School pupils in England will receive centre assessment grades for this week’s GCSE results and last week’s A and AS level results.
Ofqual had implemented a standardisation process for exam results this summer, but this produced inconsistent and unfair outcomes for A and AS level students. Ofqual had not anticipated these problems, and the decision was made to use centre and teacher assessed grades for pupils instead, to make sure that this fairly reflects their work and prior performance.
Those receiving their GCSE grades today will receive their centre assessment grade from their school or college, and pupils who received their A or AS level results last Thursday will be reissued their centre assessment grade. If pupils' calculated grades were higher than the centre assessment grade, their calculated grade will stand.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has stated:
'This has been an extraordinarily difficult year for young people who were unable to take their exams.
We worked with Ofqual to construct the fairest possible model, but it is clear that the process of allocating grades has resulted in more inconsistency and unfairness than can be reasonably resolved through an appeals process.
We now believe it is better to offer young people and parents certainty by moving to teacher assessed grades for both A and AS level and GCSE results.
I am sorry for the distress this has caused young people and their parents but hope this announcement will now provide the certainty and reassurance they deserve.'
More information is available on the Government website here.