Hugh Grant says moving GCSE and A-Level exams online would be a ‘catastrophe’
Actor Hugh Grant has warned that schools will “throw away the remaining books and pencils” if GCSE exams go online.
Notting Hill He took to Star
His comments follow Ofqual’s proposals for some GCSE and A-level exams to be taken digitally from the end of the decade.
Grant wrote: “It would be a disaster if GCSE went online. Schools talking about ‘preparing for exams’ will throw away the remaining books and pencils and push our poor addicted children further down the internet, at huge cost to their education, mental health and safety.”
In a consultation published last week, Ofqual sought views on allowing each of the four exam boards to introduce two new specifications in which some components are assessed digitally.
Ofqual notes that on-screen exams can be online or offline and an internet connection will not necessarily be required.
Exam boards will not be able to run screen exams in subjects taken by more than 100,000 students in a year (many GCSE core subjects as well as A-level maths).
Dad-of-five Grant has previously backed the campaign against screens in schools, saying it was the “last thing” children need.
A spokesperson for Ofqual said: “Everyone is invited to take part in our consultations on the on-screen assessment, which can be found on our website.
“The introduction of screen exams must be carefully managed to protect the interests of all students and these recommendations set out a controlled approach with stringent safeguards.”
