Dame Glenys Stacey says contingency plans are under discussion, including proposals for invigilated mock exams
Multiple choice questions may form part of a package of plans to make exams fairer this year, the i paper reports.
Dame Glenys Stacey, interim chief of exams regulator Ofqual, made the revelation on the Today programme, where she admitted the situation with many pupils missing school due to Covid was “really problematic”.
Education secretary Gavin Williamson announced this week that exams in England would go ahead in 2021 with the start date delayed by three weeks – a move Dame Glenys said was “not to be sniffed at” as it amounted to 8 per cent of the school year.
She said that Ofqual was looking at “greater optionality” for students about what questions to answer.
She said that “multiple choice questions… might be the answer for some subjects”, as well as “exam boards providing formula sheets to take into exams in science subjects” and “advance materials” in other subjects.
Dame Glenys also confirmed that Ofqual and the Government were looking at holding invigilated mock exams in case exams are disrupted again next summer. “There is work in hand to look at contingency plans,” she said. “Certainly contingency papers if you like – sitting an exam paper ahead of the ordinary exam season – is one option we’re looking at.”