Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he plans to publish arrangements for (a) SATS, (b) GCSE, (c) A-level and (d) BTEC examinations in the 2021-22 academic year.

It is the Government’s policy that GCSE and A level examinations should go ahead in summer 2022. Examinations and assessments for vocational and technical qualifications should also take place, in line with the latest public health guidance, throughout the 2021/22 academic year. The Department recognises that students who will be taking examinations and assessments next year have had significant disruption to their education this year, and we will continue to support students in the face of any further disruption. We are considering with Ofqual, the awarding organisations, and wider stakeholders what we need to do to ensure that students are able to sit examinations and other assessments safely and receive grades that are fair, even if further disruption does occur. Whilst the Department remains committed to exams going ahead in 2022, we will also work with Ofqual on a range of contingencies. The Department will announce further details as soon as possible.

The Department is also planning for a full programme of primary assessments to take place in the 2021/22 academic year, and we will confirm full details for 2021/22 primary assessments in due course.