Heads have said the lack of clarity over plans for exams in 2022 is “extremely frustrating” when the start of the autumn term is only days away in some regions.

Ofqual and the Department for Education ran a joint consultation on the plans for GCSEs and A levels next year, which closed last month.

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The consultation states that final plans will be announced in the autumn, but school leaders have expressed frustration over the “sluggish pace of government decision making”.

They added they were also concerned about the lack of contingency planning for cancelled exams in the event of further disruption to education from the pandemic next year.

Tom Middlehurst, curriculum and inspection specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “It is extremely frustrating that there is still no confirmation of the arrangements for exams in summer 2022, and it is important that this happens before the beginning of the autumn term, which is now just days away in some areas of the country.

“Schools, colleges and students all need and deserve certainty, and we can see no reason why this could not have been provided much sooner.

“It would be even more unacceptable if this is not now rapidly resolved.

“We are also concerned about the lack of a contingency plan in the event that it is not possible to hold exams next summer.

“We hope that such a contingency will not be necessary and that exams will be able to go ahead.

“However, events have shown us very clearly that the path of the coronavirus is unpredictable, and that we must be ready for all eventualities.

“Ofqual and the DfE have said they are developing contingency plans and they will announce measures in the autumn term, but we would emphasise the need for urgency.

“There is huge frustration among school and college leaders about the sluggish pace of government decision making over next summer’s exams and the apparent lack of understanding about the need to plan what to teach well in advance of students being in the classroom.”

Alison Peacock, chief executive of the Chartered College of Teaching, told Tes: “Schools will be planning the whole year - it is no good waiting until October half term and changing courses.”

”[They] plan the whole year ahead, or in many cases two years ahead.”

She added that the “advice about contingency planning could be made clear”.

“It looks as if they don’t understand how the profession works...Schools have their assessments planned in and [need to know] if there’s to be a recommendation that some of those assessments will be taken more seriously in the event of geographical disruption,” she added.

She said that “pupils’ first question on the first day of term is going to be ‘How is this going to be assessed, Miss? Will we have exams, Miss?’”

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Exams are the fairest form of assessment and we intend for them to take place next summer.

“We have been working closely with the sector and recently ran a joint consultation with Ofqual on arrangements for next summer’s exams, to recognise the disruption the pandemic has caused to education.

“We are now considering the consultation responses and continue to engage with the sector before we set out plans for next summer’s assessments early in the autumn term.

“Teachers should plan to cover as much of the curriculum as possible during the next academic year.”