Stop ignoring poor spelling, watchdog tells universities
Too many universities are ignoring poor spelling, punctuation and grammar in an attempt to be “inclusive”, the student watchdog says.
The Office for Students fears that the practice is widespread and is putting universities on notice that the practice has to stop.
The proportion of first-class degrees reached 35 per cent this summer, up from 28 per cent the year before. A report by the regulator says that universities should not disregard poor spelling, punctuation and grammar when marking assessments because it could lead to inflated grades. Some universities have policies that mean proficiency in written English is often not assessed, with some highlighting a desire to promote “inclusivity”, the report says.
“Introducing these policies may have lowered standards, which in turn may have contributed to greater proportions of students being awarded higher degree classifications,” the report adds.
The Office for Students (OfS) conducted a review of assessment practices in a small number of universities and colleges to identify whether they maintained rigour. It concluded that some common themes gave it “cause for regulatory concern”.
Earlier this year it emerged that academics at some institutions, including Hull University and the University of the Arts London, had been told that insisting on good written English discriminates against ethnic minorities and those who went to “underperforming” schools.
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The regulator’s report says: “The common features we have seen in the small number of cases in this review suggest that the practices and approaches we have set out in the case studies may be widespread across the sector. We are therefore drawing the attention of all registered providers to our findings, because they highlight matters that are likely to raise compliance concerns for the OfS.”
Susan Lapworth, director of regulation at the Office for Students, said: “Students should be able to communicate their ideas effectively. This means their written work must be of a high standard, with correct spelling, punctuation and grammar. It is not possible to analyse and explore complex theories and arguments without being able to write well, and universities should recognise this as they assess students.
She added: “The idea that they should expect less from certain groups of students is patronising. It threatens to undermine standards as well as public confidence in the value of a degree. It risks placing new graduates at a disadvantage in the labour market, and could leave employers spending time and money training graduates in basic written English.”
The watchdog has said that from next October it will take action against universities or colleges if their assessment approaches “lack rigour”.
Michelle Donelan, the higher education minister, said: “Rigour and standards matter at all stages of education, and the fundamentals of good spelling, punctuation and grammar are as important today as they ever were.
But the National Union of Students warned against any changes that could discriminate against students with disabilities. Hillary Gyebi-Ababio, the NUS vice-president for higher education, said: “Education is so much broader than just spelling and grammar and any proposals to change existing practices must take into account the lived experiences of those with dyslexia.”
A Universities UK spokeswoman said no evidence had been presented showing that the practices causing concern were the norm. She added: “As the OfS notes, this report refers to a small number of universities.”
