairness to have moderation and oversight from the regulator.”

Just yesterday, the day before the results, Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the ASCL union was supporting the system as devised by the original consultation, telling UK channel 4 News “I’m not convinced we needed any new measures in England”. 

The unions created much of this A level mess. I wonder if they will be taking much of the heat?