The biggest academy chain in London has joined calls to delay GCSE and A-level exams to give children a chance to catch up on work missed during the pandemic.
Sir Dan Moynihan, CEO of the Harris Federation, said it is “inherently unfair” that some students will be more affected by school closures and lost learning, and delaying the 2021 exams would be “useful”.
It comes as growing numbers of teachers called for clarity on next summer’s exam arrangements and warned the continued uncertainty is impacting students’ well-being.
Teenagers starting in years 11 and 13 this term will take GCSEs and A-levels next summer despite having missed out on nearly half a year of face-to-face teaching due to the pandemic.
A campaign has been launched to push the exams back from May to July to give students time to catch up.
Sir Dan said: “It would be useful to delay exams by a few weeks, given the amount of time lost so far, and which might yet be lost.”
He also called for the content of exams and the number of papers taken to be reduced, and suggested that online exam papers should be published throughout the year containing questions on parts of the syllabus.
He added: “Is already clear that schools and pupils will be differentially impacted by closures and lost learning time.
“This is inherently unfair on young people because it is out of their control.”
Vicky Bingham, head of South Hampstead High School and additional vice chair at private school group HMC, also welcomed the idea of postponing exams, adding that “we, like all schools, face the risk of continued and less predictable disruption”.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson told MPs on the education committee that delaying exams is under “active consideration” and a decision would be made by next month.
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