Assessing the Quality of Learning

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:28 pm on 11 January 2022.

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Photo of Jenny Rathbone Jenny Rathbone Labour 2:28, 11 January 2022

Well, that money is very welcome. Yesterday, I had an e-mail from a very anxious young lady about the possibility of having to sit exams after having had so many of her lessons delivered by supply teachers rather than the normal subject teachers. Clearly, with the rise of COVID again, it's beyond the control and best efforts of school leaders and learners to be able to ensure that they're getting the teaching and the level of learning that they desperately wish for. So, she's asking why we haven't already cancelled exams for this summer, but I fully recognise that the virtue of exams is that they avoid the class and racial bias that's inherent both in teacher-assessed systems and reflected in the way that computer algorithms are constructed.

So, given that exams are due to go ahead, both this week and in the summer, are there any circumstances that could lead to the Welsh Government cancelling these summer examinations, or how do we reassure young people that this summer's examination opportunities is but one opportunity to demonstrate the level of attainment that they are capable of?