Exams – Summer 2020 Key Information for Students and Families
Exams – Summer 2020
Key Information for Students and Families
As a result of COVID 19 the May / June exam series was cancelled affecting all students due to sit public examinations this Summer. As a result, all schools and colleges were asked to submit a Centre Assessed Grade (CAGs) for each student to the relevant exam board.
We have collated the information below to help you to understand the process and address any concerns that you may have.
How will the Centre Assessed Grades be calculated?
The school have been asked to send the exam boards two pieces of information for each of your subjects, based on what they know about your work and achievements:
- the grade they believe you were most likely to get if teaching, learning and exams had happened as planned
- within each subject, the order of students at your school or college, by performance, for each grade. This information will be used to standardise judgements – allowing fine tuning of the standard applied across schools and colleges
We have considered a range of things like your classwork and homework; your results in assignments and any mock exams; any non-exam assessment or coursework you might have done; and your general progress during your course.
This information will allow Ofqual, along with exam boards, to standardise grades across schools and colleges, to make sure that, as far as possible, results are fair and that students are not advantaged or disadvantaged because their schools or colleges are more generous or harsh than others when making those judgements. That means the final calculated grade you receive could be different from the one the sends to the exam board.
Ofqual have produced these videos explaining this process which you may find useful:
When will I receive my results?
Students final results will be released to students on the following dates;
- Year 13 - A Level / Level 3 Vocational - Thursday 23rd August from 8.00am.
- Year 11 - GCSE / Level 2 Vocational - Thursday 20th August from 8.00am.
This year, due to the Coronavirus and social distancing requirements, results will be issued electronically. Results will be emailed direct to each student after 8.00am to their school email address. Please ensure that your child can login and access their email ahead of results day.
Information regarding Year 11 and Year 13 exam results are accessible below:
What if I was expecting to apply for special consideration for the summer 2020 exams?
This year the awarding bodies will not be applying any adjustments for special consideration. Schools and colleges were required submit a CAG that takes special consideration(s) into account when considering what a candidate would have achieved had the adjustment been applied.
What if I was eligible for access arrangements for the summer 2020 exams?
This year the exam boards will not be applying any adjustments for access arrangements. Schools and colleges were required to submit a CAG that takes access arrangements into account when considering what a candidate would have achieved had the arrangements been applied.
What if I want to re-sit the exam?
For this year only there will be special Autumn exam series to allow students that are disappointed with their grades an opportunity to sit the exam that was cancelled. The dates for these exams are:
- AS and A Level Exams – Monday 5th October to Friday 23rd October
- GCSE Exams – Monday 2nd November to Monday 23rd November
If you wish to look at the timetable for a specific qualification over the summer, you can look on the awarding body websites from the end of July.
If you choose to take an exam in any qualification, you will need to sit all papers associated with that qualification e.g. if you are sitting the Maths exams, you will sit three exams (one non-calculator and two calculator).
We will provide further details as to how you can arrange this along with your exam results.
If I resit an exam and my grade goes down, which one counts?
The higher grade will count.
If I choose to sit an exam in the Autumn series, where will I sit my exam?
At this stage we envisage that for all qualifications with the exception of GCSE English and Maths, you will sit your exams at Raynes Park High School.
For GCSE English and Maths, some students may sit this exam at the college / centre that they have progressed to as part of their programme of study, while those students that remain with us will sit theses exams at Raynes Park High School. We will provide further details on this later.
What should I do if I want to appeal my grade(s)?
If you believe that the process for awarding your grades this summer was not applied correctly you may appeal by contacting our Exams Officer – Mr Geddes at: dgeddes@raynespark.merton.sch.uk
We will look into your appeal when we return to school for the autumn term. Please be aware that you appeal may need input from a few members of staff it may take some time to respond to your appeal.
If you believe there is evidence of serious malpractice on the part of the school, it may be appropriate for you to take your concerns directly to the awarding body or Ofqual.
Where can I get careers advice?
In school we have our Careers Leader Ms Brake who will be able to support you. You can contact her to discuss your options following results day at bbrake@raynespark.merton.sch.uk
The National Careers Service has set up an exam results helpline. Students or their parents / carers can contact the helpline on 0800 100 900 to speak with a professionally qualified careers advisor if you need advice on your next steps. The helpline will be open from 8.00am – 10.00pm from Thursday 13th August until Friday 28th August. After this date you will still be able to access ongoing support from The National Careers Service at any time by calling the number above, visiting https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/contact-us or searching for them on Facebook and Twitter.
Other useful links –
Coronavirus (COVID-19): cancellation of GCSEs, AS and A levels in 2020
Awarding qualifications in Summer 2020
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/awarding-qualifications-in-summer-2020
Letter to students - Summer 2020 Grading
Exam Board Websites
- AQA - https://www.aqa.org.uk/
- WJEC - https://www.wjec.co.uk/
- Edexcel / Pearson - https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/home.html
- OCR - https://www.ocr.org.uk/
Ofqual - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofqual