Opposition Day Debate: "The personal role and involvement of the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Education in this summer’s exams fiasco"
On Wednesday 9 September 2020, there will be an Opposition Day Debate on the subject of “The personal role and involvement of the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Education in this summer’s exams fiasco”. This will take place in the House of Commons.
The Library has produced two briefings relevant to this debate:
- A Level results in England and the impact on university admissions in 2020-21
- Coronavirus and schools: FAQs, Section 1
Officials from the Exams Regulator, Ofqual, appeared before the Education Select Committee on 2 September 2020. The full oral evidence session has been published by the Committee: The impact of Covid-19 on education and children’s services, HC 254, 2 September 2020. The Committee had previously published Getting the grades they’ve earned: Covid-19: The cancellation of exams and “calculated” grades (HC617) on 11 July 2020.
A list of official press releases and documents, primarily from the Department for Education and Ofqual, can be found below. This is followed by a selection of recent news articles.
Official Press Releases & Documents
Written statement from Chair of Ofqual to the Education Select Committee
Ofqual
2 September 2020
Letter from Roger Taylor to the Royal Statistical Society
Ofqual
22 August 2020
EHRC statement on GCSE and A-level results
Equality and Human Rights Commission (ECHR) on Politics Home
18 August 2020
Review of statistical models used for grading 2020 exam results
Office for Statistics Regulation
18 August 2020
GCSE and A level students to receive centre assessment grades
Department for Education
17 August 2020
Statement from Roger Taylor, Chair, Ofqual
Ofqual
17 August 2020
Response to the Secretary of State’s announcement of 12 August 2020
Ofqual
12 August 2020
Triple lock for students ahead of A level and GCSE results
Department for Education
12 August 2020
The fairest way to recognise student’s achievements this year- by Roger Taylor, Chair
Ofqual
9 August 2020
Ofqual
6 August 2020
Guidance: Requirements for the calculation of results in summer 2020
Ofqual
7 July 2020
Guidance: Awarding qualifications in summer 2020 [withdrawn 20 August]
Ofqual
3 April 2020
Rt Hon Gavin Williamson letter to Sally Collier Chief Regulator Ofqual, 31 March 2020
News Articles
This is a selection of recent news and media articles relevant to the debate. Please note that the Library is not responsible for either the views or the accuracy of external content.
Ofqual and the exams fiasco: 7 super interesting things we learned
Schools Week
2 September 2020
Ofqual: “Fundamental mistake” to believe algorithm grades would “ever be acceptable to the public”
Schools Week
2 September 2020
The exams catastrophe: 16 questions that must still be answered
Higher Education Policy Institute
2 September 2020
Williamson told about flaws in A-level model two weeks before results
Guardian
1 September 2020
Boris Johnson pins the blame on “mutant” exam algorithm
The Times
27 August 2020
Institute for Government
Bronwen Maddox
27 August 2020
Top education mandarin ousted as Boris Johnson calls for “fresh” leadership following exams chaos
The Independent
26 August 2020
ASCL writes to Ofqual over “deflated grades” fears
Schools Week
26 August 2020
How might Ofqual have avoided this turmoil?
Higher Education Policy Institute
John Craven
22 August 2020
GCSE results 2020: Glut of top grades is a headache for sixth formers
The Times
21 August 2020
Minister admits he was warned about concerns over exams algorithm
The Guardian
20 August 2020
Gavin Williamson was warned about risk of exam fiasco
The Times
20 August 2020
Ofqual ignored exams warning a month ago amid ministerial pressure
The Guardian
19 August 2020
A-levels: Algorithm at centre of grading crisis “unlawful” say Labour
BBC News
19 August 2020
Stats watchdog to launch review into Ofqual’s results algorithm
Schools Week
18 August 2020
More A-level results style disasters await until we tame the algorithm
Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce
Anthony Painter
17 August 2020
A level “chaos” risks widening north-south divide, regional leaders warn
The Independent
14 August 2020
Royal Statistical Society statement on grade adjustment in UK exams in 2020
Royal Statistical Society
14 August 2020
“Enough is enough” says heads’ union as it demands government review
Schools Week
13 August 2020
A-levels: Anger over “unfair” results this year
BBC News
13 August 2020
Williamson: We spent “considerable time” on mocks plan
Times Education Supplement
13 August 2020
Williamson apologies for school and exam disruption
BBC News
12 August 2020
Exams 2020: 40% of A-level grades “adjusted”, minister reveals
Schools Week
12 August 2020
A-level results: University chiefs in urgent talks with ministers to stem exam confusion
The Times
12 August 2020
A-level students can use grades in mock exams to progress to degree courses
ITV News
11 August 2020