GCSEs: Omagh schools voice concern over awarding of exams

Students are not being examined on some course areas in many subjects, due to the pandemic

A number of post-primary schools in Omagh have voiced concerns about how some GCSEs will be awarded in 2021/22.

Some schools in the Omagh Area Learning Community have written a joint letter to the Northern Ireland exams board CCEA detailing a number of issues.

Due to disruption caused by the pandemic, pupils will not be examined on parts of courses in many subjects.

CCEA said it had to balance reducing assessments for pupils with ensuring qualifications retained credibility.

But the schools said some CCEA decisions on what should be omitted are "unfair" on pupils.

Formal exams were cancelled but students are sitting assessments on which their grades will be based

Some experts and teachers had already questioned why "speaking" units had been dropped from all language qualifications.

That means that pupils will not be tested on how they can speak French, Irish, German or Spanish to gain GCSEs, AS or A-levels in those languages in 2022.

But the letter from the schools in Omagh raises a number of additional concerns in GCSE Science, English, Maths and Geography.

'Punished for their efforts'

In the Geography GCSE, for example, students will not be tested on practical fieldwork, which is normally worth 20% of the course mark.

Both Dean Maguirc College in Carrickmore and St John's College in Dromore have raised concerns about how that will affect pupils.

"My GCSE Geography pupils will be disadvantaged as they spent the last seven weeks of school studying and completing fieldwork," a teacher from St John's College wrote.

"My pupils are now being punished for their efforts."

The schools also said they would have to reteach parts of the course pupils were meant to have studied in Year 11, as online learning had not worked for a number of students.

"Nothing comes close to face-to-face teaching," they said.

"I don't believe under the current proposal that my pupils will be able to achieve their potential."

St John's College said pupils studying maths were under "severe pressure"

St John's College also questioned why there had been no reductions in the GCSE course in maths.

"Pupils in Northern Ireland are now under severe pressure in maths to get all content covered and to become confident in the different areas of mathematics," they said.

• Oral exam dropped from language GCSEs and A-levels

• Exams to resume in the next school year

• Teachers 'could base marks on pupils' personalities'

"This is totally unfair and will ultimately result in producing a cohort of pupils who are ill-equipped to continue to the next stage with the confidence and competency they deserve."

Omagh High School and Sacred Heart College raised concerns in science, including about the volume of work pupils will have to cover in Year 12 despite the amount of face-to-face teaching they missed in Year 11.

CCEA said schools and colleges were still being encouraged to cover the full course in all subjects

In response to the schools' letter, a spokesperson for CCEA said that schools and colleges were still being encouraged to cover the full course in all subjects.

"Students will be permitted to omit one unit of assessment from final grading from the vast majority of GCSE, AS and A-level qualifications in 2021/22 academic year," they said.

"The unit assessment omission is optional, and a student can choose to sit all units if they wish to do so."

"Throughout the process we have sought to balance our aim of reducing the assessment burden for students while also ensuring CCEA qualifications continue to maintain credibility with employers and higher education providers compared to those offered in other jurisdictions."

"Engagement between CCEA, the Department of Education and other key stakeholders, will continue throughout the implementation of the education minister's instructions.

"This includes further contingency planning for summer 2022, remaining vigilant of the public health situation."

A full list of subject changes and more information on how grades will be awarded to pupils in 2022 is available on CCEA's website.