Jersey student concerns as doubt thrown on summer exams

Tuesday 05 January 2021

Concerned Jersey students and parents were demanding answers last night after the UK Prime Minister threw doubt on summer exams as he plunged England into a nationwide lockdown.

Boris Johnson said in a live televised statement that it was “not possible or fair for all exams to go ahead this summer as normal” and that the Education Secretary would be working on “alternative arrangements” with regulator Ofqual.

The news sparked many questions from local GCSE and A-Level students on social media, with one 17-year-old writing on Twitter shortly after the statement: “I have so many more questions after that than I did going into it.”

Many raised queries about the implications for Jersey and whether exams and mocks scheduled for January would still be able to go ahead.

One parent wrote: “…We’re not sure if UK’s decision impacts directly on Jersey exams or not as they are England’s exam boards… Mocks start in 6 days.”

Les Quennevais and Haute Vallée School confirmed on Facebook that a Maths iGCSE exam was still expected to take place this Thursday.

The UK Department for Education also confirmed that vocational exams “will continue as planned in January.”

Other students questioned what impact this would have on their university applications, with particular concerns raised by those who missed out on a place last year and are relying on resit results for entry to their desired institutions.

Exams didn’t take place as planned last summer due to the pandemic, with students’ grades instead issued by exam boards based on based on teacher assessments, class rank and past performance. 

However, in the lead-up to results day, concerns were raised about the unfairness of the algorithm being used to determine grades, with some students having the grades predicted by their teachers downgraded by as many as three levels.

In Jersey, nearly 40% of students received a grade lower than the one predicted by their teachers, affecting university offers for some.

Pictured: Exam cancellations led to many disappointments with the algorithm-generated results, with two in five Jersey students receiving grades lower than their teachers predicted. In the end, the UK Government made a U-turn on its grading system.

In the end, the UK Government announced a major U-turn, saying grades would instead be awarded on the basis of what teachers submitted both for A-Levels and GCSEs. 

Express has asked for a comment from the Education Department on what actions it is taking in light of the news, and is awaiting a response. 

Deputy Kevin Pamplin said on Twitter: “Thoughts go out to family, loved ones & friends of islanders in the UK. And children, this will also effect #JerseyCI students as exams will be postponed. 

“What does this also mean for or children in Uni’s we hope for further reassurances soon as they depend on us even more now.”

Thoughts go out to family, loved ones & friends of islanders in the UK. And children, this will also effect #JerseyCI students as exams will be postponed. What does this also mean for our children in Uni’s we hope for further reassurances soon as they depend on us even more now.

— Deputy Kevin Pamplin (@KevinPamplin) January 4, 2021

In a statement released minutes after Mr Johnson’s address, Jersey’s Chief Minister did not comment on the issue of exams or university applications, but confirmed that the island would not be following the UK into a full lockdown and school closures. 

He said that the Government’s scientific advisory panel will be meeting today (Tuesday 5 January) to discuss measures proposed for the return of schoolchildren to the classroom, which is currently scheduled for next Monday (11 January).

Express understands this will include an updated contact tracing process for covid cases linked with schools. 

Workshops with the contact tracing team and headteachers are also taking place to assess the proposed changes.