A headteacher has branded this summer’s exam system “immoral”. The head said the way children’s education has been affected by the pandemic varies so much that the first summer GCSEs and A levels for three years will be “massively unequal”.
Claire Armistead, head of Rhyl High, 38% of pupils are eligible for free school meals and some were bereaved, made homeless or went hungry during the pandemic. Ms Armistead said the least advantaged children have been worst affected by Covid and may now have their lives further disadvantaged by not getting the exam grades they deserve.
She is among school leaders, teachers and teaching unions, who have been raising concerns with exam regulator Qualifications Wales, and exam board WJEC since the autumn term. Although content has been reduced to take account of pandemic disruption and grades set midway between pre-pandemic 2019 and 2021’s record-high results, they say this is not enough because individuals and schools have been impacted to such hugely varying levels.
