The Student Room Group

Open letter from TSR on behalf of students

Following the announcement from the governments across the UK this afternoon that Centre Assessed Grades (CAGs) will be used instead of the original calculated grades. We write this letter on behalf of students who have faced constant change, upset and upheaval while awaiting their exam grades in 2020. We will amplify their voices loud and clear. We will do everything we can to ensure they get the support and answers they deserve.

The grading scandal of 2020 has culminated with a scattergun series of misfired announcements, an A-level results day where even Ofqual didn’t know about the appeals process, and a situation where GCSE students are dealing with another last-minute announcement about their future and there are still so many unknowns for students, including BTECs, year 10s, year 12s and private candidates.

On top of which, we are yet to see any commitment to dedicated support of students’ mental health and wellbeing - neither in general terms, nor for students who have been negatively impacted by the calculated grades process.

We are calling for key decision makers to put students first, where they belong.

Now the government has committed to a u-turn on exam calculations, we are seeing relief, but coupled with serious confusion. In the hour following the announcement we saw hundreds of comments on our official thread, and numerous questions within the first 20 minutes:

So like, how can I appeal my CAG because I got given B when I never got less than A before?

Does anyone think will affect the October exams? ...Or Ofqual might just scrap the exams all together?

This decision isn't designed to help us, it's designed to get everybody to shut up and stop complaining. You can appeal on the grounds of teacher bias, but you won't succeed.

But now Universities will be oversubscribed?


We also acknowledge that those important pillars who usually provide students with essential guidance and support, have also not been given the information they need in order to do so.

From Ofqual scrambling to pull together a mock appeals process after Education Minister, Gavin Williamson’s, late night announcement, seemingly with a complete lack of consultation with educational experts or students themselves; to UCAS who had no prior warning about the changes; to the universities who were unable to respond to thousands of students; to teachers and parents.

There is no better example of this than today’s announcement, where, as far as we’re aware, no universities, schools or colleges have been given any information to support their students around another change in advance. We are yet again unable to see how decision-makers are working with those who are most directly affected, the students, who face potentially changing their path without nearly enough clarity and practical guidance.

We work closely with organisations in the education sector by sharing students’ experiences and voices. A key part of this relationship is also to share the information these organisations give us with students to provide much-needed guidance.


With today’s announcements, we know The Student Room is needed by students more than ever.

Standing alongside students, we call for;

Urgent clarity regarding grading in 2020 for all students (including impact on BTEC students and private candidates)

Urgent clarity for students with or without uni places in 2020

Urgent clarifications regarding ramifications for Year 12s and Year 10s

Urgent dedicated support for the mental health and wellbeing of students who have been negatively impacted by the grading scandal in 2020



At The Student Room, we demand that the voice of the young people impacted by these decisions are heard. We demand that students are consulted on reforms that impact their futures and crucially, we want to be part of the solution.

As such, we desire to work with Government bodies, exams boards and education providers to ensure that the student voice is at the heart of future policy decisions.



Sincerely,

The Student Room
(edited 3 years ago)

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Very well written and voices my thoughts perfectly :yep:
My comment's been put in an open letter! I'm famous :colondollar:
Props to those who voiced their opinions and views on the matter.
Original post by Theloniouss
My comment's been put in an open letter! I'm famous :colondollar:

You are!
Well put
Amazing letter. :yep: :woo:
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by BlinkyBill
Following the announcement from the governments across the UK this afternoon that Centre Assessed Grades (CAGs) will be used instead of the original calculated grades. We write this letter on behalf of students who have faced constant change, upset and upheaval while awaiting their exam grades in 2020. We will amplify their voices loud and clear. We will do everything we can to ensure they get the support and answers they deserve.

The grading scandal of 2020 has culminated with a scattergun series of misfired announcements, an A-level results day where even Ofqual didn’t know about the appeals process, and a situation where GCSE students are dealing with another last-minute announcement about their future and there are still so many unknowns for students, including BTECs, year 10s, year 12s and private candidates.

On top of which, we are yet to see any commitment to dedicated support of students’ mental health and wellbeing - neither in general terms, nor for students who have been negatively impacted by the calculated grades process.

We are calling for key decision makers to put students first, where they belong.

Now the government has committed to a u-turn on exam calculations, we are seeing relief, but coupled with serious confusion. In the hour following the announcement we saw hundreds of comments on our official thread, and numerous questions within the first 20 minutes:

So like, how can I appeal my CAG because I got given B when I never got less than A before?

Does anyone think will affect the October exams? ...Or Ofqual might just scrap the exams all together?

This decision isn't designed to help us, it's designed to get everybody to shut up and stop complaining. You can appeal on the grounds of teacher bias, but you won't succeed.

But now Universities will be oversubscribed?


We also acknowledge that those important pillars who usually provide students with essential guidance and support, have also not been given the information they need in order to do so.

From Ofqual scrambling to pull together a mock appeals process after Education Minister, Gavin Williamson’s, late night announcement, seemingly with a complete lack of consultation with educational experts or students themselves; to UCAS who had no prior warning about the changes; to the universities who were unable to respond to thousands of students; to teachers and parents.

There is no better example of this than today’s announcement, where, as far as we’re aware, no universities, schools or colleges have been given any information to support their students around another change in advance. We are yet again unable to see how they’re working with those who are most directly affected, the students, who face potentially changing their path without nearly enough clarity and practical guidance.

