Tags
Council for Curriculum Examinations and Assessment, Graham Gault, NAHTNI, Northern Ireland schools, Ofqual, Optionality in A-Levels, optionality in exams, Optionality in GCSE, Peter Weir, Robbie Meredith
The National Association of Head Teachers (Northern Ireland) published a pdf outlining their proposals for the GCSE and A-Level examinations for 2021. Unsurprisingly the proposals sought to consolidate the aims and objectives of the teaching profession in Northern Ireland – a permanent transition to formative assessment instead of the conventional, objective summative assessment (commonly known to parents and wider society as examinations).
The Parental Alliance for Choice in Education carefully considered the NAHT (NI) document and contacted their president, Graham Gault, by email. A request for a reply met with no response. In the interim the minister of education, Peter Weir, is to make a statement on exam arrangements in the assembly on Tuesday 15th December, 2020.
Speculation from the BBC reporter Robbie Meredith suggests that the number of exam papers a pupil will be asked to take in each subject will be reduced. In addition changes may include allowing schools some choice over the topics on which their pupils will be examined. Again all down to coronavirus.
A good reason for the minister, parents and indeed any unbiased media to be sceptical of claims made by the teaching unions is their propensity to ignore inconvenient facts. Ofqual published on December 3rd 2020 a briefing paper: Research findings relevant to the potential use of optionality in examinations in 2021.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/optionality-in-gcse-and-a-level-exams
Ofqual detailed that students sitting examinations in summer 2021 will have studied variable amounts of the curriculum. Some stakeholders have suggested that, to be fair to students, optionality should be introduced or expanded for 2021 examinations.
The minister is clearly on the horns of a dilemma will he direct CCEA’s Justin Edwards to follow the evidence provided by Ofqual on optionality or will allow a teachers’ union led by the Pritt Stick & toilet roll principal, Graham Gault to dictate unsupported and unsubstantiated orders to him?