The University of Surrey has announced that it is reducing its entry requirements for undergraduate programmes starting in September 2021 in light of the ongoing disruptions to education caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Most programmes will have their entry grades lowered by one grade in order to ease the pressure and anxiety faced by students who have been affected by the disruptions in their learning over the past two academic years.
The University of Birmingham previously announced similar plans to reduce entry requirements for 2021 by one grade, creating pressure on other universities to do the same. The decision was made to provide an additional level of assurance and certainty to students who could have been disadvantaged by the pandemic.
However, regulated courses, such as veterinary medicine, foundation year courses, four-year integrated master’s programmes, and audition-based performance courses, will retain the same entry requirements.
Experts have recommended that GCSE and A-level exams be replaced by teacher assessments next year due to disruptions caused by the pandemic. The Independent Sage group, headed by former government chief scientific adviser David King, is also calling for the cancellation of all primary school tests and replacing secondary school exams with assessments from appropriately moderated teacher assessments.
Education Minister Nick Gibb confirmed that the government is working to ensure that exams in 2021 are fair, but did not provide further details. Earlier this summer, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson made a U-turn on Ofqual’s algorithm, which disadvantaged high achievers from low-performing schools.
Calls have also been made to lower grade requirements for disadvantaged students, who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Earlier this month, Wales called off GCSE and A-level tests for students this academic year, with the Labour government partnering with schools and colleges to use teacher-managed assessments as a fair alternative given the varying amounts of time students have spent in school or college.