Education has been impacted massively by COVID – 19. The cancellation of exams this Summer has affected so many students and led to much uncertainty about the future. We are doing all we can to ensure that all students understand the Summer exam process and provide options for students who have missed out on vital exams.
In our last blog post we set out the procedures put in place to decide exam grades for the cancelled Summer exam series. All these grades have now been submitted to the relevant exam boards and we can now provide more information on the results procedure for GCSE, IGCSE and A Levels. We also have a few details about how the exams will proceed in the Autumn that we can share with you.
We know that some of you were unable to be awarded calculated grades this Summer and this has hugely affected your future plans. If you couldn’t take your Maths GCSE this Summer and need it to move on with your education, our Onscreen Functional Maths Test may be able to provide you with the Maths qualification you need to undertake further study.
Now the centre assessment grades have been submitted, what happens next?
Grades have been submitted to the exam boards based on the evidence we have gathered. To ensure a fair process for all students across the country the exam boards will now perform a statistical standardisation of all the grades submitted by schools and exam centres. To do this they look at all the grades provided on a national level to ensure consistency. Final grades will be aligned across all schools and colleges and will be of equal value to the grades awarded in previous years. This means that the grades provided by schools, colleges and centres like us could possibly be adjusted down or up to ensure fairness for all.
Can you tell me the grades you have provided to the exam board?
Ofqual and exam board guidelines clearly state that we are not permitted, under any circumstances, to share the centre assessment grades we have submitted with you, your parents/guardians or any other individual outside of the centre, before the final results are issued. This is to protect the integrity of the Centre’s judgements.
When will my results be published?
The publication of exam results has now been confirmed on the following dates;
Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE, O-Level & A-Level Results: Tuesday 11th August 2020
AQA, Edexcel, OCR & WJEC A-Level Results: Thursday 13th August 2020.
AQA, Edexcel, OCR & WJEC GCSE & IGCSE Results: Thursday 20th August 2020
How will I receive my results?
Your results will be sent to you by email on the appropriate day, usually by 9am.
Your results will be given in the form of a “Statement of Results” which will be attached to the email. Although this is not a formal certificate, it is the standard format for UK exam results and will be accepted by colleges, universities and employers. If you are worried that you will not have access to email on the relevant day then please let us know as it may be possible for us to provide results to you in a different way. This could be by text message, for example.
Final, formal certificates will be provided by the exam boards by mid-November. Once we have received them, we will be in contact with you to confirm the address you would like them to be sent to.
Did you miss out on your Maths GCSE and need an equivalent qualification to carry on your education?
If you are a student who was unable to take your Maths GCSE this Summer and you couldn’t use the predicted grade system detailed above, then our Onscreen Functional Skills Maths Test could be the answer. We know there are students who urgently need a Maths qualification to go to their chosen college or university, or for a job application. This test is the ideal solution to replace the GCSE you couldn’t take.
This is because you can take the Functional Maths Test during the Summer, our Centre is open from the 30th June, meaning you don’t have to wait for the November exam series to do your Maths GCSE. This enables you to move forward with your education in the Autumn as planned. The results are available within 28 days, before courses start in September, so you can ensure you meet the entry criteria.
Our Centre will be adhering to current guidelines regarding social distancing when conducting the tests. Tests are often completed on an individual basis with just an invigilator present which means we can ensure a safe environment.
With so many students’ plans having been disrupted by the pandemic, this Functional Skills Maths test can help some students move on with their studies as planned. Please Contact Us to book your test.
What are the plans for the Autumn series of exams?
If you are looking to take the exams you missed this Summer, Ofqual have recently released some key details for the Autumn exam series that could be of interest to you.
The main points at the moment are;
- The exam boards will make examinations available in all GCSE and A Level subjects
- The Autumn results will be based on students’ exam performance alone. Non-exam assessment such as A-Level English Literature or A-Level History coursework will not be included.
- The exam series will run between October and November.
- Entry is limited to students who had entered for the Summer exam series, whether they were able to be awarded a calculated grade or not, and to students who the exam board believes had intended to enter those exams. Students who would normally be entitled to take GCSEs in English Language and Maths in November will also be able to take exams in those subjects.
If you have already contacted us expressing an interest in taking an exam in this Autumn series, we will be contacting you via email in the coming weeks. If you fit the criteria above and you haven’t yet organised your exam entry let us know.
We are here for you in challenging times
This has been a difficult time for students and everyone involved with the exam process but we are here to help you as much as we can. For those expecting calculated grades we look forward to providing you with your results in the coming months.
For those who missed out on their Maths GCSE this Summer our Functional Skills Maths test is one option to help you move forward with your education so please Get In Touch if this could benefit you.
We will always follow the guidance provided to give the best exam service we can to our students.
Until our next update take care.