Proposals set out for exams and assessments in 2022
The department and Ofqual are seeking views from students, parents and teachers on proposed arrangements for GCSEs, AS and A levels in summer 2022, along with vocational and technical qualifications in academic year 2021-2022.
The proposals aim to recognise and mitigate the disruption to students’ education from Covid.
The suggested arrangements for GCSEs, AS and A levels include choices about the topics students will be assessed on for some subjects, and giving schools and colleges advance information about the focus of content of the exams for other subjects.
Exams will always be the fairest way to assess students, which is why they will take place next year, but next summer’s arrangements need to take into account the disruption young people have faced over the past 18 months.
The consultation proposes a range of measures to help mitigate the impact of disruption to students’ education, focussing on the following areas:
Giving schools and colleges some choice about the topics or content their students will be assessed in GCSE English literature, history, ancient history and geography;
Providing advance information of the focus of exam content, to help students focus their revision;
Giving students a formulae sheet in GCSE mathematics and an expanded equations sheet in GCSE physics and combined science;
Changing requirements for practical science work and practical art and design assessments.
Ofqual and the department are also running a consultation on arrangements for vocational, technical and other general qualifications (VTQs). This builds on the 2021 arrangements, which enabled awarding organisations to put in place adaptations such as streamlining assessments, providing revision guidance, and making changes to invigilation, including the introduction of remote invigilation and remote assessment. Plans for VTQs in 2021/22 are intended to be confirmed to enable assessments to commence early in the autumn term.
Since March 2020 awarding organisations offering VTQs have adapted qualifications where appropriate and are now well placed to take these adaptations into the next academic year. Ofqual is proposing minimal changes to the VTQ arrangements, and is consulting on the impact of the move away from teacher assessed grades and on minor updates to regulations to take account of current circumstances.
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