Next years GCSEs and A Levels to be pushed back

[Movinghouse2015]

www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-53966943

I have a daughter starting year 13. If this is a decision being made then it needs to happen sooner rather than later.

I can see it now -

1. They would make the call to delay exams in October
2. Govt hen dither around until the Spring without releasing any further details
3. Finally put out info in late February.
4. Immediately govt get blasted from all sides as it's clearly an unworkable plan.
5. Govt spend a week pretending it's ok, then start backpedaling via newspapers and eventually release a new plan on mid-March.
6. By then it's almost Easter holidays so when schools come back in mid-April they now know what's going on, but 5 months of uncertainty means they are worse off than of they had just stuck to the original exam dates.

Then when the results come out...

That is not what the article says.

Article doesn't say they are considering it, they are saying Labour are calling for it.

I would think it is likely they will wait until the impact of schools returning is clearer, before assessing impact on next years exams.

It would make more sense to take time to make the right decision than an announcement which is prone to change. IMO if they do push dates back it won't be far as there are just too many dependencies on results being available in early/mid August, but I wouldn't be making plans for next summer just yet!

Scotland, so far, are saying exams will be on schedule, but are consulting on reducing some elements of some subjects to give more teaching time without impacting the credibility of the results (i.e. reduce English coursework to one essay instead of two/remove speaking component, remove written assignment from French to give more focus on reading/listening/talking, no changes to science/maths etc).

Sorry my post maybe misleading.

Labour are calling for exams to be postponed, so isn't officially being considered.

I agree they will let schools return before any exam announcements are made. However, I do hope if there are to be changes the students and schools are Informed sooner rather than later.

However, I do hope if there are to be changes the students and schools are Informed sooner rather than later.

Well, based on government track record, I would say not.

If they moved the exams (very unlikely) there would be nobody to mark them. Teachers usually mark in the summer term-in gained time.

I think they are more likely to shrink exam specs.

One of the biggest problems is the effect of local lockdowns on students. Not everyone will have the same opportunity, so exams will be unfair.

Teachers don't mark GCSE /A-Level exam papers in gained time as such, as teachers who work as examiners have to mark papers at home and are forbidden from marking in a public area such as a school for reasons of confidentiality. However, they are likely to have lost classes meaning they have more time in an evening or at the weekend to work as an examiner.
There has also already been a consultation on the shrinking of exam specs and the results of this consultation were published a few weeks ago. The exam requirement of several subjects at GCSE in particular is being reduced. The consultation also focused on whether or not the exams should start later, but no definitive decision on this has yet been made. The later they start though, the shorter the marking period is likely to be as not every teacher who works as an examiner will want to spend the first fortnight of the summer holidays marking exam papers.

@CraftyGin

I think they are more likely to shrink exam specs.

One of the biggest problems is the effect of local lockdowns on students. Not everyone will have the same opportunity, so exams will be unfair.

I agree with this. I also think whatever the government do about next years exams it's going to feel unfair.

My DD has been fairly focused a continued to study/revise. We are being as positive as we can about the situation, as in reality we can't change it.

I agree that back up plans should be put in place as soon as possible

Even if its carry on as usual but a system is put in place where if CAGs are to be used there are guidelines and moderation put in place

Even the CAGs weren’t strictly fair to everyone so as has been said children will potentially lose out whatever the system (including do or die exams)

And its all very well them saying push back to june

The majority of my daughters exams were june!

Ofqual has already consulted on arrangements for next year's exams.

This is what they are saying about timing.

Changes to the summer 2021 exam timetable
We invited views in the consultation on the suggestion that the GCSE, AS and A level exams could start later in the summer term to allow for more teaching and revision, helping catch up following school closures.
While there was support for delaying the exams, to allow more time for teaching, a number of risks and issues were highlighted in the responses, including concerns about the likely impact on the dates by which results could then be published. The key decision for Ofqual on the timetable is whether to change our rules to allow the exams boards to offer exams in July 2021 as well as in May and June. However, changes to the exam timetable are not for Ofqual alone. We will work with DfE, the exam boards, colleagues in Wales and Northern Ireland, and higher education to undertake a further analysis of the options, the risks and the mitigations, before taking a decision.

Having exams in July would be problematic for lots of schools, including independent, Scottish schools offering GCSEs and GCEs, and international centres.

I finish school on 2nd July next year!

We really need to see what level of disruption there will be this term, and how individual regions are affected by local lockdowns, and isolations, before worrying about exam dates.

Chair of the Education Select Committee has said he thinks it's only 50/50 whether exams happen at all next year.

More discussion here....
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4010602-In-thinking-delaying-exams-won-t-help

Curious to see how independent schools react to this if it happens. I suspect we may just get a longer Easter holiday to cover the extension to the end of summer term movement, and so reduced extra teaching time

On R4 they mentioned it hadn’t been ruled out yet by government.

But if they do they need to get on with announcing it.

I still think they need a back up plan

In case CAGs have to be used again

(Hopefully not...but no one knows for deffo)

They already consulted on reducing content too. Most isn't being reduced. And where reductions are happening (eg. GCSE Eng Lit) there has been no information on what that means from the boards. The whole thing is a mess.

Yes it will be interesting. We are overseas and the GCSE schedule directly effects the IGSCE's here. Our school already finishes it's school year at the end of June so that means if they are pushed out they will need to be taken in the school holidays.