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Coronavirus: Government outlines how GCSE and A-level exam results will be awarded

This poll is closed

Do you think you will be awarded a fair grade

Yes39%

No61%

Total votes: 1867

Evil Homer

TSR Community Staff

20

For the latest update as of April 3rd
>>Click Here<<

Some replies to this thread may be incorrect or misleading based on new guidance and information release.
Please see the thread linked above for the very latest.

How will my grade be decided?

For this summer’s exams only, your grade will be decided by your teachers. Your teachers will be asked to submit two bits of evidence.

First, they will be asked to estimate the grade you would have received had you taken all the exams and completed any other assessed work.

Secondly, teachers are then being asked to rank each student within each grade. So if 6 students have been given an A in a class, the teacher will then need to rank the 6 students who have been given an A.

They will be issued guidance on the sorts of things to take into account when reaching these judgements. The decision will be holistic and cover many aspects of work including classwork and non-examined assessment (coursework) . Mock exam results can be part of this but they will need to be judged in the context of overall performance and will not be the decisive factor.

Teachers are being urged to be ‘cautious’ about taking to consideration any work completed since the lockdown.

Teachers judgments will also be subject to statistical checks.

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(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 1

Evil Homer

OP

TSR Community Staff

20

(Old) 21st March Update: (Source)

1. Did exams need to be cancelled?

From Friday 20 March, all educational settings are closed to everyone except the children of critical workers and vulnerable children.The coronavirus outbreak is expected to continue having a significant impact on the education system, and the country, for months to come. Therefore exams have been cancelled now to give pupils, parents, and teachers certainty, and enable schools and colleges to focus on supporting vulnerable children and the children of key workers

2. What will happen to those who have already done some non-exam assessment?

The calculated grade process will take into account a range of evidence including, for example, non-exam assessment and mock results, and the approach will be standardised between schools and colleges. Ofqual is working urgently with the exam boards to set out proposals for how this process will work and will be talking to teachers’ representatives before finalising an approach, to ensure that the approach taken is as fair as possible.

3. How will you address the fact that students from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to have their grades under-predicted?

We are not awarding students their predicted grades. Ofqual, the independent qualifications regulator, will develop a fair and robust process that takes into account a broad range of evidence, including teacher assessment and prior attainment. Ofqual will make every effort to ensure that the process agreed does not disadvantage any particular group of students.Pupils who do not feel their calculated grade reflects their performance will have the opportunity to sit an exam, as soon as is reasonably possible after schools and colleges open again.

4. Will all students get their predicted grade?

No, we know that simply using predicted grades would not be fair to all students. The calculated grade will take into account teachers’ assessment of the likely grade as well as other factors such as prior attainment, so students’ final grades will not necessarily reflect their predicted grades.

5. Will schools be using mock exam results as a barometer for results – and is this fair on students as they did not know at the time these would be used as their final mark?

Mock exam results will be one of the pieces of evidence that will be taken into account in this process, alongside other factors. Ofqual will ensure schools are provided with clear guidance on how to do this fairly and robustly.

6. Will the past performance of the school be taken into account when devising the calculated grade?

Ofqual will consider carefully how to ensure the process is as fair as possible, which is likely to include considering measures that reflect how much progress a student would have been likely to have made at the school they are attending.

7. Is this an entirely new system?

Exam boards have experience of using moderated teacher assessment to award grades to a number of students, such as those who fall ill immediately before an exam. Ofqual will draw on this experience when developing the process to be used this year.

8. How will schools/colleges cope with the burden of putting on an atypical exam season?

We recognise that exams are a stressful time for schools and colleges. We will set out in due course the steps we will be taking to minimise this burden.

9. Will universities/colleges/sixth forms accept these calculated grades?

The calculated grades awarded will be formal grades, with the same status as grades awarded in any other year.
University representatives have already confirmed that they expect universities to be flexible and do all they can to support students and ensure they can progress to higher education.

10. What if I am unhappy with my grade?

We will work closely with Ofqual and awarding organisations to ensure candidates are awarded a fair grade that recognises the work they have put in. If a student does not believe the correct process has been followed in their case they will be able to appeal on that basis. In addition, if they do not feel their calculated grade reflects their performance, they will have the opportunity to sit an exam, as soon as soon as is reasonably possible after schools and colleges open again. Students will also have the option to sit their exams in summer 2021.

