The government has been weighing up the option for students to appeal their exam grades based on mock results for “a considerable period of time”, the education secretary said this morning.
Asked where the idea for the “mock exam curveball” came from, Gavin Williamson said: “Well, it was something that we have considered about for a considerable period of time.”
He added: “It’s something we think that adds an extra level of fairness and gives students a lot of options.”
A-levels results 2020:
Schools minister Nick Gibb said yesterday that the solution had been found “at the 11th hour”.
Appearing on BBC Radio 5 Live this morning, Mr Williamson was then asked, if the government had been considering the option for some time, why it was only announced 24 hours before A-level results day.
A-level results: Allowing appeals based on mock exams
He said: “Well, because what we have seen as we’ve gone through this process, we’ve had to come up with a system of awarding that we would never have expected to be in a position to be having to do.
“And as a result of that - and as we’ve seen sort of some of the concerns that have been raised in different parts of the United Kingdom, we’ve recognised that we needed to put different avenues and different routes [in place] in order for youngsters to be able to have a route of appeal.”
This morning Mr Williamson also ruled out further changes to the grading system in the face of any exams backlash.
He told Times Radio: “What is clear to me is there will be some youngsters, no matter how much we try to do in terms of this system to maximise the fairness of it, who don’t get the grade they should have potentially have got.
“That’s why we need to have a really robust system - that’s why we’ve got the triple lock.”
Mr Williamson said this would provide “robust grounds of appeal” and allow students to take exams later in the year if required.
Asked if he was prepared to change the system again amid threats of legal action from parents, Mr Williamson replied: “We’re not going to be changing this system again.
“We believe that we’ve put in place - in terms of the triple lock, in terms of the actions we’ve taken - a system that is able to put its arm around those youngsters where there has been a grade that has been unfair on them and is able to put that right.”
Mr Williamson gave his assurance that he will not make the same exams grade U-turn as was seen in Scotland.
The education secretary told Sky News: “Absolutely, when we’ve consulted widely, when Ofqual consulted widely (on) the whole system of awarding, this is the message that we got from everyone - this is the right approach to go forward.
“You’ve got to have a system that has checks and balances, that looks at the whole performance and making sure you maintain standards within the exam system, to ensure those results carry credibility.”
Mr Williamson replied “yes” when asked if he had agreed a process with Ofqual before announcing the changes on the grading process for exams.
Asked why Ofqual has not got a process in place for assessing mock exam results, the education secretary told BBC Breakfast: “Ofqual has got processes in place for appeals. There’s a whole range of routes that schools can take the appeal process through but the mock exam was an important step forward to ensure there’s enhanced fairness for all pupils right across England.”
He added: “Ofqual is going to be issuing clarity as to how this is to be done, making sure that valid mock exams can form the basis of that appeal so that that child can be awarded that grade from that mock exam.”
