NUT Wales has welcomed the Welsh Government’s recommendation that the WJEC seeks to re-award its GCSE English Language examination following the row over the way C and D grade boundaries were changed.
The changes, which were not communicated to students sitting the exam or their teachers, resulted in thousands of pupils receiving D grades for the June assessment even though their results would have ensured a C grade if based on January’s criteria.
Welcoming the recommendation, NUT Wales Secretary, David Evans said: ‘The NUT has been very vocal in calling for an immediate re-grading, not re-marking, of the English GCSE exam.
‘We are naturally delighted that the Welsh Government has recommended that this be applied for WJEC students in Wales.
‘Between January and June, exam boards changed the grade boundaries in such a way that many pupils who would have scored a C in January, scored a D in June – for exactly the same work.
‘This change was not explained and has disadvantaged many thousands of pupils and their schools.
‘That situation was simply unacceptable to the many pupils, parents and teachers who have been left feeling very angry at this action.
‘The report published today by the Welsh Government recognises the injustice of the boundary grade changes and their impact on Welsh students.
‘Hundreds of Welsh learners have been disadvantaged by this change and we applaud the Welsh Education Minister for taking the action which he has today.’
Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: ‘The NUT welcomes the decision of the Welsh Government to award grades to young people who sat GCSE in English on the same basis as their peers who sat the exam in January.
‘The NUT calls on Michael Gove to follow this lead.’
Commenting on Tuesday’s publication of revelations about the GCSE grading fiasco and Ofqual’s communications to EdExcel, Blower said: ‘It is glaringly obvious from this exchange of letters that Ofqual has been less than transparent about its involvement in this year’s GCSE scandal.
‘The letters reveal that Ofqual was trying to ration qualifications on the basis of the SATs tests that the students took five years ago.
‘This is tantamount to saying that education does not matter.
‘Michael Gove’s policy of setting a floor target that requires 40% of children to grade A*-C, and his position of supporting Ofqual in stopping any increase in the number of grade Cs, are in direct contradiction.
‘Young people and teachers have been cheated by an examination system which is becoming subject to political influence regardless of the consequences.
‘It is not just Glenys Stacey, head of Ofqual, with answers to give at this week’s Education Select Committee.
‘Michael Gove can no longer be allowed to stand on the sidelines. It is high time he took the lead by the Welsh Government.
‘He must do the right thing by students in England by ordering a re-grading of this year’s GCSE English examinations.’
NUT Cymru Secretary, David Evans, said: ‘Quite clearly the decision to change the C grade boundaries for students taking the GCSE English exam, without prior warning, has had an impact on Welsh results.
‘It is disingenuous of Ofqual to suggest otherwise.
‘While different cohorts will inevitably return different results, this year’s figures suggest there is an underlying injustice in the system that has to be addressed.
‘Any decision to re-grade results in Wales should be welcomed.
‘This is not political interference from the Welsh Government but recognition of the unfairness faced by Welsh students and the need to ensure fair grades for the hard work of pupils, parents and teachers.
‘It is worrying that Ofqual continues to be more focused on defending themselves in this fiasco than ensuring pupils in Wales and England are protected.’
NUT General Secretary, Blower, said: ‘Ofqual needs to accept responsibility for its role in the GCSE scandal.
‘Looking for scapegoats in the light of the overwhelming evidence against them is nothing short of ludicrous.
‘The manifest unfairness in the way young people have been treated must now be recognised by Michael Gove in England.
‘He should follow the lead given to him by the Welsh Assembly Government and call for a re-grading of this year’s GCSE English examinations for students in England.’
Commenting on Wednesday morning’s appearance by Gove in front of the Education Select Committee, Kevin Courtney, Deputy General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: ‘Michael Gove’s criticism of the Welsh Government’s decision to re-grade the GCSE is decidedly regrettable.
‘Leighton Andrews took quick stock of the situation and acted swiftly to address some of the obvious problems with this year’s English GCSE.
‘Meanwhile, in England the Education Secretary has buried his head in the sand and refused to acknowledge the overwhelming evidence of political interference and manipulation of results.
‘The conundrum of maintaining standards that Michael Gove refers to is of his own making.
‘You cannot set ever higher GCSE floor targets for schools while at the same time saying that you will not recognise those achievements for fear of grade inflation.
‘It is time for the Education Secretary to end the sophistry and take responsibility for this fiasco which is having such a detrimental impact on many thousands of pupils.
‘The NUT’s emergency motion on GCSEs to the TUC on Wednesday calls for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding GCSE English examinations and for students to be graded fairly.’
The motion, which was passed unanimously, reads:
‘Congress is appalled at the treatment young people who sat GCSE English this summer have received from Ofqual and the government.
‘Since GCSEs were introduced, teachers and students have worked hard to achieve a steady and increasing success rate.
‘This summer has seen the first fall in the numbers achieving A*-C grades. This has coincided with Michael Gove, precipitately and without consultation, moving the arbitrarily determined floor targets from 35 per cent to 40 per cent. This is the level below which the Secretary of State will seek to force a school to become an academy.
‘Congress condemns the consequences of the changes in grade boundaries resulting in thousands of students receiving a D rather than the C they expected. As a result, many have lost college places or apprenticeships and may be left without access to education or training.
‘Congress echoes the views of many teachers and head teachers who have described this as morally indefensible.
‘Congress notes the contradiction in the requirement placed on schools to achieve 40 per cent A*-C grades and Ofqual’s stated intention of ‘stabilising’ the number of C grades. Congress condemns the fact that this must mean that schools can only ‘improve’ their results, if results in other schools fall.
‘Congress calls on the General Council to:
‘l work with parents and students to press for an objective, robust and independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the GCSE English examinations this summer, and its impact;
‘l campaign for students to be graded fairly.’
