Do you want exams to go ahead?

Poll

Do you want exams to go ahead?

After two years of exams being cancelled and covid-19 still very much part of our lives, we've heard lots of students asking whether exams are likely to go ahead in 2022.

Firstly, I just want to say we don't have any information about the current plans changing. If anything were to change, we'd share up-to-date information with you as soon as possible.

In the meantime, I'm wondering whether you'd like exams to go ahead or not?

I've heard a lot of different perspectives from students over the past few months. Some who do want exams, some who don't. Some whose minds have changed over the past year.

So what do you think?

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Reply 1

JVM2020

22

Exams should go ahead to help the futures of our students.

These cancellations will impact the Economy. We cannot jeopardise the education and prospects of our students.

Reply 2

Muttley79

20

Exams MUST go ahead - the Year 13 must not go to university without sitting externally marked exams.

There's absolutely no reason for them not to go ahead. Schools have gone above and beyond to teach these students - they deserve to sit properly validated tests.

If exams are cancelled then EVERY school should have to send in all the work of students selected by the exam board [after grades have been submitted] to check on accuracy. [Similar to how coursework was moderated] I am horrified to hear what some schools did ie keep sitting a test until you get the 'right' grade ... fuelled by sharp-elbowed parents.

Reply 3

mnot

Universities Forum Helper

20

Objectively they need to go ahead, and the grading needs to get back to a reasonable standard.

Im sorry but I just don’t put any value on the grades from the last 2 years. A-levels where their are no exams & 40% of candidates get an A or A* are just a total waste of time. How are you supposed to seriously compare the academic performance of students with the covid-era school grades. Completely destroyed the credibility of our school qualifications.

Reply 4

username5832083

0

16

YES, of course!!! We need them to go ahead.

Reply 5

username5832083

0

16

Original post by Muttley79

Exams MUST go ahead - the Year 13 must not go to university without sitting externally marked exams.

There's absolutely no reason for them not to go ahead. Schools have gone above and beyond to teach these students - they deserve to sit properly validated tests.

If exams are cancelled then EVERY school should have to send in all the work of students selected by the exam board [after grades have been submitted] to check on accuracy. [Similar to how coursework was moderated] I am horrified to hear what some schools did ie keep sitting a test until you get the 'right' grade ... fuelled by sharp-elbowed parents.

Exactly!

Reply 6

Reality Check

22

From the teachers' perspective, I think trying to run CAGS/TAGS again would lead to many teachers quitting the profession.

Reply 7

Slx.24

20

As the student... we really should do the exams imo

Reply 8

username5867389

0

17

How many of u guys are students?

But I’m not sure, Ik it’s always the same mental health point but I really feel underprepared for these exams. I wish governments were able to see from the students perspectives. I’m not sure what I want but if there is exams there should be some ways to making the exams easier. Ik we might get some hints but not all subjects offer those and realistically I think the hints we do get might not even be useful. Idek

Learning Keats poems online was difficult 😖

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 9

username5886907

0

17

not sure, i feel like mocks are too close and im only thinking about myself, obvs

Reply 10

Muttley79

20

Original post by mystudentlife

How many of u guys are students?

But I’m not sure, Ik it’s always the same mental health point but I really feel underprepared for these exams. I wish governments were able to see from the students perspectives. I’m not sure what I want but if there is exams there should be some ways to making the exams easier. Ik we might get some hints but not all subjects offer those and realistically I think the hints we do get might not even be useful. Idek

Learning Keats poems online was difficult 😖

They are going to release details of the restricted content by early Feb.

Reply 11

Theloniouss

Universities Forum Helper

21

Exams should go ahead unless there are truly exceptional circumstances preventing them. This will be the third year of covid that A levels and GCSEs are awarded - it's no longer exceptional and there's really no excuse for failing to provide exams. I can see no reason they shouldn't go ahead.

Reply 12

username5867389

0

17

Original post by Muttley79

They are going to release details of the restricted content by early Feb.

Dyu know how focussed the help will be. We’re legit getting a hint of which extract the exam may be on for one text for English lit. Apparently

Reply 13

MoJam

13

Soo much of the content we learned was online. Thats not proper education. And thats me talking about biology, chemistry and maths which are tough and require an actual teacher not a talking face on a computer screen

Reply 14

HaRrYD06

1

Original post by mystudentlife

How many of u guys are students?

But I’m not sure, Ik it’s always the same mental health point but I really feel underprepared for these exams. I wish governments were able to see from the students perspectives. I’m not sure what I want but if there is exams there should be some ways to making the exams easier. Ik we might get some hints but not all subjects offer those and realistically I think the hints we do get might not even be useful. Idek

Learning Keats poems online was difficult 😖

yes considering at my school i would say i have missed out at least a solid year of learning in the classroom. and yes i agree with you. it does question you as 2019,2020 got very good results. i would hope we get some help like a few sheets in the exam or focus on are weaker areas. for example maths. is my weakest area.

Reply 15

04MR17

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

22

First of all let's park the issue of the current academic year and agree that the disruption and suspension of exams in 2020 and 2021 was the perfect opportunity to properly rethink assessment in English schools. They neglected to use that opportunity, and regardless of what happens for 2022 that is the biggest failing here.

Second I think it's easy for students to recognise that sitting external examinations isn't fair - because every student has been affected differently by the pandemic and everyone's education has been hampered by government restrictions, but it's certainly affected some more than others. And furthermore, the data shows us that it affects lower income families far more than the rest. I don't dispute the legitimate reasons for wanting to avoid physical, external examinations.

However, I would argue that what's unfair about examinations is the inconsistency in everyone's learning. The main problem with no exams, is the inconsistency in the assessments that replace it. And inconsistency breeds this sense of injustice. So in summary - exams are unfair, yes; but when those exams are taken away the inconsistent approaches widen that unfairness, rather than solves it.

Finally, I'll invite everyone with opinions on this to widen the scope a little bit - why do we asses? What for? What do these grades mean and for what purpose do they serve? I would argue that most of your answers to these questions tell you that the examination system isn't very fit-for-purpose in the first place. The problem is nobody in power has spent enough time being imaginative enough to remedy this.

Reply 16

HaydenFordz

20

i want this current year to take exams so they don't have to deal with the ******** we have to deal with because of TAGS and the whole predjudicing

Reply 17

Augustino D

12

Does anyone not want them to go ahead other than certain privileged students who study at schools that persistently over-predict?

Reply 18

04MR17

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

22

Original post by Augustino D

Does anyone not want them to go ahead other than certain privileged students who study at schools that persistently over-predict?

Small sample, but 42% of voters in the poll are saying they don't want them

Reply 19

Muttley79

20

Original post by 04MR17

Finally, I'll invite everyone with opinions on this to widen the scope a little bit - why do we asses? What for? What do these grades mean and for what purpose do they serve? I would argue that most of your answers to these questions tell you that the examination system isn't very fit-for-purpose in the first place. The problem is nobody in power has spent enough time being imaginative enough to remedy this.

Good questions - mosts types of assesment have been tried
GAIM - graded aseessment in Maths
TEAM - teachers evaluating and assessing Maths [no exams]
GCSE - coursework [highjacked by those sharp-elbowed parents] - linear/modular/TAGs
A level - coursework/linear/modular/TAGs

In my view the problem is league tables rather than the current exam system ...

Do you want exams to go ahead?

Do you want exams to go ahead?

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