11. Will there be an opportunity to take exams this year if a student is unhappy with their grade?

We recognise that some students may feel disappointed that they have not been able to sit their exams. If they do not feel their calculated grade reflects their performance, they will have the opportunity to sit an exam, as soon as is reasonably possible after schools and colleges open again. Students will also have the option to sit their exams in summer 2021.

12. What about private candidates or home educated students?

We will work closely with the independent regulator of qualifications, Ofqual, to explore options for awarding grades to private candidates, including home educated students.

13. Can private centres run GCSEs/A levels if they chose to do so?

No. Exam boards will not be issuing papers for this summer’s GCSE, AS and A levels so there will not be the opportunity to sit them at any centre.

14. Does this mean every exam in every module in every subject being cancelled, or will a limited number go ahead at GCSE and/or A level?

Exam boards will not be issuing papers for this summer’s GCSE, AS and A levels so there will not be the opportunity to sit them in any subject.

15. What about vocational and technical qualifications?

No exams will be taking place in schools and colleges this summer.
There is a very wide range of different vocational and technical qualifications as well as other academic qualifications for which students were expecting to sit exams this summer. These are offered by a large number of awarding organisations, and have differing assessment approaches – in many cases students will already have completed modules or non-exam assessment which could provide evidence to award a grade. We are encouraging these organisations to show the maximum possible flexibility and pragmatism to ensure students are not disadvantaged. Ofqual is working urgently with the sector to explore options and we will work with them to provide more details shortly.

16. Will parents be required to educate their children while they are off school?

We are completely committed to ensuring that every child receives the best education possible and will be working with the BBC and others to provide resources for children to access while at home.

17. What if have started my coursework but it is not finished?

Exam boards will provide advice on this to schools and colleges as soon as possible.

18. What will young people with university offers do?

The grades awarded to students will have equal validity to the grades awarded in other years and should be treated in this way by universities, colleges and employers. There is no reason for the usual admissions cycle to be disrupted.
We welcome the constructive approach taken by the main university representative body, Universities UK, who have said that universities will be flexible and do all they can to support students and ensure they can progress to university.

19. Do universities need to start making unconditional offers / should I accept an unconditional offer now that exams are cancelled?

The grades awarded to students will have equal validity to the grades awarded in other years and should be treated in this way by universities, colleges and employers.
There is no reason for the usual admissions cycle to be disrupted. Universities should not begin making new unconditional offers and applicants should feel no pressure to accept such offers, as they will be awarded a formal calculated grade for each exam they would have taken.

20. If I already have an unconditional offer, does that remain?

Yes, an unconditional offer means you have already met the entry requirements, so the place is yours if you want it

21. If I take the exam option, will I still be able to go to university this year?

Students who do not feel their calculated grade reflects their performance, will have the opportunity to sit an exam, as soon as is reasonably possible after the beginning of the academic year. While it cannot be guaranteed in every circumstance, Universities UK has assured us that the majority of universities will show the utmost flexibility to ensure that such students who take this option are able to begin their course with a delayed start time.If a student is in this circumstance, they should speak to the university from which they have an offer after receiving their calculated grade.

22. Are iGCSEs and the International Baccalaureate also cancelled?

We are making clear to all awarding organisations that no exams should go ahead in schools and colleges in England this year.

23. How will colleges, sixth-forms, universities cope with the fact that these students will have missed out on some of their education?

These are extraordinary circumstances. We are working with schools, sixth forms, colleges and universities to ensure that we do everything we can to best help students prepare for and progress to the next stage of their education.

24. Might the exams be reinstated if the coronavirus (COVID-19) is not as bad as expected?

No, the decision has been taken to cancel all exams this summer.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 2

Obolinda

21

I think this is a decent way and I can't speak for anybody else but I think my grades will be fair.

