Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

GCSE and A-level Examinations

Monday 6 September 2021 · 6 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 5 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ensuring fairness in 2022 exams through announced adaptations and contingency planning with Ofqual.
  • Developing post-qualification applications to address disparities in predicted A-level grades.
  • Pupil premium funding increased by 2.5 billion from last year, introduced to mitigate educational background impacts.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Sam Tarry
Education
Context

The MP is concerned about the impact of limited access to online learning on student performance in exams.

Question

What steps will be taken to ensure that GCSE and A-level exams are equitable for all students, especially those with limited access to online learning?

Answer from Nick Gibb

Ensuring fairness is at the core of every decision regarding 2022 exams. Consultation on adaptations was launched and will result in announced decisions shortly, taking account of education disruption.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not specify how online access issues will be addressed

How: Consultation, Plans To Be Published

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Q2 Sam Tarry
Education
Context

The MP is seeking assurances that the Government will provide clarity on exam adaptations and contingency plans.

Question

Residents and teachers are concerned about lack of clarity and delays. Will the Secretary of State provide clear guidance and a contingency plan for exams in case disruptions occur?

Answer from Nick Gibb

Exams will go ahead if possible. Adaptations to ensure fairness have been announced. Contingency plans with Ofqual are being developed and will be published shortly.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide a specific contingency plan timeline or details.

How: Plans Being Developed, Shortly To Publish

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Q3 Peter Kyle Lab Hove and Portslade
Education
Context

The education gap has grown significantly under the current Government.

Question

Since taking over, the education gap between state and private schools has reached record levels. What will the Minister do to address this issue?

Answer from Nick Gibb

The hon. Gentleman should look at the last Labour Government's record where the gap was narrowing throughout their tenure.

Not addressed: Redirected to past government's performance rather than addressing current issue.

How: Referencing Past Government

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Q4 Andrew Bridgen Con
Education
Context

There is a disparity in A-level grades awarded by state and private sector schools.

Question

Given the disparity between predicted A-level grades, should exams be marked before university applications? Will the Government remain committed to this policy?

Answer from Nick Gibb

My hon. Friend raises an important point. We are committed to looking at post-qualification applications to address the issues he raises.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to a specific policy for 2022 exams.

How: Looking Into It

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Q5 Catherine West Lab Hornsey and Friern Barnet
Education
Context

Haringey borough has lost £690,720 of its pupil premium.

Question

With the loss of significant funding for Haringey's pupil premium, when will the Government address this issue and correct it?

Answer from Nick Gibb

The pupil premium is up by £2.5 billion from last year's £2.4 billion. This Government introduced the pupil premium to ensure that background does not affect education outcomes.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide a timeline or commitment for correcting Haringey's funding loss.

How: Overall Increase In Funding

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Q6 Jonathan Gullis
Education
Context

The Institute for Government estimates it will take about three years to settle grade inflation.

Question

When will the chair of Ofqual outline a plan to tackle grade inflation? Will there be no change to grading systems like an A** or grade 10 in 2022?

Answer from Nick Gibb

There will be no change to the grading system for 2022. We are looking at longer-term issues about GCSEs and A-level grading.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide a specific timeline or plan from Ofqual's chair.

How: No Change In 2022, Looking At Long Term

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