No re-mark of GCSE English

Any hope that Labour might hold that the latest revelations about Ofqual might prompt a re-mark of the GCSE English papers is almost certain to be disappointed. Even though Welsh exam papers are being re-graded, I understand that the same is not going to happen in England. A source close to education secretary Michael Gove says:

‘A small number getting lucky in January isn’t a reason to give everyone else an inflated mark now. GCSE exams and marking systems are discredited. We said this years ago and the education establishment complained. We got rid of modularisation, introduced by Labour, and said we need to replace a broken system – and Labour and the unions complained that we were moving too fast. Practically nobody screaming now about unfairness agreed with us when we said modular GCSEs would be a disaster. Getting to the bottom of complex problems is important but, first, Ofqual are right to fight grade inflation, second, Wales has made itself a laughing stock, and, third, it is pathetic to see Twigg siding with those demanding a burst of grade inflation to make everyone feel happier.