UK: Covid-hit pupils 'should be allowed to repeat a year'

By ITS Education Asia

A thought provoking recommendation from the Education Policy Institute on whether students that have faced detrimental impact from the pandemic should be allowed to repeat a school year.

Certain pupils should get the right to repeat a year of school, if their parents or carers agree, suggests the Education Policy Institute (EPI).

Head teachers expressed interest in the idea but said it could only be open to "small numbers" to avoid a "logjam".

The EPI also called the government's plan for exams the "least bad" option but added there were still risks associated with the approach.

The EPI highlighted three main risks to the Ofqual/DfE exam plan:

• Learning losses would be masked by centre assessed grading, potentially leaving students moving on to further study or work without the skills and knowledge they need
• Inconsistency and unfairness of grading between different schools and colleges, and between student.  Continued grade inflation in 2021, which might undermine the credibility of grading

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