Gavin Williamson: How Westminster’s ultimate survivor is still clinging on

The Secretary of State for Education has been plagued by scandal - so how it he still standing?

On 13 August 2020 nearly 300,000 teenagers nervously opened their A Level results – and furore immediately erupted. Nearly 40% found themselves awarded grades lower than expected, costing them places at prestigious universities and sending many into a panicked clearing tailspin.

But this was no normal exams disappointment because, of course, in 2020 there were no exams. With schools closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the usual exams period was suspended and grades were awarded, instead, by a controversial algorithm which relied largely on a school’s past performance. Leaving no room to take into account individual intelligence, previous test scores or teacher assessments, within hours it became clear the algorithm rewarded those at wealthy private schools and punished those at institutions in more deprived areas. Accusations of classism and racism erupted across social media from distraught parents and children. And the man at the centre of this drama? Secretary of State for Education Gavin Williamson.

But this wouldn’t be the end of Williamson’s exams SNAFUs. Within a week the government was forced to do a u-turn, saying both GCSEs and A Levels would now be graded according to teacher assessments. The announcement, however, came so late that, the day before they were due to be released, BTec grades where postponed in order to be remarked in line with the new guidance, causing chaos for 450,000 more pupils.

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