A-levels and GCSEs: U-turn as teacher estimates to be used for exam results

[LeftishBrit]

A-level and GCSE students in England will be given grades estimated by their teachers, rather than by an algorithm, after a government U-turn.

It follows uproar after about 40% of A-level results were downgraded by exams regulator Ofqual, which used a formula based on schools' prior grades...


Ofqual chair Roger Taylor and Education Secretary Gavin Williamson apologised for the "distress" caused.

Teachers' estimates will be awarded to students unless the computer algorithm gave a higher grade.

(More at link):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53810655


What a mess it's all been. Anything run by Boris AND Gavin Williamson is bound to be a mess.

2020, as well as all the other things it is, is also the year when all those exam nightmares, that students have, actually came true!

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

1. Am I reading this right?

Someone there decided to arbitrarily lower students' test scores based only on their prior grades, not their actual exam results?

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. The point is that they didn't have actual exam results, because of Covid

The idea was to take their teachers' predictions, and then adjust them so that the overall proportions of As, Bs etc. was the same as previous years. But what level that proportion was looked at is not clear; the article says it should have been for each school, but the association for Sixth Form Colleges (one section of the state sector schools) says its analysis said their sampled schools all ended up with lower grades than the previous 3 years.

I can see why they thought they needed some kind of adjustment; some teachers may use their predictions as encouragement for their pupils. while others may try to be strictly realistic. But anything like that would need to be done very carefully, with a lot of checking of the consequences.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. Ahh, I see the problem.

This pandemic is going to put an awful lot of things on hold for longer than any of us are anticipating.

[T_i_B]

4. Ofqual chief Sally Collier steps down after exams chaos

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-53909487

The head of England's exams regulator, Sally Collier, has quit after thousands of students' marks were downgraded for exams they were unable to sit.

Ofqual chief Ms Collier has been under fire for a controversial algorithm which changed GCSE and A-level marks, making them unfair, according to heads. It also led to many A-level students losing university places they had been offered, and a crunch on degree places.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson thanked her for her commitment. He added: "Moving forward, my department will continue to work closely with Ofqual's leadership to deliver fair results and exams for young people."

But teaching unions say questions remain for ministers about the fiasco, despite Ms Collier's resignation.

[LeftishBrit]

5. 'Thanked her for her commitment'

Thanked her for taking the fall for him, more like it!