This week, the government announced the cancellation of GCSE and A Level exams for all students in England. With schools suddenly closed and the nation plunged into a third lockdown, we take a look at some of the issues raised by cancelled exams.

🖋 A complete overhaul of how students will be assessed

The Minister for Education has so far only said that 'this year, we're going to put our trust in teachers, not algorithms'. So at least we know that they won't be relying on the disastrous algorithm that was used last summer to calculate student grades. But apart from that, the only information available is that a form of teacher-assessed grades will be used.

The uncertainty around how students will be assessed will cause more stress for teachers who now have to figure out a new system.

Teachers may find it difficult to assess students over Zoom and away from the classroom, and the grades awarded might not represent the most accurate picture of student performance.

Whilst the exact details are still unknown, we hope that students will still feel motivated to work hard for the rest of their school year. It's tough to stay focused when you no longer have normal exams to prepare for, but learning from home can allow you more time to explore the topics you find really interesting.

🖋 Predicted grades

Predicted grades can sometimes be lower than what you actually want and are capable of. This will now be especially true for students who tend to perform best on exam day. You might have been counting on the exam hall as a chance to beat those predicted grades. It's understandable to be upset at no longer having this opportunity.

This has been a tough year for everyone, and A Level students still have to rely on their grades to secure jobs and University offers. It's particularly harsh that this uncertainty around examination is coupled with a highly competitive job market.

Between August and October 2020, 596,000 young people aged 16-24 were unemployed. This increased from 124,000 the year before. For many students, the grades they achieve will mean the difference in securing or losing a place at University or a job offer.

🖋 Anxiety around exams

Exams are stressful at the best of times, let alone when you’re sitting them during a global pandemic. The cancellation of traditional exams could lessen the anxiety and pressure put upon young people during this time. 

Academic achievement relies on having positive mental health. These 3 health areas contribute to this:

• Physical health - which includes good sleep, nutrition and exercise 
• Psychological health - including feeling relaxed, positive and confident about performing to the best of your ability
• Social health - including authentic contact with friends and family

And all three of these areas are likely to have been affected by COVID-19. In particular, the lack of real social contact caused by closing schools and the impact this has on student's wellbeing.

During lockdown, it's so important that students stay in contact with their friends. Whether this be chatting on social media or using Zoom to do their homework and revision together.

🖋 Coursework VS exams

This could be a positive for those who don’t perform well in exams. A Levels are now mainly assessed by exams and have dropped ongoing assessments for 100% exams in pupils' final year. The impact of COVID-19 has exposed how detrimental this can be in the case that students are unable to attend these huge final exams.

Perhaps we ought to see a greater emphasis placed on coursework or ongoing modular assessment in the future.

Some students perform better in coursework and others excel in traditional exams. A more balanced assessment of pupils seems like a wise approach for the future. 

🖋 A level playing field for all students

At the moment, cancelling exams seems to be the fairest outcome for all students. Some students attend private schools and some are state-educated, and not all students are able to access remote learning.

Between 1.14 and 1.78 children in the UK don’t have access to a laptop, computer or tablet. The digital divide means that these students will find it harder to stay connected to their education and prepare for exams in the same way as students who can easily access the internet and digital devices. 

🖋 It’s not all doom and gloom!

Things will only get better from here! Remember to always talk to your friends, family and even your teachers if you are finding things tough. Look forward to the exciting opportunities that will become available after the threat of coronavirus has lessened, and think about the things you can do during lockdown that can help your future self in the long run. 

If you are struggling with studying from home or are looking ahead to the future possibility of retakes, Tutor House has a host of affordable and experienced tutors ready and waiting to help you achieve the best results possible and help you reach your full potential.