Most international schools are against the idea of any exams taking place this year, a survey by the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) reveals.

Currently, although it appears unlikely that domestic GCSE and A-level exams will take place in international schools, as in England, the decision has not been finalised because it is still under consultation with the UK government as to whether exam boards should be able to set domestic GCSEs and A levels for in international schools.

Furthermore, it is also unclear if International Baccalaureate exams will take place after the UK government seemed to suggest it had ordered the IB not to run them in the UK. But if and how this will be applied internationally remains to be seen.

Uncertainty over GCSE and A-level exams

One notable development came on Thursday when exam board OxfordAQA confirmed that it would be cancelling its International GCSE and International A-level exams. However, both Pearson and Cambridge International Assesssment are still planning on running their IGCSE and IA-level exams at present.

In light of this uncertainty, a survey of 60 COBIS member schools around the world shows that the majority do not want any of these exams to be sat. A breakdown of the responses is as follows.

• 64 per cent felt IGCSE exams should not go ahead.
• 76 per cent felt International A-level exams should not go ahead.
• 69 per cent felt A-level exams should not go ahead.
• 90 per cent felt GCSE exams should not go ahead.
• 59 per cent felt IB exams should not go ahead.

While this does not give a definitive position, given the survey sample size against the numbers of international schools, the responses show there is a clear sense of unease about exams potentially going ahead.

Furthermore, 64 per cent of respondents said they felt international exam centres should follow the same arrangements as Ofqual, which oversees school exams in England.

Exams 2021: ‘We must ensure fairness’

Colin Bell, the CEO of COBIS, said it was clear there was huge uncertainty among members about the exam situation this year, and this should not be overlooked.

“We must ensure there is fairness, parity and a level playing field for students. The same conditions will need to apply to British schools overseas as for schools in England,” he said.

“There must be an awareness that international schools may be subject to changes in local circumstances or local regulations with little notice that could make it very hard for schools to host exams.”

As such, he urged the Department for Education, Ofqual and exam boards to ensure that they provided clear and timely communications on their plans.

Split down the middle

The data from COBIS offers a slightly clearer view on the stance that international schools have with regards to exams than a recent survey by the British Schools in the Middle East (BSME).

It found an almost even split between schools in the region that wanted exams to go ahead and those that did not.

While those that did not also feared an uneven playing field for students when compared with those in English schools receiving teacher-assessed grades, those in favour of exams argued they are still the best way of assessing students.

Many students are hoping the exams will not take place, though, with over 26,000 signing a petition urging their cancellation