Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, has announced that new measures will be introduced for GCSE and A Level exams in summer 2021 in order to improve fairness due to the disruption caused to students by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Department for Education (DfE) said, “In recognition of the challenges faced by students this 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.”
The new measures include more generous grading than usual, in line with results from summer 2020 and will also see students being given advance notice of some topic areas covered in exams in order to focus revision.
Exam aids such as formula sheets will also be provided in some exams in order to cut down on the amount of memorising required.
Students will also get a second chance to sit an exam paper if they have to miss main exams or assessments due to illness or self-isolation in backup exams due to take place in July.
Should a student miss one or more exams due to sickness or having to self-isolate, then they will still receive a grade providing they have completed a proportion of their qualification.
Mr Williamson explained that exams “are the best way of giving young people the opportunity to show what they can do,” arguing that this is why it is important that they still take place next summer.
However, he added, “But this isn’t business as usual. I know students are facing unprecedented disruption to their learning. That’s why exams will be different next year, taking exceptional steps to ensure they are as fair as possible.
“I am determined to support students, parents and teachers in these unprecedented times and hope measures like more generous grading and advance notice of some topic areas will give young people the clarity and confidence they need to achieve every success.”
