Deaf News: More than 300,000 students face unfair exam grading, deaf organisations warn

Over 300,000 students in England are at risk of being handed unfair grades this summer, according to four disability organisations.

The National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS), the British Association of Teachers of the Deaf, RNIB, and Professional Association of the Visual Impairment Workforce (VIEW) say that students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and temporary injuries may be assessed without extra exam support in place.

Martin McLean, NDCS’ Education Policy Advisor, said: “It’s completely unfair to give any student potentially life-changing grades based on situations they couldn’t access. Yet without strong and decisive action, this is exactly what will happen and it could mean 300,000 of them are graded unfairly.

“Ofqual has the evidence and expert opinions it needs to stop this happening, but it must provide a clear and decisive plan to make exam centres and awarding bodies clear on the way forward.

“These students are already facing the challenge of their educational lifetimes to catch-up and have a huge amount of work ahead. We must give each and every one of them the chance to succeed.”

The concerns follow the UK Government’s decision to cancel GCSE and A-level exams this summer due to the coronavirus pandemic.

While deaf students could receive adjustments for their exams under normal circumstances, such as extra time or questions translated into British Sign Language, the organisations say assessments could take place in the summer without additional support being provided.

They add that should students could face “artificially lower grades” if they are based on mock exams or classroom work, where the formal adjustments aren’t available to them.

The group argues that this must be taken into account and grades adjusted accordingly if this happens, with students allowed to appeal against their results.

The comments also come after the exams regulator Ofqual consulted on plans for the summer exams last month, with the four organisations submitting joint recommendations in response.

Their statement reads: “Centres are strongly recommended to seek advice from qualified Teachers of the Deaf, Qualified Teachers of Children with Vision Impairment and Qualified Teachers of Multi-sensory Impairment, or another specialist supporting the learner […] on the evidence used for grading.”

However, today they go further to say they have “serious concerns” that disabled students’ needs will not be included in the decision taken by Ofqual.

Ofqual’s consultation closed on 29 January, with the regulator currently analysing the responses received.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is a mildly deaf freelance journalist and campaigner from Bedfordshire. He wears bilateral hearing aids and can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.