division_name: Awarding of Qualifications: Role of Ministers
motion: <p class="indent" pid="f688.2/2" pwmotiontext="yes">That an Humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, that she will be graciously pleased to give a direction to Her Ministers to provide all correspondence, including meeting notes, minutes, submissions and electronic communications, involving Ministers and Special Advisers pertaining to the process of awarding qualifications in GCSE, A-Level and NVQs in 2020 and 2021 by the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Education to the Education Select Committee.</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="f689.3/4" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;It was the Secretary of State who then subsequently took the decision and announced, without further consultation with Ofqual, that exams were to be cancelled and a system of calculated grades was to be implemented.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="f689.3/6" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;Ofqual had put in place a system for arriving at grades that was believed to be fair and robust.&#8221;&#8212;[Official Report, <phrase class="date" code="2020-09-01">1 September</phrase> 2020; Vol. 679, c. 42.]</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="f689.3/8" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;it would be challenging, if not impossible, to attempt to moderate estimates in a way that&#8217;s fair for all this year&#8217;s students. Everyone, throughout the process, was aware of the risks.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="f698.0/3" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;We have always said predicted grades are not always accurate, and can disproportionately affect the children who need the most support, and we pushed ministers to ensure students can sit an exam later if they wish.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="f699.0/9" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;The exam results&#8230;are robust, they&#8217;re good, they&#8217;re dependable,&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="f710.0/2" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;I will stand for the forgotten 50%.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="f710.0/5" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;We are capable of so many great things, and it is not at all fair that so many doors are being shut for us based on an algorithm or due to the Government.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="f710.0/7" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;Unfortunately, due to the Government&#8217;s mess, I was rejected on Thursday by LSE. I was heartbroken, yet after the U-turn on my results I still want to go to the university of my choice.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="f721.0/4" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;a sign of a healthy and functional democracy&#8221;.</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="f726.2/6" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;a great deal of stress and uncertainty&#8221;.&#8212;[Official Report, <phrase class="date" code="2020-09-01">1 September</phrase> 2020; Vol. 679, c. 42.]</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="f726.2/8" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;challenging, if not impossible, to attempt to moderate estimates in a way that is fair for all this year&#8217;s students. Everyone, throughout the process, was aware of the risks. A paper to the general public sector ministerial implementation group on <phrase class="date" code="2020-05-01">1 May</phrase>, highlighted the risk of widespread dissatisfaction with grades awarded, from individual students, schools and colleges, and the risk to public confidence.&#8221;</p>