Exam boards are investigating a number of independent schools for exam malpractice after “credible evidence” emerged that some over-inflated teacher grades when exams were cancelled due to Covid – Schools Week reports.
Dr Jo Saxton, Ofqual’s chief regulator, told MPs that individual private schools were being investigated by exam boards.
The move comes after many schools received record results under the teacher-assessed grading system but grades fell significantly when exams returned this year.
Experts have been split on whether it is right to draw conclusions from this alone.
Rob Halfon, chair of the education select committee, asked Saxton today whether this was evidence private schools “gamed the teacher assessed system”.
“Tempting as it is to make comparisons, it was a totally different form of assessment. That said, Ofqual takes all allegations of malpractice and cheating extremely seriously,” she said.
“We require the boards to investigate any credible evidence of malpractice and cheating. I know there are ongoing investigations.”