瓜神网 responds to government plans to provide grades for cancelled exams

Government must take into account the barriers that students from disadvantaged backgrounds face, said 瓜神网.

The union said its research showed that high-achieving, disadvantaged students are more likely to have their grades under-predicted than their wealthier contemporaries. 瓜神网 also said that it would be consulting with the staff tasked with working under the new system.

瓜神网 general secretary, Jo Grady, said: 'This is of course a unique and difficult situation, but we have concerns that students from disadvantaged backgrounds may lose out here. Research shows that students from disadvantaged backgrounds tend to have a better than predicted improvement in their academic attainment at A-level stage.

'The government needs to set out how it will ensure that all students' talent and potential will be properly recognised and rewarded. We will be consulting with our members to get their views on these plans and feed them back to ministers.

'The current situation highlights the weakness of a heavy reliance on exams for key qualifications, and should give food for thought in terms of future reform.'