11 JAN 2021

BTECs: Almost 60% of colleges cancel January exams

Almost 60 per cent of colleges in England have cancelled the January exam series.

Earlier this week, following pressure from the sector to cancel the series altogether, the Department for Education told colleges that despite the national lockdown, they could hold exams over the coming weeks where “they judge it right to do so”. 

Tes surveyed about half of England's around 240 colleges and college groups, and found that 71 colleges had cancelled exams completely, while 37 colleges were going ahead with the exams for those students who wished to sit them.

Around 10 per cent had cancelled some exams like BTECs but were still holding final competency exams for students. 

Need to know: DfE updates lockdown guidance for FE

BTECs: Williamson refuses to U-turn on January exams

Pearson: Students can sit at later date, says Pearson

Sector leaders and MPs hit out at the government’s decision to put decision-making in colleges’ hands.

Speaking in the House of Commons earlier this week, education secretary Gavin Williamson defended the decision and said that “no college should feel pressure to offer those and we will make sure all students can progress fairly, as we will with VTQs  in the summer."

He added it was important to give colleges and providers flexibility, as there were many young people who "will actually need to complete their professional competency qualifications in order to get work and job opportunities". 

Labour's shadow education secretary, Kate Green, said Mr Williamson was failing to show leadership on January exams. She told Parliament: "He is leaving it simply to schools and colleges to decide what they should do in difficult circumstances."

And Conservative MP Peter Aldous said there was "worry, confusion and uncertainty" in colleges, who should not have been placed in a position of making the choice. 

In a statement published on its website this week, BTEC exam board Pearson told students that if they are unable to sit their exams this month, they may be able to sit them at a later date. It added that where it was not possible to sit a physical exam, arrangements would be put in place to ensure that students were not disadvantaged. 

'The difficult decision'
The London South East Colleges Group decided to go ahead with the exam series. Chief executive Sam Parrett told Tes that providing students with the choice of taking the exams was “the right thing to do”.

“My colleagues and I have taken the difficult decision this week that any student wanting to take their vocational exams should be able to," she said. "We know that many students want to sit the tests they have worked so hard for – and providing them with the choice to do this is the right thing to do. 

“Other students, understandably, will choose not to come on-site at a time when we are all being told to stay at home. Again, we will fully support their decision and will do everything we can to ensure these students are not disadvantaged in any way. 

“Giving students a choice as to whether or not they sit exams this month is tough logistically, but we are working hard to do what’s right, while protecting them, their families and our own staff as much as possible. “

However, Bill Webster, principal and chief executive of Bolton College, said that after weighing up the different arguments, the decision to cancel exams was taken. 

"We took the decision straight away on hearing the lockdown news that the college would cancel the exams," he said. "Students will still be offered a grade or be given the opportunity to do the exam at a later date, so we are confident no student will lose out.

"We weighed up the different arguments and decided that my ultimate responsibility is for the health and safety of the staff and students. That has to come first. And with the huge spike in local and national cases, we decided the safest option was to not go through with exams."

Association of Colleges chief executive David Hughes said: “Every college wants their students to feel prepared and confident for the future, and individual colleges have made snap decisions in circumstances where government had decided not to make one. The important thing now is for DfE to set out a clear plan for the summer.

"Vocational qualifications are complex in a normal year, so now, more than ever, students and colleges need clarity for the next six months to ensure every student has the chance to succeed and move on to their next step.”

Source: TES