Covid Inquiry: ‘Too late’ to act on exam concerns – minister

The CEO of United Learning has testified at the Covid inquiry, sharing that the ex-education secretary claimed it was “too late to address” the alarming issues surrounding the algorithm-based grading system planned for the first year of the pandemic.

Sir Jon Coles, a former Department for Education director, expressed his frustration during the inquiry, stating that the voices of school leaders felt like they were being ignored.

He also highlighted what he termed an “extraordinary” trend of blame-shifting among government departments, having warned the government in May 2020 that “the department is in serious danger of losing friends.”

Matthew Coffey from Ofsted also provided evidence today, indicating that the inspectorate was caught off guard by the school closures and wasn’t consulted for advice, despite having considerable experience to offer.

Here’s a summary of the key points discussed during the inquiry.

‘It’s too late to do anything’

Coles, who managed United Learning’s 87 schools through the pandemic, referred to the use of an algorithm to adjust teacher-assigned grades as a “slow-motion disaster.”

“I firmly believe that not enough thought was put into what the fairest approach would be for young people. The focus seemed to be on avoiding grade inflation, rather than ensuring equity for students during such a challenging period,” he remarked.

Coles consistently brought up his concerns during meetings with officials from Ofqual and the DfE from March to July 2020.

In a July meeting with Gavin Williamson, the former education secretary, Coles noted that Williamson seemed to acknowledge the validity of his concerns.

A subsequent internal email summarizing their talk indicated that Williamson recognized there was “no straightforward path to rectify the situation,” leading him to conclude that there would inevitably be varying outcomes, and he aimed for a fair system despite imperfections.

However, Coles countered this view, stating that Williamson admitted, “I think you may be right, Jon, but it’s too late to change anything.”

Williamson is scheduled to provide his testimony later in the inquiry.

‘Extraordinary buck passing’

Coles further addressed the DfE’s engagement with a recovery board comprising trust and school leaders.

He criticized how recommendations made by the board during discussions about policies for reopening schools in July 2020 were dismissed, seemingly due to shifts in scientific advice.

This prompted Coles to reach out to the DfE in May, stating that “the leaders of large trusts are expressing unprecedented levels of concern. The department risks alienating allies and must reconsider its communication strategies,” he said.

He expressed frustration at being part of an advisory group that didn’t seem to incorporate his input and felt that poor decisions were being made without proper guidance.

Coles remarked on the “glaring absence of leadership” from civil servants, Ofqual executives, and ministerial representatives.

“There was no commitment to ensuring the best outcomes for young people, regardless of the circumstances,” he added.

He emphasized that statements from the Department, politicians, and the chief regulator reflected an “extraordinary trend of passing the blame.”

Ofsted ‘in the dark about school closures’

Matthew Coffey, Ofsted’s chief operating officer, shared his experience at the inquiry, revealing that the watchdog was not informed about school closures ahead of the general public.

Coffey stated that despite having valuable experience, Ofsted was not consulted during the crucial early decision-making phases.

He noted that schools were ill-equipped to transition to remote learning, regarding it merely as a temporary solution during the pandemic.

This follows the inquiry’s earlier revelation that the DfE had scarcely a day to prepare for the sudden school closures.

Coffey mentioned that while the DfE contemplated supplying laptops to students lacking technology, challenges arose in effectively distributing those devices.

There were discussions with the army to facilitate the logistics, but ultimately, their involvement faded from the conversation.

Coffey echoed concerns raised by Baroness Anne Longfield regarding ineffective communication about policies for vulnerable children.

Inspectors noted “conflicting messages” from schools, the government, and Public Health England, which resulted in families opting for the path of least resistance, which often meant not attending school.