GCSE and A Level Grades 2020

Dear Parents/Carers and Students –

Re: GCSE and A Level Grades 2020

We hope you remain well and continue to follow closely the advice from the Government regarding staying safe in this time of national crisis.

Last Friday, schools received some guidance from Ofqual, the exam regulator, regarding how GCSE and A Level grades will be awarded this summer.

Schools were informed that Exam boards will be contacting schools after Easter and asking them to submit, by a deadline that will be no earlier than 29th May 2020, centre assessment grades for their students. Schools were advised that these ‘should be fair, objective and carefully considered judgements of the grades schools and colleges believe their students would have been most likely to achieve if they had sat their exams, and should take into account the full range of available evidence.’

This means that, under the direction of the school and subject to further guidance from Ofqual, teachers are responsible this year for submitting the grades they believe their students would have achieved in this summer’s examinations; teachers, departments and schools are also then responsible for ‘rank ordering’ the students within each grade boundary.

We know that this is an unprecedented step in what are unprecedented times. We also know that students – especially those in Y11 and Y13 – will be unsettled by recent events, but the regulator has also said that their ‘over-riding aim in this is to be fair to students this summer and to make sure you are not disadvantaged in your progress to sixth form, college, university, apprenticeships, training or work.’

The guidance has also stated that teachers will not able to disclose or discuss this information with students and parents, and so we would ask that you do not attempt to make contact with school or teachers to discuss this specifically. As soon as we are able to share additional information with you, we will do so.

The regulator has published 2 documents that will be of particular interest to students and their families: a letter that can be accessed here, and a guidance document for teachers, parents carers and  students that can be accessed here. We would recommend you take some time to read them both, if you haven’t already done so.

We hope to be able to share additional information with you shortly about this process. In the meantime, for Y11 students, we are preparing some transition materials available through Google classroom and our 6th form team will also be in contact to explain 6th form options and enrolment. For our Y13 students, the 6th form team will also be in touch to offer support, particularly in relation to UCAS and apprenticeships.

Yours Faithfully,

Ian Murphy

Vice-Principal