Last week MPs debated the personal role and involvement of the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Education in the summer’s exams fiasco.
A motion was passed calling for the publication of all documents relating to the awarding of A level grades this year, following the cancellation of exams due to the pandemic. A-level students were initially awarded grades by Ofqual, which were calculated using an algorithm that took into account the past performance of individual schools. It was soon discovered that the system was deeply flawed and a credible appeals process had not been put in place. Ofqual have since admitted it was a “fundamental mistake” to release these grades and said tweaks to the algorithm would not have helped.
Stephen wrote to the Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, last month asking the Government to return to teacher assessment grades. He therefore welcomed the U-turn announced the following week. Students were subsequently allocated Centre Assessed Grades - 40% of which were higher. However, by this point many had lost their place at the University they had chosen. At the Opposition Day Debate, Kate Green, the shadow Education Secretary, said “It is a sign of the Prime Minister and Education Secretary’s serial incompetence that they are now running scared from transparency and scrutiny. Having failed young people and their families once with their shambolic handling of exams, they have now failed to be honest and transparent about their mistakes so that we can ensure they are not repeated.”
Speaking after the vote, Stephen said: “Whilst allocating results for exams which have not been sat was always going to be difficult, the Government had plenty of time to prepare for results day. The Prime Minister must take responsibility for the mistakes that were made and establish a clear plan to ensure A level students are not in this same position next year. No student should be worse off because of Government failure.”