Assessments: Coronavirus

(asked on 25th January 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how external candidates who have no one to prepare an assessment of their progress or ability will be awarded grades in the context of examinations being cancelled.


Answered by
Nick Gibb Portrait
Nick Gibb
This question was answered on 3rd February 2021

In light of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, the Government considers that exams cannot be held in a way which is fair. We have therefore announced that GCSE, AS and A level exams will not go ahead this summer as planned.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has asked the interim Chief Regulator at Ofqual to find a clear and accessible route for private candidates, and those not in school this year, to be assessed and receive a grade. To ensure our approach is developed with the sector, the Department and Ofqual have now concluded a two-week consultation on how to fairly award all pupils a grade that supports them to progress to the next stage of their lives, including consulting specifically on four different approaches for private candidates to receive a grade.

We have consulted on the following options:

  • For private candidates to complete the papers set by the exam boards for use in schools and colleges.
  • For private candidates to work with a school or college willing to assess the standard at which they are performing, using the same type of evidence the school or college is considering for its students.
  • For the exam boards to run normal exams for private candidates to take in the summer of 2021.
  • For the exam boards to run normal exams for private candidates to take in the autumn of 2021.

We are working at pace to provide further clarity to the sector and will publish the results of the consultation by the end of February 2021.

The Department and Ofqual have strongly encouraged all our stakeholders, including private candidates and their parents, to respond to the consultation. We will continue to engage with a range of relevant stakeholders when developing plans for our policy on GCSE, AS and A level assessments in 2021, as will the exams regulator, Ofqual.

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