I have to get 6 grade 7s to get into my sixth form. Even if I'm given lower than I expected/wanted, if I get into sixth form, I'm Gucci. I don't want to sit them, lol

Reply 3

Puddles the Monkey

21

Heya, just quoting in everyone who posted in the previous thread so you find this :smile:

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 4

XxxvatxxX

11

What's gonna happen with gap year students doing A-Levels? Some of them don't even have predicted grades, and there's no way they would use their in-course assessment from 2 years back from secondary school...

They didn't even mention the private students with no teachers, what's happening with them?

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 5

absolutelysprout

21

think it's fair

Reply 6

username5215566

12

I am so confused. What do I do as an external student with no teacher?

Reply 7

Toastiekid

22

am really hoping i get the grades to get into uni :ahhhhh:

was a grade off my predicted in all subjects in mocks so am hoping it'll be okay :frown:

Reply 8

discovery01

11

Original post by Obolinda

I think this is a decent way and I can't speak for anybody else but I think my grades will be fair.

I have to get 6 grade 7s to get into my sixth form. Even if I'm given lower than I expected/wanted, if I get into sixth form, I'm Gucci. I don't want to sit them, lol

Its not a decent way for many because a lot of students don't put their all in mocks and tbh nothing is fair even if they take into account mocks where grades are decent/high. i know a lot of people who got A*s in mocks but scrapped a B in the exams.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 9

Notnek

21

Nothing about external candidates who don't have a teacher. At least mention that they're being considered in all this instead of leaving them completely in limbo.

Reply 10

JJJJJAAAAMES

21

This is bull crap. they should close schools but let us do our exams when the day comes.

And also im resitting, and I haven't talked to teachers since last year, how would they predict what I'll get

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 11

endergirl123

14

unfair im retaking english language gcse and i need a 6 for medicine, my ****ing teacher predicted a 3 for english literature and i got a 7, how the hell will this work?

Reply 12

username2441075

16

Original post by Evil Homer

Update 20th March 2020: Ofqual update (Source) : Ofqual will develop and set out a process that will provide a calculated grade to each student which reflects their performances as fairly as possible, and will work with the exam boards to ensure this is consistently applied for all students. The exam boards will be asking teachers, who know their students well, to submit their judgement about the grade that they believe the student would have received if exams had gone ahead.

To produce this, teachers will take into account a range of evidence and data including performance on mock exams and non-exam assessment – clear guidance on how to do this fairly and robustly this will be provided to schools and colleges. The exam boards will then combine this information with other relevant data, including prior attainment, and use this information to produce a calculated grade for each student, which will be a best assessment of the work they have put in. Ofqual will be discussing with teachers'representative before finalising an approach.

The aim is to provide these calculated grades to students before the end of July. In terms of a permanent record, the grades will be indistinguishable from those provided in other years. We will also aim to ensure that the distribution of grades follows a similar pattern to that in other years, so that this year’s students do not face a systematic disadvantage as a consequence of these extraordinary circumstances.

There will also be an option to sit an exam early in the next academic year for students who wish to and University representatives have confirmed that they expect universities to be flexible and do all they can to support students and ensure they can progress to higher education.

So, what do you make of the news? How are you feeling now a initial plan has been laid out.

Do you think this is the fairest way for students to receive their grades considering whats going on at the moment? Do you trust that you will recieve the grades that you deserve?

I'm so screwed, I didn't put in as much effort in mini tests and in my mocks I did so bad. Even if my teacher thinks I can do better, my grades don't show. I wanna cry, everything always goes downhill for me.

Reply 13

Obolinda

21

Original post by discovery01

Its not a decent way for many because a lot of students don't put their all in mocks and tbh nothing is fair even if they take into account mocks where grades are decent/high. i know a lot of people who got a* in mocks but scrapped a b in the exams.

Yeah, it's not great. But it's decent. What else can they do? There's even an option to sit the exams later if they're not happy with the grade.

Reply 14

Alex mogosanu

3

What’s going to happen to BTEC students though?

Reply 15

Shuviliaxx

14

hellooo??? what about private candidates??

Reply 16

ithinkimbipolar

5

Original post by sweetstars

I'm so screwed, I didn't put in as much effort in mini tests and in my mocks I did so bad. Even if my teacher thinks I can do better, my grades don't show. I wanna cry, everything always goes downhill for me.