Schools should keep records of any teachers coming under pressure from pupils and parents to bump up exam grades this year, Ofqual has said – Schools Week reports.
The exams regulator wants to minimise external pressure on teachers to influence the grades they award students this summer, following the cancellation of exams due to Covid.
In guidance published yesterday, Ofqual said schools should be “careful” to avoid teachers being “put under pressure from students, parents or carers to submit grades that are higher than the evidence supports”.
It adds that heads of centres should “keep records of such cases” and that they might be required to report to the exam boards “any cases where they believe inappropriate pressure is being put on teachers”.
Exam boards may treat such cases as “potential malpractice”, Ofqual said.
The guidance, which was consulted-on this month, also says heads will have to declare that judgments “have not been influenced by pressure from students, parents or carers”.
Guidance and materials from the exam boards is yet to be published, but is expected before the end of this month.