How fair will GCSEs and A-level exams be next year?
Teachers and parents across Northern Ireland have expressed concern over next year’s GCSE and A-level exams.
They fear some pupils who have had to self-isolate due to coronavirus may be disadvantaged.
Figures show half of schools in Northern Ireland have had Covid cases, which means many students have had to self-isolate, missing out on valuable face-to-face learning.
Examinations timetabled for the start of November this year have been pushed back by 12 days.
Following the Northern Ireland Executive’s recent decision to close schools for two weeks students are now due to sit their examinations between November 23, 2020 and November 25, 2020.
However, the growing concern among teachers and parents is that pupils who have missed classes because they have either tested positive for the virus, or have been notified as a close contact, will be at a disadvantage for next year’s examinations.
Education Minister, Peter Weir, addressed the media at Glenlola Collegiate, an all-girls Grammar school in Bangor yesterday (Monday).
When asked about the growing fears he said he has asked the exam board CCEA to put a contingency plan in place for pupils who may miss out on face-to-face teaching.
He said: “There will be mitigations that have been put in place and we’ll continue to work with those, and I think it’s less at a system wide level, but more for individuals.
“We’ve asked CCEA to look at what contingency arrangements, because realistically as we reach June of next year, I think exams will go ahead.
“Its important contingency arrangements are put in place for those arrangements as well.”
He added: “I think it’s important exams do go ahead, particularly important that we have compatibility and portability with the rest of the United Kingdom.
“This is not something we can go on a solo-run because, particularly when it comes to universities and when it comes to jobs.
“Our students are going to be competing with those from different parts of the UK, The Republic of Ireland and elsewhere, so we can’t go on some sort of solo run in relation to that.
“Where not envisaging exams being cancelled. We’ve asked CCEA to look at contingency arrangements.
“As I’ve said which is much more likely is there will be a range of mitigations, some of which have been announced already, others are being worked on at a national basis.”
There has already been controversy surrounding GCSE and A-level results this year.
In the spring the exam board decided to use a controversial algorithm to calculate students’ examination results because pupils were unable to physically sit their tests.
Following massive backlash CCEA and the Department of Education did a U-turn and finally settled on using teacher predicated grades.
Downton and Cool FM asked the Principal of Glenlola Collegiate Grammar, Eric Thompson, whether he felt confident about next year’s examinations following this year’s controversy.
He said: Of Course there’s a concern that a pupil who may miss more weeks that others will be at some disadvantage, but I think the examination boards are building in measures to take account of that at the other end the best they can.
“Looking ahead to exam season it’s very important that we can stay open so that the girls and boys in other schools can be taught and learn and prepare for exams, that’s critical as well.
“It won’t be perfect, there’s no such thing as perfect at the moment, but we do have confidence that they’re working very hard to do the best they can here.
“Personally, I think we’ve been very reassured here by the way examinations boards have handled the situation so far.
“It’s an incredibly difficult challenge and we do have confidence in them they’re going to come up with the best workable plan that there is.”
A CCEA spokesperson said:
“In Northern Ireland, any decision in relation to cancellation of examinations would be a policy decision determined by our Education Minister, Peter Weir MLA.
“To support students and schools during this difficult time, changes have been made to CCEA qualifications, including broad reductions in assessment.
“These changes were communicated to schools by Minister Peter Weir in early October.
“In many cases GCSE assessments have already been reduced by up to 40% and changes have been made to A-levels to accommodate health restrictions.
“We have also made timetable changes to accommodate disruption to learning and allow for more teaching time.
“Further information on the assessment arrangements for CCEA GCSE, AS and A level qualifications Summer 2021 are available at www.ccea.org.uk/summer-2021
“We continue to work with the Department of Education and the wider education community to develop a range of potential contingencies and will be ready to enact these in the event of further examination disruption.”