Highfields School
Issue 28: 24 April 2020
Newsletter Updates for Parents/Carers Qualifications and Exams Update: Years 11 and 13 students Further to the update on qualifications issued on 3 April (below) the exam regulator Ofqual have published a video that helps to explain the process. They have also announced that grades will be made available to students on 13 August (for Y13) and 20 August (for Y11). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXuDOrtJY1Q&feature=youtu.be Ofqual are consulting all parties with an interest in the process for determining grade and qualifications this summer. The full consultation documents and the opportunity to respond by completing an online response form can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/exceptional-arrangements-for-exam-grading-andassessment-in-2020 Ofqual have also published a letter for students about grading and qualifications this summer: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/ 878854/Letter_to_students_-_Summer_2020_grading.pdf
Qualifications update: 3 April 2020: Following our earlier communications on the cancellation of public exams this summer on Friday 3 April the Exams regulator Ofqual published further detailed guidance about how qualifications will be awarded to students. We have been told that Schools will be asked to provide, no earlier than 29 May 1. A ‘centre assessment grade’ for every student in each of their subjects: that is, the grade they would be most likely to have achieved if they had sat their exams and completed any nonexam assessment. These should be fair, objective and carefully considered judgements. In making these Teachers will carefully balance different sources of evidence such as classwork, bookwork and any participation in performances in subjects such as music, drama or PE; any nonexam assessment – whether or not complete; the results of any assignments or mock exams / previous examination results 2. The ‘rank order’ of students within each grade for each subject – for example, for all those students with a centre assessment grade of 5 in GCSE maths, a rank order where 1 is the most secure/highest attaining student, and so on. This information will be used in the standardisation of centres’ judgements – allowing fine tuning of the standard applied across all schools and colleges. Schools will not be able to share this information with students. We are awaiting information from the Exam Boards detailing further guidance. Students will also have the opportunity to sit exams at the earliest reasonable opportunity in the new academic year. Ofqual is working across the education sector to plan for how and when these additional exams will take place. We know that many students are desperately disappointed that they have been deprived of the opportunity to prove themselves due to cancelled exams. Autumn exams may well provide the opportunity that they have had taken away from them in the summer. A detailed guide for teachers, students parents and carers can be found here
Be the best you can
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