Nearly 40,000 pupils are being required to resit their GCSE English examinations as a result of inconsistencies in marking by different examiners, according to recent reports. The Observer has revealed that around 200,000 students received a grade 3, equivalent to a D, when their results were announced earlier this week.
An analysis conducted by The Observer in collaboration with education expert Dennis Sherwood suggests that up to 39,000 of these students could have achieved at least a passing grade 4 if their papers had been marked by senior examiners instead of standard markers. This discrepancy highlights significant variations in assessment standards between examiners.
Research by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) demonstrates that there is approximately a 39% chance of different marks being awarded by senior and standard examiners on the same English paper. This contrasts sharply with maths, where the disparity is only around 4%.
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This means that between 32,000 and 45,000 teenagers might have received different grades in English, compared with just about 3,000 in maths, based solely on examiner differences.
Dennis Sherwood commented to The Observer: “The estimate of 39,000 students receiving a grade 3 when they deserved a grade 4 is likely a conservative figure but is the most accurate based on current information. It is crucial that students receive the grade they rightly deserve, and the appeals process should facilitate, rather than hinder, this.”
In response to concerns over the current resit system, Education Secretary Lucy Powell, serving under the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, has committed to reforming GCSE resits in English and maths. She criticised the existing approach for condemning young people to a “treadmill of failure” and contributing to a “debilitating loss of confidence.”
Powell affirmed the government’s intention to introduce a new “stepping stone” qualification aimed at students who initially achieve a grade 2 or lower. She described the current policy as “a hamster wheel” and emphasised the need for a better method to equip young people with the skills and confidence to succeed, allowing them to obtain qualifications that reflect a solid foundation in English and maths.
“In introducing this new Level 1 qualification, we aim to provide a robust basis in these essential subjects that opens pathways to further study, apprenticeships, or training,” Powell said.
The Department for Education stated: “We recognise that repeated resits without grade improvement can be disheartening. Therefore, we are implementing measures to break this cycle. Our new 16-19 English and maths qualifications will better prepare students before they resit their GCSEs. Additionally, adjustments to the accountability framework will ensure students only retake exams when ready to succeed.
“We are also guaranteeing at least 100 hours of dedicated teaching per subject, supported by additional funding and free teacher training, providing genuine opportunities for progress.”
An Ofqual spokesperson assured: “Students in England can have full confidence that the grades they have earned reflect their hard work and open doors to future opportunities.”