90,644 children could lose out on the top grades for GCSEs and A Levels this year due to Government plans on exam grading, new analysis by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.
It comes as Ofqual is set to confirm arrangements today (Monday 7 February) for this summer’s GCSEs and A levels, along with details on what mitigations will be in place. The Chief Regulator of Ofqual, Dr Jo Saxton, plans to set the grading boundaries in a way that “reflects a mid-point between 2021 and pre-pandemic grading”.
Analysis by the Liberal Democrats suggests this would mean 24,524 GCSE pupils missing out on grade 7,8 or 9, and 66,120 A-level students missing out on As or A*s compared to the grading system used last year.
The Lib Dems have called the move “arbitrary and senseless” as every year of this student cohort’s studies for GCSEs and A Levels has been disrupted by the pandemic. Each student in this cohort is expected to have missed at least 376 hours of education since March 2020, a total of almost 500 million hours of schooling lost across the cohort taking exams this year.
The Liberal Democrats are calling for a hybrid approach to grades this year, which would use a combination of traditional exams together with input through teacher assessments to ensure each pupil receives a grade which reflects their ability.
Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey, said: “Once again, the Conservatives have shown a complete disregard for children whose education has been disrupted by the pandemic.
“Students taking exams this year have had their entire course affected by the pandemic – from the start through to the finish. Lowering grades this year is arbitrary, senseless and heartless when the pandemic is still ongoing.
“Our children have worked as hard as they can in incredibly difficult circumstances and their grades should reflect their hard work, instead of being artificially reduced by a thoughtless Government.”