MP committee warns of exam result bias

MPs have warned that young pupils in England might miss out on the grades they deserve as the system that would typically calculate their results after exams have been cancelled.

Ethnic minority students, as well as students from disadvantaged backgrounds, face the possibility of unconscious bias, according to the Commons Education Committee.

This comes as teachers this year will predict pupil's A-level and GCSE grades through assessments and class rankings, which will then be moderated by exam boards.

Formal exams were cancelled earlier this year because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Other concerns voiced by MPs included sixth-form pupils not being eligible for "catch-up" government funding as they take their A-level exams next year.

The committee is calling for the exam regulator, Ofqual, to examine whether black and minority ethnic pupils and students with special needs have been disadvantaged by the way the system awards exam results.