We work closely with organisations in the education sector by sharing students’ experiences and voices. A key part of this relationship is also to share the information these organisations give us with students to provide much-needed guidance.


With today’s announcements, we know The Student Room is needed by students more than ever.

Standing alongside students, we call for;

Urgent clarity regarding grading in 2020 for all students (including impact on BTEC students and private candidates)

Urgent clarity for students with or without uni places in 2020

Urgent clarifications regarding ramifications for Year 12s and Year 10s

Urgent dedicated support for the mental health and wellbeing of students who have been negatively impacted by the grading scandal in 2020



At The Student Room, we demand that the voice of the young people impacted by these decisions are heard. We demand that students are consulted on reforms that impact their futures and crucially, we want to be part of the solution.

As such, we desire to work with Government bodies, exams boards and education providers to ensure that the student voice is at the heart of future policy decisions.



Sincerely,

The Student Room

Wow its like you put all the bustling and overflowing thoughts of the worried and stressed students as well as the concerns all in one beautifully put letter, well done! :^_^:
I wholeheartedly support and endorse this letter. The reckless actions and poor planning from this Government is detrimental to the futures of so many. It’s time for clarity, transparency and answers.
This stopped being about fairness a long time ago now, the government needs to apologise and demonstrate why young people can ever trust the process of awarding qualifications again. And in my personal opinion, Gavin Must Go.
I really can't imagine the frustration and confusion of so many right now. :redface:
We're all here to support you as best we can but please please remember to look after yourself and your wellbeing :grouphugs:
I'm sure it's also going to be extra frustration for those wondering what to do with respect to uni accommodation and student living next year should they want to change uni. It's almost as if the government won't think of students at all :mad:
Reply 11
Thank you for taking the time to write this letter on behalf of us all!
Thank you so much for your feedback guys. I'm really glad to hear you feel this letter represents how you're feeling. We have just been seeing so much confusion on the forums, after so many changes, we really felt it was important to call it on in the hopes of some answers. :heart:
Lol I think they should pay everyone in year 13
on a serious note
will there be another results day now? I dont mind waltzing in to school all happy n all again
How will we find out the CAG's we got, and our real results?
I dont really care since i got my firm at kcl but i dont mind having that B in bio boosted to an A lol
Original post by hjhsdkvbt
Lol I think they should pay everyone in year 13
on a serious note
will there be another results day now? I dont mind waltzing in to school all happy n all again
How will we find out the CAG's we got, and our real results?
I dont really care since i got my firm at kcl but i dont mind having that B in bio boosted to an A lol

I doubt there will be another in-person results day (although if your school was open on Thursday it may well be this Thursday for GCSEs too). I suspect you will receive some emails in the coming days about it. You may wish to contact your school currently to ask what your CAGs were, though please bear in mind the exams team will likely be extremely busy at this time.
Original post by 04MR17
I doubt there will be another in-person results day (although if your school was open on Thursday it may well be this Thursday for GCSEs too). I suspect you will receive some emails in the coming days about it. You may wish to contact your school currently to ask what your CAGs were, though please bear in mind the exams team will likely be extremely busy at this time.

Yeah I emailed my school to see how I will be collecting cag's
Will my grades be lowered if my cag's were lower though?
Should I email the exams officer to see what my CAG's were, you think they hold that data?
This whole years a mess, but I feel like its helped me more than bad to me because I was struggling with a levels lol
Feel like grade inflation gonna be crazy though lol
Original post by hjhsdkvbt
Yeah I emailed my school to see how I will be collecting cag's
Will my grades be lowered if my cag's were lower though?
Should I email the exams officer to see what my CAG's were, you think they hold that data?
This whole years a mess, but I feel like its helped me more than bad to me because I was struggling with a levels lol
Feel like grade inflation gonna be crazy though lol

Your exams office will hold that data, many students have already been told their CAGs by their schools.
I don't believe any grades will be lowered by this change but look at the official thread here for full clarity (if you can call it that!):
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=6645866
Original post by 04MR17
Your exams office will hold that data, many students have already been told their CAGs by their schools.
I don't believe any grades will be lowered by this change but look at the official thread here for full clarity (if you can call it that!):
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=6645866

Dont you think a lot of people which wouldn't have got the grades will be getting the grades because they did their a levels this year? I defo know a few people in that category- I am in no way talking about myself.
But i guess you can't just stop all those which were gonna get the grades but got lowered because of their school so they had to do this, even if they were a much smaller percentage.
Found the letter totally cringeworthy really.

Anyone would think students had been through a war zone. Ridiculous pandering.

When implementing a set of rules it takes some hammwering out and when the government make last minute changes its totally unreasonable to have a fully prepared appeal system in place.

All they have done is replace a scandal of incompetence with another one. Will be interesting to see what the grades they deserve consists of, at the moment it looks like A* for everyone. Waits to see the data.
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by 999tigger
Found ut cringe really.
When implementing a set of rules it takes some hammwering out and when the government make last minute changes its totally unreasonable to have a fully prepared appeal system in place.

All they have done is replace a scandal of incompetence with another one. Will be interesting to see what the grades they deserve consists of, at the moment it looks like A* for everyone. Waits to see the data.

yeah lol
but I guess it wont be that bad since its just for one year of students

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