• Disrupting Power Since 2015
  • Donate
  • Login
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
  • Login
  • Register
Canary
MEDIA THAT DISRUPTS
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
MANAGE SUBSCRIPTION
SUPPORT
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
Canary
No Result
View All Result

Two in five disadvantaged pupils think they’ll get unfair grades, poll suggests

The Canary by The Canary
20 June 2021
in News, UK
Reading Time: 3 mins read
163 9
A A
1
Home UK News
319
SHARES
2.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Nearly two in five disadvantaged students aren’t confident they’ll receive fair grades that reflect their ability under the teacher assessment system this summer, a report suggests.

Concern

A survey by the Social Mobility Foundation (SMF) charity suggests 52% of high-achieving poorer pupils don’t feel they’ll be able to successfully appeal against any grades that they believe to be wrong this year. Moreover, 36% of young people questioned aren’t confident they’ll receive the grades they need for their chosen career path, or to secure a university place this autumn, the poll found.

The findings come after teachers across England have finalised decisions on their pupils’ GCSE and A-level grades. Teacher assessment has replaced summer exams, which were cancelled for the second year in a row.

Teachers are able to draw on a range of evidence when determining pupils’ grades this summer. This includes mock exams, coursework, and in-class assessments using questions by exam boards.

But the poll found that 38% of pupils aren’t confident they personally will receive fair grades reflective of their ability.

Review

The charity is calling for all UK governments to ensure all Year 13 pupils can repeat a year if deemed appropriate by their schools. It also says those opting to take exams in the autumn – rather than accepting their teacher-assessed grades – should be able to do so free of charge. It adds that ministers in England and Wales should review the grounds available to appeal. These should account for specific challenges disadvantaged pupils have faced.

The charity aims to make practical improvements in social mobility for young people from low-income backgrounds. It questioned 1,578 students taking part in the SMF programmes.

All the students questioned – from Year 12 up to university undergraduates – are high academic performers. And the majority have been eligible for free school meals (FSMs), the charity said.

The survey also found the majority (58%) of students felt that not all parts of the country had suffered equally because of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

More than a third (35%) didn’t have access to reliable broadband during lockdown, it suggests.

Government response

A Department for Education spokesperson said:

Teachers know their students best, so we enabled them to choose the evidence they use to assess students – ranging from coursework, classwork and mock questions – and only covering topics which have been taught.

There will also be a range of internal and external quality assurance checks, and an appeals process where students think there has been an error. Students also have the opportunity to sit exams in autumn and Year 13s will be able to repeat part or all of the year if they feel they have been adversely impacted by the pandemic.

Dr Michelle Meadows, deputy chief regulator at Ofqual, said:

The resulting teacher-assessed grades are the fairest way to award results in the circumstances and to reflect differences in content covered by students.

Teachers are best placed to make those professional judgments and decide from a range of choices available what is the most suitable evidence to use when grading their pupils, from exam questions to coursework.

Although the picture is mixed, there is independent evidence that lost learning during the pandemic has affected disadvantaged students.

Measures have been adopted to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on grades for summer 2021 assessments.

Our analysis of summer 2020’s grades found no evidence of systematic bias against students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and this is further mitigated against this year through guidance for teachers, informed by a literature review, on how to avoid bias.

“Levelling up”

Sarah Atkinson, chief executive of the SMF, said:

This is a real test for the Government’s commitment to levelling up. The pandemic has not affected this country equally and has hit young people from disadvantaged backgrounds the hardest.

While the process for assessment this year has sought to address inequalities, young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are at a distinct disadvantage.

They have missed out on more school time and are less likely to have access to reliable internet, a laptop and a quiet place to study and yet the appeals process does not account for this at all.

Alan Milburn, chairman of the SMF, said:

We cannot afford to get this wrong again. Disadvantaged young people have already disproportionality suffered during the pandemic.

Levelling up cannot happen without a level playing field. If the Government is truly committed to prioritising the most disadvantaged, they must have an appeal process that recognises that the pandemic has had a disproportionate effect on those from poorer backgrounds.

Share128Tweet80
Previous Post

Labour calls for minister to resign if he fails to tackle rape figures within a year

Next Post

A top Tory wants people to stop calling Matt ‘hopeless’ Hancock ‘hopeless’

Next Post

A top Tory wants people to stop calling Matt 'hopeless' Hancock 'hopeless'

Houses in Ceredigion Wales

Ceredigion Council calls on Welsh government to tackle the housing crisis

Live feed of summer solstice sunrise at Stonehenge ‘pulled for safety reasons’

Live feed of summer solstice sunrise at Stonehenge ‘pulled for safety reasons’

Scotland's deputy first minister defends the Manchester travel ban decision

Matt Hancock dismisses PM’s ‘hopeless’ jibe as ancient history

Matt Hancock dismisses PM’s ‘hopeless’ jibe as ancient history

Please login to join discussion
The British Museum just held an event with the Israeli embassy - and the Met police responded by repressing Palestine protesters
News

British Museum holds event with the Israeli embassy – so Met Police respond by repressing Palestine protesters

by The Canary
14 May 2025
EXPOSED: the public is paying for Keir Starmer's in-laws to live virtually rent-free in London
Analysis

EXPOSED: the public is paying for Keir Starmer’s in-laws to live virtually rent-free in London

by Ed Sykes
14 May 2025
People are coming together on 7 June to oppose Labour's DWP benefit cuts
News

People are coming together on 7 June to oppose Labour’s DWP benefit cuts

by The Canary
14 May 2025
Keir Starmer's 'Island of Strangers' speech: channeling the racist rhetoric of Enoch Powell
Opinion

Is Keir Starmer capable of killing?

by Jamie Driscoll
14 May 2025
As an ACTUAL GENOCIDE continues, its apologists come for Gary Lineker over an emoji
Opinion

As an ACTUAL GENOCIDE continues, its apologists come for Gary Lineker over an emoji

by Ed Sykes
14 May 2025
  • Contact
  • About & FAQ
  • Get our Daily News Email
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy

The Canary
PO Box 71199
LONDON
SE20 9EX

Canary Media Ltd – registered in England. Company registration number 09788095.

For guest posting, contact [email protected]

For other enquiries, contact: [email protected]

The Canary is owned and run by independent journalists and volunteers, NOT offshore billionaires.

You can write for us, or support us by making a regular or one-off donation.

© Canary Media Ltd 2024, all rights reserved | Website by Monster | Hosted by Krystal | Privacy Settings

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion

© 2023 Canary - Worker's co-op.

Before you go, have you seen...?

The British Museum just held an event with the Israeli embassy - and the Met police responded by repressing Palestine protesters
News
The Canary

British Museum holds event with the Israeli embassy – so Met Police respond by repressing Palestine protesters

EXPOSED: the public is paying for Keir Starmer's in-laws to live virtually rent-free in London
Analysis
Ed Sykes

EXPOSED: the public is paying for Keir Starmer’s in-laws to live virtually rent-free in London

People are coming together on 7 June to oppose Labour's DWP benefit cuts
News
The Canary

People are coming together on 7 June to oppose Labour’s DWP benefit cuts

Keir Starmer's 'Island of Strangers' speech: channeling the racist rhetoric of Enoch Powell
Opinion
Jamie Driscoll

Is Keir Starmer capable of killing?

ADVERTISEMENT
Business
Nathan Spears

When digital isn’t enough: why paper still matters in modern business

Tech
Nathan Spears

How Digital Addictions Are Formed in the Shadow of Large Platforms

Lifestyle
Nathan Spears

Recovery in the Sun: How the Canary Islands are Becoming a Wellness Tourism Hub