3rd October 2012 9:00
By Blue Tutors
It emerged this week that so far 180 pupils have joined legal action being brought against the exams regulator Ofqual by schools and councils. The students are seeking to force a regrade of their June exam papers, on the basis that the grade boundaries were made a full 10 marks higher than those for exams taken by their peers in January. The action comes after the Welsh education compelled a regrade for welsh students affected by the changes, and will move for a judicial review in the high court.
The change in grade boundaries has meant that many students have missed out on places at sixth form colleges and A’ level courses. Others have to begin their A’Level courses with the prospect of a GCSE resit hanging over them, a task which they say they should not be subjected to. Teachers involved in making the legal complaint outlined their case by saying that it is inconceivable that two groups of students enrolled for the same course in the same year, producing the same work, should be assessed in such radically different ways. They also pointed out that the students affected would be put at an unfair disadvantage compared to their peers who undertook the same level of work and effort.
Whilst there have been many changes to the education system over the last 15 years, this is the first time that students, colleges and councils have taken mass legal action in order to bring the government regulator to task. School students have been squeezed harder and harder with the removal of EMA, the moving of grade boundaries, and exam boards providing unfair advantages to schools that are willing to pay for strategy training days. It seems that, united with the backing of their schools and local councils, they are finally in a position to fight back.