Students studying A levels, GCSEs and other technical and vocational qualifications are expected to sit exams next year, as the best and fairest way to assess their performance.
We recognise the disruption young people have faced in the last 18 months which will still affect pupils sitting those exams. That’s why we’re consulting with students, their parents and their teachers on proposals that will allow exams to take place while making adaptations to take into account the impact of the pandemic.
Young people did not sit exams this summer or last year due to the significant disruption to their education.
We answer your questions on what you need to know about the proposed approach for 2022.
Will exams go ahead in 2022?
We believe exams are the best and fairest form of assessment.
Exams will go ahead in 2022, unless any disruption to education is so extensive that exams would not be the fairest approach for students. We’re consulting on changes to exams in 2022 to take account of the disruption students have faced.
We are also running a separate consultation on changes to vocational and technical qualifications, for example, streamlining assessments and encouraging early banking of assessments where appropriate.
How will you make assessments fair?
Our proposals will help to ensure exams and assessments will be as fair as possible.
For GCSE, AS and A levels in summer 2022 the proposals include:
- a choice for schools and colleges of topics or content on which students will be assessed in GCSE English literature, history, ancient history and geography;
- reducing requirements for practical science work and practical art and design assessments;
- providing advance notice of broad topics and other subject content that will be the focus of exams, to help students focus their revision;
- giving students a formulae sheet in GCSE maths and an expanded equations sheet in GCSE physics and combined science.
Ofqual is also considering how best to grade qualifications in 2022 with fairness to that cohort, as well as to past and future students.
But these are just proposals – when will you be able to say for sure?
For GCSE, AS and A levels, the consultation will close on 1 August and we will confirm the plans in the Autumn term.
For vocational and technical qualifications, the consultation will close on 26 July and we will confirm plans in August.
The original version of this article was originally published in Gov.uk.
