In 'normal times', exams can be a cause of stress and anxiety for students. Even those students who have studied and you’d think are well prepared are subjected to the mounting pressure. In fact, these abnormal times are no different. Exams have been replaced with...
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2021 Exams
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The Balancing Act: Student stress and future progression in the 2021 exam series with Jill Duffy
In 'normal times', exams can be a cause of stress and anxiety for students. Even those students who have studied and you’d think are well prepared are subjected to the mounting pressure. In fact, these abnormal times are no different. Exams have been replaced with Teacher Assessment; a process...
Older thoughts and advice
Constant Challenge: Striving for consistency in Teacher Assessed Grades for GCSE and A Levels with WJEC’s Ian Morgan
The pandemic has resulted in cancelled exams for hundreds of thousands of pupils across the UK. In their place, we have Teacher Assessed Grades; where teachers are using their professional and holistic judgment to determine the level that a student is performing at....
Your GCSE 2021 Questions Answered
[section label="About: Intro" padding="0px"] [row padding="60px 60px 40px 60px"] [col span="8" span__sm="12" span__md="8" margin="-100px 0px 0px 0px" bg_color="#273647" color="light"] What's on your mind about GCSEs in 2021? It's been a bit of an unsettling time. And...
2021 grades for GCSE & A Level Home-Schooled and Private Candidates
Students who haven't studied with an exam centre can now find somewhere to assess their work and award them a grade. Following the decision to cancel the summer 2021 exams, Ofqual announced that in place of the terminal exam they would rely wholly on teacher...
GCSE & A Level 2021 Grading Guidance Issued
Help and guidance on grading pupils who should have been sitting their GCSE or A Levels exams in the summer 2021 sitting has been published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ). Following the announcement by Government that exams wouldn't take place, Ofqual...
Making The Grade: Determining GCSE and A Level results in 2021 with Simon Lebus
In many subjects, it all hinges on the final exam. Many see them as the culmination of 2 or 3 years worth of study. And, of course, they are often source of great anxiety and often huge relief when they’re finished. However, just like last year, the class of...
Ofqual confirms the changes to GCSE, AS and A Level grading in 2021
After months of speculation and consultation, details have been announced for how grades will be awarded in 2021. The Government announced in January that there would be no exams in England for GCSEs, Vocational Qualifications (eg BTEC), AS or A Levels in 2021. Since...
How you’ll get a grade for GCSE and A Levels in 2021
Ofqual has announced its proposals for how students will receive their grades in their GCSE, AS and A Levels, after exams were cancelled. The consultation document sets out what Ofqual considers to be the fairest way to award grades to students so that they "have an...
The Exam Question: The impact of cancelled exams and learning with Zoe Enser
Who knew unprecedented times could still give you a sense of deja vu? The cancellation of GCSE and A Level exams in the summer 2021 sitting has divided people: those who think the exams should have gone ahead as the fairest way to grade students; and those who have...
GCSE and A Level exams Cancelled in 2021
Students in England will no longer sit formal exams in GCSEs, A Levels or AS Levels in the Summer 2021 sitting, following the announcement from Government. Instead of these summer exams, teacher judgement will be used to grade students, in a similar way to 2020's...
Government announces headline changes for 2021 GCSE and A-Level exams.
The Governement has announced steps to improve fairness for next year's exam students, with detail to follow. Today (3 December 2020) the Department for Education has announced a number of measures that it sees as addressing the issues of fairness and disruption for...
Welsh Government cancels GCSE, AS and A Level exams for Summer 2021
Education Minister Kirsty Williams has today (Tuesday 10 November ) confirmed Wales’ approach for qualifications in 2021. Her decision that there will be no end of year exams for learners taking GCSEs, AS levels or A levels. Instead The Welsh Government will work with...
GCSE and A Level Exams in England to take place a little later in 2021
Students taking GCSE, AS and A Level exams in 2021 sitting will now have an additional 3 weeks to prepare. This follows today's announcement to delay the exam period in England. Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, has confirmed that exams will go ahead next year....