King’s College London has directed its academic staff to prioritise students’ ideas over grammatical correctness in their work, as part of a drive to “embrace linguistic diversity” and be more inclusive. The Russell Group institution has outlined the approach in a new framework, instructing lecturers to “focus on ideas, not grammar” and to make assessments “culturally responsive”.
Regulator warns of widespread practice
The move comes as England’s higher education regulator has issued a warning about such policies. The Office for Students (OfS) stated that some universities are overlooking poor spelling, grammar, and punctuation in assessments in the name of inclusivity. Following a review of policies at five institutions, the regulator expressed concern the practice might be widespread and driven by a misinterpretation of the Equality Act 2010, threatening academic rigour and public confidence in degrees.
At King’s, the directive forms part of a broader overhaul of its assessment system known as the “Transforming Assessment for Students at King’s” (TASK) project. The university’s stated goal is to “reward the use of culture, language and identity” and offer students a “choice in assessment formats”. This includes scaling back traditional exams in favour of what it describes as more inclusive methods.
Word limits reduced and assessments changed
Alongside the shift in marking priorities, the university is implementing significant changes to assessment structures. Essay word limits are being substantially shortened, a move the university says is to prevent students from being “overburdened”. In some cases, essays previously capped at 2,000 words will now be limited to 1,300 words. More specifically, for coursework worth 40% of a module, essays will be capped at 1,200 words, and for work worth 30%, at 1,000 words.
These changes have provoked a strong backlash from undergraduates. Students have argued in an open letter that the reduced assessments will not provide sufficient preparation for postgraduate study, will make them less competitive in the job market compared to peers from other universities, and will not allow them to “engage as meaningfully” with their subject. Some students reported discovering the changes through lecturers’ complaints rather than official communication.
Rationale rooted in diversity and access targets
The university’s rationale for the overhaul is embedded in its institutional equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) strategy. King’s has a diverse student population, with 41% of undergraduates from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds. Its official Access and Participation Plan commits the university to improving equality of opportunity, with specific aims to increase the proportion of Black students and support other underrepresented groups, including Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller students.
This latest framework follows other EDI initiatives at the university, such as “decolonising the curriculum” audits. The university states the new assessment approach is designed to ensure all students, regardless of background, can demonstrate their knowledge and skills effectively. It distinguishes this universal “linguistic diversity” drive from the established system of Personalised Assessment Arrangements (PAA), which offer specific support, like leniency on grammar, for students with diagnosed learning differences such as dyslexia.
Academic freedom concerns and internal criticism
The changes have been met with sharp criticism from some academics, who have labelled the move a “dumbing down” of the university. One unnamed King’s academic told the Daily Mail the framework was “dreamt up by middle management” to signal “which side of the culture war the university is on,” and was an attempt to be “down-with-the-kids” that was “getting it wrong”. The academic also expressed fear that the policy could lead to students challenging grades on the basis that their “culture and identity” was not respected.
External experts have echoed these concerns. Dr Edward Skidelsky, a lecturer in philosophy at the University of Exeter and director of the Committee for Academic Freedom, said, “These attempts to dumb down assessment in the name of ‘inclusivity’ are being pushed by university managers against the will of academics and students themselves, the best of whom hunger for an education that is deep and rigorous.” His comments touch on broader national debates about academic freedom and free speech in universities, with the new Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 intended to provide protections.
In defence of the changes, a spokesperson for King’s College London said: “Standards at King’s remain as high as ever. Our approach still includes rigorous exams, alongside other forms of assessment that help students build the practical skills employers are looking for. We have worked closely with students, alongside academic experts, to develop this approach so that our graduates are ready for the workplace – without compromising academic integrity.”
