Your bookmarked countries have an update since your last login. View Bookmarks x

Principals publish alternative exam plans in Northern Ireland

January 01, 2021

Original Article: https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2020/10/28/news/principals-publish-alternative-exam-plans-2111503/

School principals have published alternative proposals for next summer's exams amid serious concerns about how changes will affect pupils.

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) is seeking a formal meeting with the education minister to discuss its document.

Young people are due to sit A-level, AS-level and GCSE exams next summer, although will take fewer papers.

Students, teachers and principals have all voiced objections.

For those taking GCSEs, the number of exams will be reduced significantly.

Pupils will be assessed in all written units of English and maths, but speaking and listening in English language will be scrapped.

There will also be no speaking components in Irish, French, German and Spanish.

AS-level grades awarded in the summer will not form part of the A-levels in 2021.

NAHT said the reduction of the burden of assessment for the speaking and listening components of English, whilst beneficial for teacher workload, "has huge potential to disadvantage those learners within the special educational needs and/or lower attainment brackets that can communicate more effectively through the spoken word".

It recommended that GCSE English should have an assessed grade awarded for the speaking and listening component.

Exams that currently have a 50/50 split in their assessment of units, the union said, should have half removed and a replacement 10 per cent controlled assessment task added.

This would ensure equality with other GCSE subjects.

In addition, it said all schools should maintain a record of ongoing assessments that may be used in the awarding of a future predicted grades.

BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION. JOIN THE AACRAO EXCHANGE. JOIN NOW

Upcoming AACRAO Events

On-Demand Learning

Self-Paced | Online

Self-paced courses aligned with our competency and proficiency framework, AACRAO's on-demand training will build your skills and enhance your resume. 

Courses in:

  • Compliance
  • FERPA
  • International
  • and more

Learn More

SEM_2020_1440x400 update

The International Institute

The AACRAO International Institute covers promising practices for the evaluation of international credentials that combines AACRAO’s On-Demand International Series with five, two-hour, virtual instructor-led training sessions.

Learn More
AACRAO International Institute Banner