In this episode Nathan McGurl talks to Barnaby Lenon and Iain Kilpatrick about how best to approach the year that will have to end in a 'grade' for GCSE and A-Level pupils. 

The discussion looks both at the practicalities of the year for GCSE and A-Level students in 2021 and also at the purpose of exams. We also look at the role that teachers can - and perhaps should - play in any assessments that could take place for the summer results.

In our conversations this week, all of our students were actually reasonably happy to be back at school. They quite missed the routine and the structure. Although many would, I'm sure, prefer an extra hour or two in bed in the morning! They've also coped well with the new safety measures and grappled one-way systems! 

Where we found quite a stark difference between them was in preparation for – and consciousness of – what needed to be done to be ready for the exams.

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