Labour call for release of all emails on GCSEs “fiasco”

by Newswire
9:45 am - September 12th 2012

Labour Shadow Education Secretary Steven Twigg MP has written to Michael Gove, calling on him to publish all correspondence between the Department of Education and Ofqual.

In the letter sent yesterday, he also called on him again to establish an independent inquiry to GCSE English results.

The letter came after it was revealed that the qualifications watchdog Ofqual forced an exams board to significantly lower GCSE English grades for students just before the results were out.

Ofqual’s intervention contradicted a finding from its own inquiry that said the GCSE grade boundaries were correct and set by examiners “using their best professional judgement”.

Yesterday, Stephen Twigg wrote:

“In the interest of transparency, the Chief Regulator of Ofqual, Glenys Stacey, told the Education Select Committee this morning that she would be happy to publish copies of all correspondence between Ofqual and the Department for Education, including letters, phone calls, text messages and emails between Ofqual and ministers, officials and special advisers at the Department.”

“I hope you will agree with Ms Stacey and make this correspondence publicly available at the earliest opportunity.”

Gove has tried his best to avoid the controversy so far, but will have to answer questions in Parliament today.

—–
The full text of the letter

Rt Hon Michael Gove MP
Secretary of State for Education
11 September 2012

Dear Michael,

As you will be aware, the Times Education Supplement published letters this morning between Ofqual and the exam board EdExcel.

These letters, sent just a few weeks before exam results were issued, state that Ofqual was prepared to take regulatory action if EdExcel did not meet the ‘agreed tolerance’ on predictions, effectively pressuring them to set different grade boundaries for students who sat examinations or took controlled assessments in June compared to January.

While I support efforts to address issues of grade inflation in a planned and considered way, I do not believe it is fair for pupils in the same cohort to be treated differently depending on what point their school entered them for a qualification or assessment.

Given the concerns which have been raised by pupils, parents and teachers from across the country, I wonder if you think that the current situation undermines Ofqual’s stated objective, as set out in legislation, to “promote public confidence in regulated qualifications and regulated assessment arrangements”?

In the interest of transparency, the Chief Regulator of Ofqual, Glenys Stacey, told the Education Select Committee this morning that she would be happy to publish copies of all correspondence between Ofqual and the Department for Education, including letters, phone calls, text messages and emails between Ofqual and ministers, officials and special advisers at the Department.

I hope you will agree with Ms Stacey and make this correspondence publicly available at the earliest opportunity.

Given the widespread concern about the grading of GCSE English this year, I do urge you to establish a full, independent inquiry.

I look forward to hearing from you.
With best wishes,

Stephen Twigg MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Education
Cc Glenys Stacey, Chief Regulator, Ofqual

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sunny hundal
Labour have called for the release of all emails on GCSEs "fiasco". Good http://t.co/18eLd75R
Alex Braithwaite
Labour call for release of all emails on GCSEs “fiasco” | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/aAu6jRan via @libcon
Dash
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spartacus303
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Patrick Andrews
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Liza Harding
Labour call for release of all emails on GCSEs “fiasco” | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/aAu6jRan via @libcon
Aishwarya Krishnan
Labour have called for the release of all emails on GCSEs "fiasco". Good http://t.co/18eLd75R
Adrian Parry
Labour have called for the release of all emails on GCSEs "fiasco". Good http://t.co/18eLd75R
leftlinks
Liberal Conspiracy – Labour call for release of all emails on GCSEs “fiasco” http://t.co/gwQoeP3U
liane gomersall
Labour call for release of all emails on GCSEs “fiasco” – Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/feR7L50M
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Labour call for release of all emails on GCSEs “fiasco” – Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/feR7L50M
Carl Chambers
Labour call for release of all emails on GCSEs “fiasco” – Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/feR7L50M
Carl Chambers
Labour call for release of all emails on GCSEs “fiasco” – Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/feR7L50M