Further to OFQUAL’s published guidance, which can be found here, we wish to update Year 11 pupils and Year 13 students on the latest information we have in relation to their GCSE and A Level final grades.
By the end of May 2020, we will have submitted fair, objective and carefully-considered judgements of the grades we believe our Year 11 pupils and Year 13 students would most likely have achieved if they had sat their GCSE and A level examinations this academic year. There will be a grade submitted for each pupil and student for each of their subjects, taking into account a wide range of information including mock examination results, class assessments, homework, and expected impact of the planned revision that was in place. We have received confirmation that examination boards will not be expecting pupils or students to submit their coursework or sit any further mock examinations or complete further homework tasks to contribute to their final grades. However, as with all other work completed before the 20th March 2020, coursework that has already been completed before the school closure will contribute as evidence to the decision on submitted grades.
It is highly recommended however that pupils and students continue to complete work in order to prepare themselves for their next stage in education or employment and therefore school will continue to set work until at least the end of May. This will be reviewed when further information is known.
Schools will not be permitted to share their submitted grades with pupils, students, parents or carers, under any circumstances, until the final results are issued. This is to manage pupils’ and students’ expectations, whilst ensuring a fair submission is made for every pupil and student.
We do not have confirmation of when the final results will be shared yet but we do know this will not be any later than the previously planned dates in late August. It is expected that final results will be shared earlier than the previously planned dates.
OFQUAL are also currently developing a process of standardisation, which will look at evidence including prior attainment at each school, national attainment and results of the school in previous years. Whilst this will not mean grades are expected to be the same as previous years and will not affect the grades given in the first instance, it will mean that any schools that appear to have more severe or generous grades than in previous years may have some or all grades adjusted, by the examination boards.
Finally, as per previous years, pupils and students will be entitled to appeal their grades, where appropriate. Information on the appeals process has not yet been issued, however we will share this information once we have it. In addition, pupils and students will have the opportunity to sit examinations at the earliest reasonable opportunity in the new academic year, with further information on this available soon.