GCSE, A Level and vocational qualifications: summer 2021

As students will be aware, owing to the current pandemic, students’ grades will be determined by teacher assessment this summer. Following a consultation period, exam boards are now able to supply further details of what this entails. Summarised below are some key details which will enable students to understand the process. Teachers will make a holistic judgement of each student’s performance based on a broad range of evidence. The evidence will be subjected to a quality assurance process. The evidence will include some or all of the following:

• Student work on materials such as past papers, sample papers, tests or groups of questions;
• Non-exam assessment (also known as NEA) work;
• Class internal tests taken by students;
• Mock exams;
• Records of each student’s progress and performance over the course of study
• Records of a student’s capability and performance over the course of study;
• For vocational qualifications – evidence from completed units including examined components that have been sat.

Overall grades will be determined as late in the academic year as possible to include recent teaching and students’ most up to date performance. Please note that final grades are awarded by exam boards and we are unable to share the final teacher assessed grades with students.

Results will be issued in the usual way through our results day, which will be held nationally, on Thursday 12th August for GCSE and on Tuesday 10th August for A Levels.

As part of our evidence gathering process, we will be holding an internal assessment period between Apr- May where students will have the opportunity to complete a formal assessment in each of their subjects where appropriate.

Students should ensure they continue to attend all lessons and work with teachers to enable maximum performance. Some students may also be invited to attend catch up sessions during Easter; if students have been identified as benefitting from some additional catch up work it is important that they attend these sessions wherever possible.

For some vocational areas assessments and examinations will continue and this will depend on the Curriculum Area, this will be communicated by the Teachers in those specific areas.

Finally we as a College have been impressed overall by the hard work of all our students both prior to and during the recent lockdown. The coming weeks up until mid-June will be crucial for students in terms of determining final grades and preparing for your next steps.

Guidance for Students and Parents on Summer 2021

FAQs