The Student Room Group

Summer 2021 first-sitting or first-retake for 2020 A-level students?

I know I've been repetitively asking about this topic on this site but I've asked my Unis if the exams in Summer 2021 will be considered as re-sits or not for 2020 A-level students and they said they weren't sure atm but the Autumn 2020 exams are definitely considered as first-sittings.

But I also found this...

Q: If students take an exam this autumn, which will stand the exam or centre assessment grade?
A: Students who feel that their grades from the summer do not reflect their ability will have the opportunity to take their exams in the autumn series or in summer 2021. If they choose to do this, students will be able to use the higher of the two grades for future progression.

Source: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/897425/Summer_2020_grades_for_GCSE__AS_and_A_level__Extended_Project_Qualification_and_Advanced_Extension_Award_in_maths_020720.pdf

Did the Unis not look deep enough or is this Q&A too vague to state whether Summer 2021 exams will be considered as re-sits or first-sittings for those who never sat their Summer 2020 exams?

I tried reading the latest document provided by Ofqual but it only emphasized the Autumn 2020 exams and didn't mention about those who wanted to take the Summer 2021 exams instead of the Autumn 2020 exams :// If no one knows an answer, does anyone know who I can contact to answer my question?

UPDATE:
I emailed Ofqual and they said "we would not count a first sitting of an exam as a resit but the admission system for each university is unique to that institution as they set their own criteria for admissions" so it is dependent on the Uni you wish to apply to :frown:
(edited 3 years ago)

Scroll to see replies

Original post by Voxxia
I know I've been repetitively asking about this topic on this site but I've asked my Unis if the exams in Summer 2021 will be considered as re-sits or not for 2020 A-level students and they said they weren't sure atm but the Autumn 2020 exams are definitely considered as first-sittings.

But I also found this...

Q: If students take an exam this autumn, which will stand the exam or centre assessment grade?
A: Students who feel that their grades from the summer do not reflect their ability will have the opportunity to take their exams in the autumn series or in summer 2021. If they choose to do this, students will be able to use the higher of the two grades for future progression.

Source: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/897425/Summer_2020_grades_for_GCSE__AS_and_A_level__Extended_Project_Qualification_and_Advanced_Extension_Award_in_maths_020720.pdf

Did the Unis not look deep enough or is this Q&A too vague to state whether Summer 2021 exams will be considered as re-sits or first-sittings for those who never sat their Summer 2020 exams?

I tried reading the latest document provided by Ofqual but it only emphasized the Autumn 2020 exams and didn't mention about those who wanted to take the Summer 2021 exams instead of the Autumn 2020 exams :// If no one knows an answer, does anyone know who I can contact to answer my question?

Why is this relevant? Can you explain your concern and then I will give you an opinion, but I dont believe there is a definitive answer at this stage? I will explain why if you explain why it matters to you. Is this medical school?
Reply 2
Original post by 999tigger
Why is this relevant? Can you explain your concern and then I will give you an opinion, but I dont believe there is a definitive answer at this stage? I will explain why if you explain why it matters to you. Is this medical school?

yep it's medical school. They have a certain grade they want you to achieve on the first-sitting and they're really high- too high for my teacher assessment grade. If I don't get the certain grade I need, they won't allow any resits. So I need to know if Summer 2021 are considered re-sits or first-sittings :///
Original post by Voxxia
yep it's medical school. They have a certain grade they want you to achieve on the first-sitting and they're really high- too high for my teacher assessment grade. If I don't get the certain grade I need, they won't allow any resits. So I need to know if Summer 2021 are considered re-sits or first-sittings :///

I believe it will be up to each medical school to clarify their take on the situation and what they regard as first sit. That is up to the school. Contact them.

My point would be calculated grades cannot technically be a sit as you havent had the opportunity to do the exam, but your first sit would be whenever you took the actual exam be that in Autumn or the following summer. They have to adapt their policies to suit the situation.
Reply 4
Hiya I have the exact same issue, I’m reapplying to med school and I asked my career adviser and he said it would not count. I would honestly benefit from your advice, what is your plan? Because I don’t know how I would proceed if I did the appeal exams in the summer of 2021, wouldn’t that be too late to apply for medicine due to our predicted grades... etc
Reply 5
Original post by kezia.ol
Hiya I have the exact same issue, I’m reapplying to med school and I asked my career adviser and he said it would not count. I would honestly benefit from your advice, what is your plan? Because I don’t know how I would proceed if I did the appeal exams in the summer of 2021, wouldn’t that be too late to apply for medicine due to our predicted grades... etc

Hello :biggrin: when your career advisor said it would not count what does it mean? Doesn't count as a re-sit or doesn't count as a first-sitting??

