After speaking to many LJMU second year law students about the face-to-face exams we are due to sit in spring, many of us are feeling the same that it would be unfair to make us sit exams face to face. Due to the effects of COVID, most of us have not sat a face-to-face exam since our GCSEs. We sat those exams between the ages of 15-16, while most of us are now 19-20.The thought of exams currently is causing us severe amounts of stress due to worriment of being at a disadvantage. We would like to outline the following points:

• In studying for previous exams, we were able to practice under face to face exam conditions. However, for many of us, our last year of college ended abruptly, and any learning since that point has been online. Some students who joined the university through a foundation degree have also expressed concern as as they feel that their first year at university was negatively impacted due to COVID and they did not get the opportunity to build up their skills to prepare for university as they wished in regards to preparing for exams. As we are now past the year which does not count to our final grade, we feel that we would be at a disadvantage if we are graded on face-to-face assessments as we have had no opportunity (in A-levels or our first year of university) to progress our skills in closed book face-to-face exams. 

• We have also been put at a disadvantage due to the predicted grades algorithm which was created by the Government in 2020, as this was the year the majority of ourselves obtained our A-levels. The university was extremely generous during COVID and offered unconditional offers to students, in which some students may not have had a place at any university otherwise due to the system. No matter the grade received, students that have taken the offer given to them and progressed extremely well in their studies under extremely troubling circumstances that none of us have ever had to live through before. We feel if we have to sit face-to-face exams we will be at another disadvantage due to the impact of COVID.

• Some Universities have decided after consideration due to the after affects of COVID to move exams online; for example, University of Liverpool have done this. This would put us at great disadvantage, as students at other universities will face open book online exams which they have had experience of and have built their skills in, while we will face closed book graded exams for the first time in years while relearning to adapt to face to face and be lacking in the skills needed. This disadvantage could result in lower grades from ourselves compared to other universities, which could massively affect us in our future career plans. For example, training contracts are extremely competitive, and if there are competitors have had an advantage in their studies with continuing online exams it may cause students from our university to not be accepted due to poorer grades.

• Since the emergence of online open-book exams, our skills have still been tested under a time limit, however can be argued that the skills developed have been more compatible with careers which proceed after university. Through assessing an in person closed-book exam the main factor which is assessed is memory, which does not accurately show the students full capabilities. In future careers employees will be allowed to research and not solely go off their memories, and tasks may be on a time limit such as 24 hours rather than 3. Online exams help us develop skills for future careers further such as research and time management. 
  
  
• Although government restrictions have ended, COVID is still a worry amongst many students. As cases are still occurring among the UK, and there are no longer going to be free tests, people are less likely to get tested which could lead to a surge of COVID. Some students have mentioned due to the removal of free lateral flows, they are worried that they could potentially be sat in an exam hall next to students who are unknowingly infected with COVID due to the removal of free tests. Additionally there may be students that suspect they have COVID however as they do not know they still attend the university due to the pressure of face to face exams and feeling like they need to attend. Students are worried that they could contract and pass on the virus to elderly relatives, loved ones with underlying health conditions, etc.

• Religious students have also mentioned due to exams being moved to face to face that the 1st exam week falls over Ramadan and they have plans to spend the religious holiday with their family’s, and if an exam is face-to-face during that time they would have to travel back to Liverpool for that exam and feel they would be at further disadvantage if their exams were face to face as well as over a religious holiday, as travelling back and forth would take away time that is vital for revision due to the already troubling issue of building skills needed for a closed book face-to-face exam in a short time frame. Additionally, there is a worry with their families all together for the holiday that there could be a potential outbreak of COVID from sitting in an exam hall with someone infected, which could affect all members of their family including the vulnerable as they are all together for the holiday. If exams were online there would be much less stress on these students over their religious holiday.

We are asking any students studying law or any other courses, or any concerned parents, friends, and family members, to sign this petition if they feel like they agree with any of the points above, and feel that exams should be changed back to online, in order to show the depth of the issue. We are hoping that these concerns will be taken into consideration by the law school following this, as students are extremely concerned for their education and their futures.