2 November 2012

Commenting on the regulator’s report into this summer’s GCSE marking fiasco, Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers’ union, said:

“Ofqual seem to be shifting the blame whilst at the same time exposing the nonsense of floor targets. They continue to refuse to acknowledge the mistakes they have clearly made. It is high time Ofqual took some responsibility for a situation of their own making.

“The fact remains that young people were let down. The solution is to re-grade the exams of young people who, together with their teachers worked to the parameters set in January.

“The decision to shift the boundaries came without warning and has inflicted a great injustice on students whose chances to continue in education, employment or apprenticeships have been scuppered by the failures of Ofqual. It is for this reason, and with great regret, that the NUT and a large coalition of unions, teachers' professional bodies, local councils and schools have issued High Court proceedings against Ofqual and exam boards AQA and Edexcel.” (1)