STUDENTS who miss their A-level or GCSE exams due to Covid-19 will not be given teacher assessment grades instead, the government has confirmed.
A recent spike in cases of the virus – which have doubled in the space of a week – has sparked fears that some pupils may be disadvantaged if they abide by recommendations that those who test positive should isolate rather than attend school, with many students in the midst of their summer exams.
Responding to a query from a States Member, group director of Education Sean O’Regan said that students could be eligible for ‘special consideration’ if they were fully prepared for exams but then disadvantaged as a result of illness or unavoidable circumstances.
He said: ‘Under the guidance, both in Jersey and the UK, if a student tests positive for Covid, they should stay at home, which would mean that they would not take the exams.’
New special-consideration rules covered those who had to miss GCSE, A-level or equivalent exams, Mr O’Regan added, but he also stressed that ‘the rules by the exam boards are clear that this does not include providing students with a teacher-assessed grade. This will not be available as an option this year in the UK or in Jersey’.
The rules for special consideration stipulate a minimum proportion of the exams and assessment which must have been completed in order for a grade to be awarded. This percentage varies according to the subject and level.
Those who do not meet this level would need to re-sit the exam in May/June 2023. A minimum interval of ten days between first and last exams in any particular subject is designed to reduce the possibility of pupils being absent throughout.
Deputy Louise Doublet, who served as deputy chair of the Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel in the last political term, said she was concerned by the situation.
She said: ‘I think children, especially those going through important life events such as exams, have already been affected enough by Covid.
‘They have gone through so much and it’s not fair that they wouldn’t be allowed the same mitigation as was available in 2020 and 2021.’
Deputy Doublet said she would like to see separate facilities available for pupils who had tested positive but were not feeling unwell, as well as teacher assessment for those who were unwell.
‘Teacher assessment has been done before and worked well so that pupils weren’t disproportionately affected by Covid,’ she said.
Latest Covid data published last week showed the Island’s number of active cases had increased from 170 to 394 during the previous seven days, and that 51 cases – spread across 35 students and 16 staff – were recorded in schools last week.