I don't know who your message is directed to but if you wanted to take the Autumn 2020 or the Summer 2021 exams, you'd get the results after the medicine deadline for 2021 entry so you'd have to take a 2 year gap year which is exactly the same position I'm in ://
butttttt the only way you can only get 1 gap year is if you applied to clearing that occurs on Summer 2021 results day- but even then, clearing for medicine is really competitive and only a limited number of Medicine Schools have clearing.

My plan is to try and see if my 2 Medicine school I'm applying to are open for clearing but if not I would just take the 2 year gap year :// Do medicine-related jobs that would help me save up money to pay for my medicine course and provide work-experience.
How can med schools claim "first sitting" for 2020 applicants/results when you wouldn't've sat a test. They are vulnerable to be sued if this ends up being the case surely...?
Reply 7
Original post by astayuno
How can med schools claim "first sitting" for 2020 applicants/results when you wouldn't've sat a test. They are vulnerable to be sued if this ends up being the case surely...?

LMAO :rofl3:
Good point.
But the fact that my Unis were unsure of the answer gave me doubt and anxiety.
Original post by Voxxia
LMAO :rofl3:
Good point.
But the fact that my Unis were unsure of the answer gave me doubt and anxiety.

They really can't use predicted as the first sitting results as the excuse is dismissed where candidates have well outperformed their teacher's predicted in Autumn exams, not to mention teacher-student relationships and class performance would've been the key to getting a high predicted "first sitting" grade which is also a miss representation of academic abilities as a formal exam wasn't sat for the cohort :tongue:

If anything, Unis should mention first sitting/autumn resits only to clarify the situation for year 13's next year and current gap year applicants ...
Reply 9
Original post by astayuno
Unis should mention first sitting/autumn resits only to clarify the situation for year 13's next year and current gap year applicants ...

pffft even if they used "autumn resits only" it still wouldn't make sense because some students are doing 1 or 2 subjects for the Autumn 2020 exams and then apply to do the rest of the subjects for the Summer 2021 exams. This means that they can't expect the Autumn grades to be grades for all of their 3 or 4 subjects :'))
Original post by Voxxia
Hello :biggrin: when your career advisor said it would not count what does it mean? Doesn't count as a re-sit or doesn't count as a first-sitting??

I don't know who your message is directed to but if you wanted to take the Autumn 2020 or the Summer 2021 exams, you'd get the results after the medicine deadline for 2021 entry so you'd have to take a 2 year gap year which is exactly the same position I'm in ://
butttttt the only way you can only get 1 gap year is if you applied to clearing that occurs on Summer 2021 results day- but even then, clearing for medicine is really competitive and only a limited number of Medicine Schools have clearing.

My plan is to try and see if my 2 Medicine school I'm applying to are open for clearing but if not I would just take the 2 year gap year :// Do medicine-related jobs that would help me save up money to pay for my medicine course and provide work-experience.

He said it wasn’t gonna count as resit as we wouldn’t have sat it yet, wow, I honestly thought they would make the deadlines later than our results day but I guess, I will have to deal with a two year gap
Reply 11
Original post by kezia.ol
I honestly thought they would make the deadlines later than our results day but I guess, I will have to deal with a two year gap

HONESTLY, I THOUGHT THEY WOULD TOO. But now that I think about it, I just feel like 2022 entry will be more competitive because I'd hear about other students applying for medicine in the same position as us too :// We'll just hafta wish for the best i guess :frown:
Reply 12
Autumn 2020 = first sitting chance to improve grade

Summer 2021 = will be counted as a resit as you either accept your calculated grade or improve it in Autumn
Reply 13
hi i’m in the same situation as you guys and i’ve decided to email my list of potential unis for their requirements. For example for Newcastle you’d have to apply with original predicted grades (if ur calculated grades don’t cut it) that are done by school and then the autumn or summer exams would count as first sitting. Or u could wait to apply for 2022 entry (hell no). Leicester said I’d have to state my calculated
Reply 14
Original post by Rover5
Autumn 2020 = first sitting chance to improve grade

Summer 2021 = will be counted as a resit as you either accept your calculated grade or improve it in Autumn

Did you come up with this conclusion yourself?

