The Tories regard a return to rigorously marked exams as one of their big achievements in education. In 2010, the year they took office, more than a third of A-level entries received an A or A* grade. By 2019, following an overhaul of the curriculum, only a quarter did. Despite the havoc wreaked by Covid on education, the government was determined to carry on this trend. That’s why last year, after exams were scrapped, the Department for Education tried to further control grade inflation by using an algorithm. It worked, in part, by assessing the past results of schools — but a consequence was that exceptional pupils from historically underperforming schools were marked down. This seemed very unfair and the backlash was swift.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson rapidly abandoned the system. Pupils were instead given the grades that their teachers predicted for them. The government decided this was the least-worst solution to the problems caused by lockdowns and the deficiencies — and disparities — of remote learning.
This policy is in use again this year as the problems of remote learning remain. It hasn’t caused the immediate backlash that the algorithm did, but it has created other issues. The number of entries getting an A* or an A has risen to almost 45 per cent. The attainment gap between private and state schools has widened too; some 70 per cent of private school pupils received an A* or an A, up from 44 per cent in 2019.
The level of grade inflation is, as one cabinet minister puts it, the ‘most predictable crisis ever’. The government isn’t even trying to pretend that this year’s results are comparable with pre-pandemic times. It is simply not credible to think that shutting schools for long periods would lead to an almost 75 per cent increase in the numbers getting an A or above.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Don't miss out
Join the conversation with other Spectator readers. Subscribe to leave a comment.
UNLOCK ACCESSAlready a subscriber? Log in