Numerous schools around the nation were forced to seal their doors or stop accepting students when the hazardous chemical was discovered last year, affecting thousands of people.Opponents of raising outcomes have included the head of Ofqual, who argues that doing so would be unjust to students who had other issues, like teacher shortages. A reconsideration, however, has been demanded by MPs from all political stripes, only days before Thursday's announcement of the A-level results.The Independent was informed by Labour MP Mary Foy that the decision to deny affected students additional consideration was "absolutely devastating." She said it was "perverse that a student would get special consideration for a fire alarm sounding during an exam, but none for not having access to the correct facilities.
Mary Foy, a Labour MP Former Conservative education minister Robert Halfon, meanwhile, told The Independent that while he agreed with requests for further assistance for impacted students, it would need to be "done on a school-by-school basis, depending on levels of disruption." Some 19,700 GCSE children and 7,600 A-level students attend schools with buildings that have deteriorating concrete, according to research from the House of Commons Library that the Lib Dems commissioned. A "formal acknowledgement" of the effect of Raac on exam results and other student performance indicators was also demanded by the union of school administrators, NAHT. Pupils have been taught in portakabins and schools have experienced abrupt closures, relocations, and disruptions to instruction due to cracking concrete.
Pupils affected by Raac must be given chance to bid for higher grades
An estimated 7,600 A-level students and 19,700 GCSE pupils are in schools with collapse-risk reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac), according to House of Commons Library research commissioned by the Lib Dems.
A number of schools across the country were forced to offer remote learning when sub-standard Raac was found in buildings just days before the academic year was due to start last year.
The new Government must now ensure pupils and parents impacted by these years of chaos are given the support they need
Munira Wilson, Lib Dem education spokesperson ahead of A-level results day, Lib Dem education spokesperson Munira Wilson said the Government must give support to families affected by the “chaos” of Raac through a special appeals process for students.