Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect on students of delaying the release of the examination topics list to the end of January 2021.

The Department is aware of the disruption which many students are experiencing because of the COVID-19 outbreak. In recognition of these challenges, students will be supported with the provision of advance notice of topic areas and with examination support materials such as formulae sheets.

Advance notice of topic areas and details of the examination support materials to be provided will not be made available until the new year, when it is likely that much of the curriculum will already have been covered. This will ensure that students acquire a breadth of knowledge, whilst also giving students support with focusing their revision. Ofqual and the examination boards are undertaking work to determine how this will look for different qualifications, ensuring that it is applied fairly across subjects.

The unprecedented package of changes that the Department, Ofqual and the examination boards are making will ensure that young people can demonstrate their knowledge and understanding and move on to their next stage of education, training or employment.

The package of measures to ensure the fair delivery of examinations can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-support-the-summer-2021-exams.