Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of removing spelling, punctuation and grammar marks from non-English (a) secondary and (b) sixth form exams.

The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review is ongoing and is evaluating the existing national curriculum and statutory assessment system in England to ensure they are fit for purpose. The Review wants to ensure an assessment system that captures the strengths of every child and young person and the breadth of curriculum, with the right balance of assessment methods, whilst maintaining the important role of examinations. The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in the autumn, at which point the government will respond.