Exam board launches consultation on future of examinations
Pearson has launched a consultation on the future of examinations for pupils aged 14-19 in light of the current calls for GCSE’s to be scrapped. The first step is a six-week consultation capturing the views of all stakeholders with an interim report due in April 2021. These findings will inform a second stage of qualitative research with an expert panel, including former education secretaries Damian Hinds, Baroness Morris and Lord Blunkett, steering and reviewing the findings with a view to presenting a report in Autumn 2021.
The consultation will consider three fundamental areas at the heart of the issue:
Conditions and Environment:
- exploring shifting requirements of the digital first generation and how wider economic, technological, and societal trends are impacting both the demands of, and requirements for, today’s learners.
Purpose and Value:
- considering the role that education within the 14-19 phase should play in helping develop confident and well-rounded learners and supporting their life aspirations.
Trust and Equity:
- exploring issues around fairness and coherence in the system to maintain public confidence in qualifications and assessment, and to ensure that the system delivers equitably for all learners and serves the diversity of the UK.
The consultation will run from 15 February – 31 March 2021.
