Teachers to determine GCSE and A Level grades

Friday 03 April 2020

Teacher assessment, class rank and past performance will all determine how students are graded for their GCSEs and A Levels this summer, the exam regulator has announced.

Releasing the system this afternoon, Ofqual said it had worked "at speed to develop a process which fairly recognises students' work and makes sure they get their grades in time to progress" following the Education Secretary's decision to cancel 2020 examinations to help fight the spread of covid-19.

The decision to suspend academic testing led to confusion for many local sixth form students, who were left wondering how they would be able to progress to university or higher education without sitting their final exams.

Ofqual's revised system for grading students will now be based on predicted grades submitted to the exam boards by teachers no earlier than 29 May. These should be balanced with evidence including classwork, non-exam assessments, mock exam results, and previous exam results.

Today we have published information and guidance for schools & colleges, students and parents on awarding grades this summer. https://t.co/CFc9EjZksc#COVID19 #Exams2020 pic.twitter.com/vwPXnJy6bV

— Ofqual (@ofqual) April 3, 2020

Students' rank order within each grade for each subject will also be taken into account.

Chief Regulator Sally Collier commented: "School or college based assessment already has an important role in many GCSEs, AS and A levels and in extraordinary circumstances such as these, schools and colleges are best placed to judge the likely performance of their students at the end of the course.

"We have worked closely with the teaching profession to ensure that what we are asking is both appropriate and manageable, so that everyone can have confidence in the approach. I would like to take this opportunity to thank teachers and school leaders for making this process work for students during these very challenging times."

Pictured: Students looking to start university in September had previously been unclear on how to secure their spaces without sitting their summer exams.

She added that she had also written a letter to students to help assuage their concerns, letting them know that Ofqual and exam boards "will do everything we can to make sure that, as far as possible, grades are fair and that they are not disadvantaged in their progress to sixth form, college, university, apprenticeships, training or work because of these unprecedented conditions".

Express has contacted Jersey's Education Department for comment and is awaiting a response.

CLICK HERE for more details about how GCSEs, AS and A Levels will be awarded this year.