THE Government must cancel GCSE and A-level exams this summer, a senior York councillor has said.

It comes as schools and colleges in England have been asked to shift to remote learning as part of a third national lockdown announced by the Prime Minister.

During his announcement on Monday evening, Boris Johnson said it would not be “possible or fair” for all exams to go ahead as normal in the summer, adding: “The Education Secretary will work with Ofqual to put in place alternative arrangements.”

Councillor Keith Orrell, executive member for children, young people and education at City of York Council, said the ongoing disruption of coronavirus on education means it is "very difficult" to guarantee a level playing field for students in exams.

"The Lib Dem education spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP and the Lib Dem education minister for Wales have rightly for many months now called for this year’s exams to be cancelled," he commented.

"Pupils have had a vastly different experience of education this term. The Government has for months naively pretended that a fair, level playing-field for pupils can be achieved when there are huge disparities both in attendance and a child's ability to work from home. The uncertainty, anxiety and constant disruption has been compounded by the Government’s failure to make remote learning accessible for all pupils.

"The well-being of students and ensuring fairness across the system should be central in Government’s decision-making process. Rather than leaving pupils under a cloud of uncertainty and making yet more last minute decisions, the Government must follow the Welsh and Scottish education ministers and cancel GCSE and A-level exams this summer."

He added: "We saw with last year’s exam shambles how frustrating late guidance and poor communication is for teachers and pupils."

Cllr Orrell said all the necessary procedures and advice on the assessment model must be put in place as soon as possible.

He also said the awarding process must guarantee to do as much as possible to establish fairness for all learners and teachers must be included and informed throughout.

He finished by saying: “In cancelling this summer's exams, schools and teachers can be given the certainty they need, whilst ensuring no child's education is penalised unfairly as a result of Government’s failures to get a grip on this virus."