Ofqual’s chair has said he “very much” hopes it will be possible to run exams in 2022.

Ian Bauckham said this morning that planning for the academic year ahead is “happening intensively at the moment”, with the regulator “very carefully” observing the impacts of the pandemic.

Asked on Radio 4‘s Today programme if Ofqual has a “plan B” for next year’s exam series, so that teachers can gather assessments ahead of time, Mr Bauckham said exams remain the “plan A” for 2022.

However “there will of course be plan Bs”, he added.

“Planning for the academic year which is ahead of us is happening intensively at the moment, we’re watching very carefully what’s happening this year, what’s happening with the impacts of the pandemic,” Mr Bauckham said. 

“You’re right to say that most of these are two year courses. So the first year of the two year course inevitably will have suffered some disruption due to the closure of schools for most pupils between January and March this year. 

“So we need to assess the impacts of that and hope to have decisions about 2022 very soon.

“But what I would say is that as the regulator of examinations and qualifications, we very much hope that it will be possible to run examinations in 2022. So that is certainly the plan A. But there will of course be plan Bs.”