Original post by ibm4
hi i’m in the same situation as you guys and i’ve decided to email my list of potential unis for their requirements. For example for Newcastle you’d have to apply with original predicted grades (if ur calculated grades don’t cut it) that are done by school and then the autumn or summer exams would count as first sitting. Or u could wait to apply for 2022 entry (hell no). Leicester said I’d have to state my calculated

WOAHHH I FORGOT TO CONTACT NEWCASTLE BUT THEY'RE ONE OF MY CHOICES. How did you contact them?? By phone? And they defo said Summer exams counted as the first sitting right?? Are you okay with using your calculated/predicted grades to apply for Med school? Or were you also planning to take the Autumn/Summer exams?
Reply 15
Original post by Voxxia
Did you come up with this conclusion yourself?


WOAHHH I FORGOT TO CONTACT NEWCASTLE BUT THEY'RE ONE OF MY CHOICES. How did you contact them?? By phone? And they defo said Summer exams counted as the first sitting right?? Are you okay with using your calculated/predicted grades to apply for Med school? Or were you also planning to take the Autumn/Summer exams?

i just emailed them still. This is their reply:

“If your calculated grades don’t meet our requirements, then you are welcome to still apply as usual and we would assess your application based on your original predicted grades, which would need to be entered on UCAS by your school, as usual.

You can then sit either the Autumn exams or the exams next Summer (only one or the other) which we would treat as a first sitting. If you do not receive exam results before the deadline of submission (October 15th 2020) then you will need to apply for 2022 entry next September.

The standard entry requirements are AAA at A level in any subjects, excluding the following: General Studies; Use of Mathematics; World Development; Communication and Culture; and Critical Thinking. For Biology, Chemistry and Physics A levels, we require a pass in the practical element. There are no GCSE requirements for this programme.“

I’m not expecting to get straight As for calculated so rn i’m revising for autumn exams. I don’t mind using calculated & predicted so long as the uni will accept it and know that i’m doing the autumn exams.
Reply 16
Original post by ibm4
don’t mind using calculated & predicted so long as the uni will accept it and know that i’m doing the autumn exams.

:O ohhhhhh, Thank you!! <3 Also, what if none of your unis accept you if you used your calculated/predicted grades? Are you still willing to take 2 gap years?? Because you said earlier you didn't like the idea of it ://
Reply 17
Original post by Voxxia
:O ohhhhhh, Thank you!! <3 Also, what if none of your unis accept you if you used your calculated/predicted grades? Are you still willing to take 2 gap years?? Because you said earlier you didn't like the idea of it ://

well ik i can apply to leicester so far and i’m waiting to hear back from others so hopefully i will have 3 other unis to choose from. If not i’ll apply to the ones i can and go from there. 2 gap years for me just seems too long but if worst comes worst i guess i’ll have to. Wbu what are ur plans?
Reply 18
Original post by ibm4
well ik i can apply to leicester so far and i’m waiting to hear back from others so hopefully i will have 3 other unis to choose from. If not i’ll apply to the ones i can and go from there. 2 gap years for me just seems too long but if worst comes worst i guess i’ll have to. Wbu what are ur plans?

Ohhh so you actually have medical schools that you can still go to with your predicted/calculated grades??

Also my plan is this:
Original post by Voxxia
My plan is to try and see if my 2 Medicine school I'm applying to are open for clearing but if not I would just take the 2 year gap year :// Do medicine-related jobs that would help me save up money to pay for my medicine course and provide work-experience.
Whether you’d have to take a two-year gap year is dependent on the universities that you plan to apply to and have already applied to. For example, Birmingham has said that for offer holders who do not receive the needed grades this August, when reapplying they would not need to redo the UCAT and interview and simply do autumn or summer 2021 exams (not both, but the grades do not have to be achieved in a single sitting meaning you can use a combination of your calculated and predicted). If you think August-start of October will be enough time to revise for UCAT, then technically you could sit the UCAT this cycle for 2021 Entry and only have to do one gap year than two with your exams then being in summer 2021.This is a confusing situation but check which schools are being as flexible and understanding as Birmingham. I would expect that not every medical School would require one to do a 2 yr gap year.

Quick Reply

Latest