Next year’s GCSE and A-Level exams should be delayed to boost the chances of disadvantaged students after they lost months of learning in the pandemic, headteachers said today.
Those heading into Year 11 and Year 13 will face exams in 2021 despite having missed out on nearly half a year of face-to-face teaching.
Many headteachers want papers to be pushed back from May to July to give students time to catch up. The Government says it is considering a “possible short delay to the exam timetable”.
David Benson, head of Kensington Aldridge Academy, said: “I support moving the 2021 exams back. The timing of the exams was raised in the consultation Ofqual did, but in their consultation response document they said they are yet to reach a decision. It would be helpful if they could confirm the timing soon.
“The extra teaching weeks would help if the exams were June/July 2021, instead of May/June, and I imagine other heads feel the same.”
Last month headteachers from 78 English local authorities, represented by the campaign group Worth Less?, called for a significant cut in curriculum content and fewer exams for students sitting their GCSEs and A-levels in England next year. Northern Ireland has already confirmed pupils doing GCSEs next year will sit fewer exams while the syllabus has been reduced in Wales.
Schools in England will be offered a choice of topics for pupils to be examined on in GCSE English and history next year, exam regulator Ofqual has said. But no official decision has been made on whether to delay exams until later in the summer — with the regulator saying it needed more time to analyse the situation.
Bernard Richmond QC, director of studies at Middle Temple advocacy school, which offers training to pupils, said disadvantaged students would lose out if changes were not made soon. “The harder you make it for people from untraditional backgrounds, the more who will drop out,” said Mr Richmond.
A Department for Education spokesman said: “We recognise that students due to take exams next summer will have experienced disruption.”
