Dear Parents / Carers of Year 11 and Year 13 students
This afternoon the government issued preliminary guidance on how this year’s GCSE and A level grades will be awarded and I thought it was right to share this with you as soon as possible. Clearly there is still a huge amount of detail to be ironed out and there remains more questions than answers. However, the key points are pretty much as we expected and once again I must emphasise it means that pupils will be awarded the grades and qualifications they deserve this year and they will be able to move onto the next stage of their lives. The headline points from the Department for Education document are
· GCSE and A level students will be awarded a grade which fairly reflects the work that they have put in.
· The exam boards will be asking teachers to submit their judgement about the grade that they believe the student would have received if the exams had gone ahead.
· To produce this teachers will take in a range of evidence and guidance on this will be provided to schools at a later date.
· The exam boards will then combine this information with other relevant statistical data to produce a calculated grade for each student. Again, more information on this will be provided as soon as possible.
· The aim is to provide these calculated grades to students before the end of July.
· These grades will be indistinguishable from those provided in other years.
· The distribution of grades will follow a similar pattern to previous years, meaning that this year’s students do not face a systemic disadvantage as a consequence of these extraordinary circumstances.
· If students do not believe the correct process has been followed in their case they will be able to appeal on that basis.
· If they do not feel the calculated grade reflects their performance, they will have the opportunity to sit an exam at the earliest opportunity, once schools are open again.
I hope this reassures you and your son / daughter slightly. I will of course keep you up dated when I have any further information.
Warm regards
Richard Middlebrook
