Jersey in UK's hands over summer exams

Tuesday 05 January 2021

Jersey's Education Minister is still yet to receive details from exam regulator Ofqual and the UK government on how student grades will be assessed this year.

Talking to Express, Senator Tracey Vallois said that she was informed of the intention to cancel summer exams alongside everyone else in Prime Minister Boris Johnson's statement last night, and that the UK Government had given no prior warning to her department.

“In terms of what’s happening with regards to the exams, we had nothing particularly shared with us with regards to that, or wasn’t shared to myself,” Senator Vallois said.

She was, however, able to confirm that exams and mock exams will still be taking place this month.

Pictured: Education Minister Tracey Vallois said Education were awaiting word from the UK Government on how exams will be formatted.

When asked whether these mocks could eventually contribute to students’ grades, the Minister said: “I understand there is due to be an update in House of Commons tomorrow with regards to the exams position, but we will retrieve that information from Ofqual and the awarding organisations as soon as possible.

“Then we’ll be able to give a clear indication to our students around what that means towards taking their mocks and whether that counts towards their assessment grade.”

“We know how difficult this must be for students, teachers and lecturers. We wish at all costs to avoid arrangements for this summer’s GCSEs, A levels and VTQs inflicting further disadvantage on students. 1/2

— Ofqual (@ofqual) January 5, 2021

Following Prime Minister's Boris Johnson's announcement last night that it was “not possible or fair for all exams to go ahead this summer as normal", a number of Jersey students took to social media to express their concerns over what it could mean for their own summer exams.

The Minister made it clear that Jersey’s decisions will be based on those of the UK, saying: “Ofqual, being the regulator, will advise the awarding organisations the appropriate format to take forward in terms of the requirements for the assessments.”

Pictured: Some students will still be sitting mocks this month, but whether they count towards their grades or not is still unknown.

In regards to what that format could look like, she suggested: “We’re possibly looking at an assessment-based qualification.

“If that’s the case, the decision will be made how that will work appropriately for our schools… to make sure they’ve got all the information and data they require in order to make the relevant assessments for the students to achieve the grade they rightly deserve.”

However, she also pointed out the need for the island to understand the issues around that approach too, adding: "The concerns that may be raised with that system is that students may not have had as much time in school for those particular teacher assessments."

On whether the UK Government and Ofqual could do more to communicate these changes, she said she understood the rapid rate of change, but acknowledged: “Communication could be better, and we will try to put something in place so that we can be warned in advance, if that is possible – like I say, this is changing on a daily basis.”