Greens call for 2021 exams to be replaced by classroom-based assessments
12 November 2020
Next year’s exams in England must be replaced with classroom-based assessments that will allow schools to determine grades, the Green Party has said.
Following the fiasco this summer which saw an algorithm used to determine grades [1], and as evidence emerges of regional inequalities in the impact of coronavirus [2], the Greens education spokesperson has urged the government to set out a clear plan for next year’s GCSEs, A Levels and SATs.
Lowthion, a secondary school teacher on the Isle of Wight, said:
“The regional inequalities across England that we have seen during the pandemic means that it would be completely unfair if exams were to go ahead as usual in 2021.
“At the same time, students should not be limited to teacher assessed grades. This would be unfair on both staff and pupils and, as we saw this summer, can be badly affected by an algorithm based on prior attainment rather than current ability.
“Exams in 2021 cannot be business as usual. They must be replaced by classroom-based assessments, which are marked externally over the months until July. Schools must then be trusted to use these assessments to determine the student’s overall grade.”
ENDS
Notes
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2
https://www.thenhsa.co.uk/app/uploads/2020/11/NP-COVID-REPORT-EMBARGOED.pdf