The government’s announcement on 3 December 2020 included information not just on GCSEs and A levels, but also on vocational and technical qualifications; primary assessment; Ofsted inspections from January; the publication of performance tables in 2021; and updated expectations on remote learning provision.
The Secretary of State’s full announcement can be read
here. Below are some of the key points, and our thoughts and planned actions on these.
Changes to GCSEs and A level exams
The changes announced yesterday are in addition to those previously confirmed, which included pushing the exam timetable back by three weeks, and greater optionality in GCSE English literature and GCSE history. The new changes are:
- more generous grading, in line with the grades achieved in 2020. These will be averaged across subjects so that candidates are not disadvantaged by subject choice.
- exam aids in some subjects
- advanced notice of exam content in some subjects, details of which will be confirmed by the end of January
We know that these measures alone will not mitigate the differential learning loss experienced by students. Greater optionality in other subjects – the solution we have been calling for – has been ruled out by Ofqual due to concerns that this would make it difficult to effectively regulate exams.
Differential learning loss remains the most significant concern with the current proposals, and one that we know you want us to act on. We will continue to work with the government on this and have
written today (4 December) to Schools Minister Nick Gibb to outline our ongoing concerns and to indicate our willingness to join the expert group looking at these.
Contingency plans for students unable to sit exams
While hopes of a vaccine are promising, there may still be some students in June who cannot sit exams for Covid-related reasons. The ‘Plan B’ for any students unable to sit exams is as follows:
- Extended use of special consideration if a student is able to sit some, but not all, of their papers in a subject.
- A contingency series, running ten days after the end of the main summer series (i.e. 28 June – 16 July). This will likely consist of one combined contingency paper for each subject (rather than the full range of papers).
- If a student misses all their exams in both the summer series and contingency series, because of Covid, then they will – as a very last resort – be able to get a grade through a ‘validated teacher assessment’. There are no details yet of what this would entail, and what evidence schools would need to provide. Details are expected in the new year.
- Clinically extremely vulnerable students who have been told to continue shielding in the summer may sit their exams under invigilated conditions in their own homes.
For all of these contingencies, candidates would need to provide evidence that they could not attend exams because of Covid. Details of what evidence will be needed will be provided.
Changes to vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs)
Many of the proposed changes to general qualifications also apply to the examined assessments in vocational and technical qualifications. The Department and Ofqual have confirmed that students taking VTQs should not be disadvantaged compared to students taking general qualifications. This includes the potential to drop units, and for contingency papers in exam assessments.
Given the range of assessment methodology in VTQs, changes to each qualification will be made on a case by case basis. The revised
extraordinary regulatory framework sets out the principles of this, and Ofqual has encouraged the awarding organisations to use their full flexibilities under the new framework to adapt assessment in VTQs.
Primary assessment
A number of changes to primary assessment were announced:
- KS1 SATs have been scrapped, although teacher assessment in reading, writing and maths will continue.
- The Year 1 phonics screening test will take place, however the multiplication tables check will be optional.
- KS2 SATs will go ahead, although without the grammar, punctuation and spelling test, or the teacher assessment of science.
ASCL’s position is that SATs should have been suspended altogether this year, and we are disappointed that this is not the decision the government has taken. We do, however, welcome the fact that results will not be published in performance tables, which may relieve some of the pressure on leaders, teachers and children.
Ofsted inspections from January 2021
Ofsted has confirmed that they will not resume graded, routine inspections in January, and that these will remain suspended until at least the summer term. Instead, they will begin by making supportive monitoring visits to schools previously judged inadequate, and some judged as requiring improvement, from the spring term. These visits will take the place of the autumn term visits. They will focus on a number of key areas including the curriculum and remote learning. They will take into account the current crisis, and will not result in a change of grade.
Where inspectors have serious concerns about safeguarding or a breakdown of leadership and management, they will use their powers of inspection, as is currently the case.
This decision is very welcome, and reflects ASCL’s formal position statement which was ratified by ASCL Council two weeks ago. We have been liaising closely with Ofsted over the last few months to share members’ views on the resumption of inspections, and are pleased they have taken this sensible and pragmatic decision.
Performance tables and data in 2021
As well as the welcome decision not to resume full Ofsted inspections, we are also pleased that performance tables will not be published for KS2, KS4 or KS5 data for the 2020-2021 year. Instead:
- School performance metrics (such as Progress 8) will still be calculated, but will not be published in performance tables.
- Data on exam results will be shared with Ofsted and the Regional School Commissioners, to inform discussions about school performance.
- Primary and secondary schools will be able to access their data for internal use via ASP and the IDSR. Colleges and sixth forms will be able to access their data using the 16 to 18 checking exercise website.
- The methodology to calculate Progress 8 in 2021 will change to take into account gaps of students who received grades in 2020. Details will be released in the technical guidance.
- Exams taken in 2021 (i.e. early entries) will count towards future performance measures.
- Performance tables for 2020-2021 will show pupil attendance, KS4 and KS5 subject choice, and destination data.
ASCL has been consistently arguing for performance tables not to published, and we are pleased with this outcome, which is largely helpful and removes much pressure from the system. It does leave some questions, however, such as how exam data will be used in discussions with Ofsted and the RSCs, and how attendance data will be used in a way which is sensitive to the extent to which different schools have been impacted by Covid. We will continue to work with the government on these issues.
Updates to the remote learning expectations
Finally, the announcement (3 December) included an update to the expectations on remote learning provision. Since 22 October it has been a legal requirement to provide ‘immediate’ remote learning for any individual, groups or cohorts of pupils unable to attend school due to Covid. This week’s update (included in the
full opening guidance for schools), includes:
- an expectation of an average of three hours learning per day for primary pupils
- an expectation of four hours learning per day for secondary pupils
- more than four hours learning per day for students preparing for formal qualifications
These time expectations include independent tasks, as well as any live or pre-recorded teaching.
In addition:
- the requirement for pupils to have daily contact with teachers has been changed so that schools must check engagement of pupils at least weekly, and immediately inform parents if engagement is a concern; and provide feedback on pupils’ work at least weekly
- from the spring term, it will be a requirement for schools to publish their remote learning expectations on their website
- We have consistently made clear to government that the heavy-handed approach they are taking on remote learning is unnecessary, and that schools and colleges have already put in place high-quality remote learning for all students.