What should be done about exams in 2022?

With Covid forcing the cancellation of ‘traditional’ exams (students still sat a set of internal exams marked by their teachers alongside teacher assessment) for the last two years, the debate over whether an early decision should be made for 2021/22 exams has intensified. 

Our dear Education Secretary, Mr Williamson, has declared that he wants to see exams take place next year but with certain ‘adjustments and mitigations’ made to account for all the disruption suffered. 

In response to this, a recent GMTV segment saw Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School & College Leaders (ASCL), opine that exams should still take place but with an approach that takes into account the level of disruption encountered over the last two years and essentially results in students sitting less exams. Part of the justification (true in my opinion) is that students have been raised in an educational system in this country that has exams as ‘king’ and therefore it’s only right that they ‘cross the finishing line’ in the appropriate fashion.  It also gives students the satisfaction of demonstrating that ‘their destiny has not been decided by algorithms’ in Geoff’s view. Meanwhile, Steve Chalke, Founder of Oasis Charitable Trust, holds the view that regardless of what decision is made, it needs to be made quickly and decisively but the option that he feels would be most fair would include teacher assessment as the main factor, even if it’s alongside a reduced set of exams. 

Valid points are made on both sides. 

I know first-hand that plenty of students would definitely agree with Geoff’s contention that they want to be responsible for deciding their own grades and a more formalised exam-style format in line with traditional exams is what everyone is used to and arguably, as alluded to by Geoff, what schools via their curriculums and structure are set up to prepare students for. As long as the disruption that students have faced throughout the academic year is taken into consideration and provision made for that through methods like reduced numbers of exams etc, as suggested by Geoff, I think that approach may hold up. However, the fact is that all schools have not faced equal levels of disruption with some having to deal with far more disruption than others. So unless it’s a case of school’s being trusted (not sure that will be forthcoming from dear Mr Williamson) and given the autonomy to set their own agenda to an extent in those exams which takes into account the very specific challenges that their school and community has faced, I have to side with a decision that includes teacher assessment being the definitive factor, with an approach of schools devising their own internal plans in accordance with a set of wider guidelines from the DFE to ensure (as much as possible) a level playing field.

Ultimately, immediate clarity, regardless of whatever decisions are made is what’s needed so schools can make plans and students are aware of what they will encounter when they begin the new academic year in September. Hopefully by the time September arrives, we’ll also be a step closer to putting this entire Covid-induced nightmare behind us. 

Pretty certain that that is something we can all agree on…!