Shirebrook principal says decision to reintroduce GCSE exams next year is 'grossly unfair'

Mark Cottingham, principal of Shirebrook Academy, believes that the decision to require the current year 11 students to sit exams next year is fundamentally flawed, because of the dramatic effect that the Covid-19 lockdown is having on their learning.

The Department for Education this week confirmed that year 11 students will take their GCSE exams as usual next year, albeit that one English and one maths exam will be taken before May half term and the rest will start three weeks later than usual.

However, Mr Cottingham says that he would prefer for exams to be scrapped for another year, with grades being decided by the schools instead, which is what happened this year in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown.

This is because while the current year 11 students are now back behind their desks, they are likely to be sent home to self isolate at points during the year, a situation that will vary from student to student, school to school and area to area.

As a result, they are likely to miss many more days’ worth of in-school learning, which impacts most heavily on students from more disadvantaged homes, where they are less likely to have somebody at home to support their learning and less likely to have the technology needed to support remote learning.

This, said Mr Cottingham, is what makes the situation so unfair, especially in a town like Shirebrook, where the number of disadvantaged students is higher than the national average.

Mr Cottingham added: “It will lead to a situation that is grossly unfair, in my opinion.

“Everyone understands that the coronavirus is nobody’s fault, but this decision will compound the inequalities faced by disadvantaged students who can lack the family support or technology at home that more privileged peers take for granted.

“The current year 11s have already spent months away from the classroom and the rules around self-isolation mean that there is a high likelihood that they will be doing more remote studying before the school year is out.”

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together.Nancy Fielder, editor.