Secondary

Monday

19th Apr 2021

How are schools creating teacher-assessed grades?
Teacher-assessed grades are a huge challenge – even with the guidance. Grainne Hallahan finds out how schools are coping

Thursday

15th Apr 2021

Why are we so reluctant to let go of exams?
High-stakes assessment is harming students – we need to learn from what the rest of the world is doing, says Bill Lucas

Wednesday

31st Mar 2021

‘This 19th-century examination mentality must end’
Upcoming assessments are ‘cruel’ imitations of exams – and were entirely avoidable, says this teacher

Friday

26th Mar 2021

How long would it take to introduce online GCSE exams?
Analysis: Covid may speed up a shift from paper GCSEs and A levels – but how quickly can online replacements be brought in?

Monday

22nd Mar 2021

Why GCSEs 2021 might actually be good for teachers
Teachers are being given extraordinary power over this year’s grades – could this set a precedent, asks Dennis Sherwood

Monday

1st Mar 2021

GCSEs and A levels 2021: What problems lie ahead?
Now we know how assessments this summer will work, Grainne Hallahan makes predictions about where the problems will lie

Monday

22nd Feb 2021

Why different exam policy could have a long-term impact
The fact exams are being held for some qualifications and not others could have lasting consequences, says Colin Bell

Saturday

20th Feb 2021

GCSEs 2021: The 5 big problems in Ofqual’s grading plan
LONG READ A final plan for the summer’s A-level and GCSEs is due next week. William Stewart explains the linguistic gymnastics of what’s already been proposed and the problems with (non) exams

Wednesday

20th Jan 2021

BTECs: Why removing student options would be disastrous
The review of level 3 qualifications is a ‘misguided tidying up exercise’ that will disadvantage many, warns James Kewin

Friday

15th Jan 2021

GCSE maths: How does 15 per cent equal a pass?
When looking at the grade boundaries for GCSE maths yesterday, Mark Dawe found himself annoyed. Here, he explains why

Thursday

14th Jan 2021

Busting 3 myths about the ‘superiority’ of exams
It is time to abandon our obsession with exams being the best form of assessment, writes Sean Vernell