Edge poll teachers on the impact and effectiveness of exams
In November 2020, Edge commissioned a YouGov poll of 1,000 school and FE teachers to seek their views on the current exam system and whether they think it is fit for purpose. Below is a summary of the results.
- 92% of teachers agreed that the assessment system needs to recognise the full range of a young person’s strengths and skills, through more than just written exams (e.g. practical tests, coursework, portfolios etc.) (61% strongly agreed)
- 92% said that assessment solely through exams does not reflect all young people’s talents
- 92% agreed that exams and league tables distort priorities of schools and stops educators from providing a well-rounded education (66% strongly agreed)
- 97% agreed that a rich and broad curriculum should underpin future design of assessment (70% strongly agreed)
- 96% agreed that schools should be judged on the quality and range of the education they offer, beyond exam results (74% strongly agreed)
- 90% felt that young people find exams increasingly stressful
- 89% agreed that now is the right time to rethink assessment to make it fit for the needs of life and work in the 21st Century (61% strongly agreed)
- 87% said that exams should be kept as a part of the assessment criteria alongside coursework and other forms of assessment
- 85% said that the school system would be fairer and provide a clearer picture of the young person's abilities and talents if schools could focus less on exams and include alternative methods of assessment
- 84% believed that teachers should be trusted to assess their pupils against a set of criteria with marks checked for quality assurance
About the research
All the figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The total sample size was 1003 secondary and further education teachers in England. Fieldwork was undertaken between 2-9 November 2020. The survey was carried out online.