Dear KS4 and KS5 Students
Re: GCSE and A levels Update
I hope that you and your family are well and keeping safe. Please take care of yourselves, your friends, family and community by following the government direction precisely; that is, stay at home. Only leave your home, and for the minimum time possible, to buy essentials (food or medicine) or to take one form of daily exercise (walk, run or cycle). These national measures have been put in place by the government until at least Tuesday 14 April.
I wanted to update you regarding GCSE and A levels. Qualifications Wales has written to schools updating us on how grades will be awarded this summer. As we understand it, grades for GCSE (Year 11) and A level (Year 13) will be calculated using a range of evidence such as:
Marks for any work completed to date
Unitised examination assessments and, for A level, AS outcomes
Scores achieved for non-examined assessments
Teacher professional predictions
However, Qualifications Wales have made clear that they do not plan to issue grades for AS levels and/or for unit assessments taken by Year 10 students.
It has been made clear that teacher professional predictions must be fair and reasonable, and based on what staff would expect students to achieve at the end of the course. We will be asked to look at a range of evidence, rather than just one source of evidence such as mock exams. As you know, we use a fine grading tracking system (e.g. B-/B/B+) throughout the year and this will assist us ensuring fairness.
You may find these links useful
Welsh Government – please click here
WJEC – please click here
Qualification Wales have also published a series of FAQs about the cancelled exams this summer and how grades will be calculated:
Q - What is happening with summer examinations this year?
Welsh Government announced that schools would be closed after 20 March and therefore the summer exams could not take place, Learners due to sit their GCSEs and A levels this summer will be awarded a fair grade to recognise their work. Normal arrangements for reporting of Key Stage 4 and post-16 performance measures will be suspended for this year.
Q - How will the decision to cancel summer examinations impact me?
The priority is ensuring fairness for learners while following public health advice. Grades for GCSE and A level qualifications in 2020 will be calculated using a range of evidence. In determining how we proceed, the focus will be on what is in the best interests of learners both in terms of their current well-being and their progress to work, education or training
Q - What will happen for learners in Years 10 and 12?
Given the clear importance of GCSE, A level and Skills Challenge Certificate results for progress in education, work and life, we have been prioritising these qualifications. We are now looking at a variety of options for AS Levels due to be taken this summer and for GCSE unit assessments due to be taken by Year 10 learners this summer. We will share more detail on those plans as soon as we can
Q - What will happen about practical exams?
Since schools are now closed to most students, it is not possible for practical work to be completed. Practical work completed previously by students could be part of the assessment information that teachers can take into account in producing their teacher assessment grade for each student.
Q - Will we have to sit the exams in the autumn when schools return?
It is not our intention for learners in Wales to sit their GCSEs and A levels when schools return in the autumn. Instead they will be awarded a fair grade to recognise their work.
Q - Will I still have to sit my AS levels before taking my A levels in 2021?
This is currently under discussion. We are working hard to provide greater clarity, as quickly as possible, and will continue to give regular updates.
Q - Will you just be using mock exams or teacher predictions to set grades?
No, not in isolation. Grades for GCSE and A level qualifications in 2020 will be calculated using a range of evidence. They will be based on a combination of factors which may include marks for work completed to date, for example AS results for A level grades, and standardised teacher assessment grades. Teacher assessment grades will be based on what teachers would expect a learner to achieve at the end of the course. They need to represent a fair, reasonable and carefully considered judgement of the most likely grade that might be achieved in normal circumstances. This is a professional judgement based on the combined assessment information held for that learner and will be a holistic judgement rather than focusing on a single source of evidence like mock examinations.
Q - Will results still be published in August?
We have noted the UK Government’s announcement that learners in England will receive their grades by the end of July. We are working closely with other UK regulators and an important part of our work to co-ordinate activities will be to agree the dates when results will be released. We are also working closely with UCAS, Universities Wales and other key stakeholders. Our main objective is to ensure that no learners are disadvantaged during these unprecedented times.
Q - Can I challenge the grade awarded to me, and how do I do that?
There will be no review of marking in the normal way, and we are still discussing what, if any, appeal process could be adopted.
I know that this is an unsettling time for you, as it is for all of us. As I said in our assembly on Thursday last week, we want the best for every one of you and I promise that we will treat you fairly. We will not undersell you but neither will we inflate a prediction. We have a responsibility to you, to our professionalism and as an exam centre. Once we have further information, I will send you an update.
Please keep safe by staying at home, looking after yourself and protecting everyone around you by doing so.
Take care.
Miss Collins
