Arrangements for Assessments and Awarding Grades
On 25th February 2021, Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary, announced “students will receive grades awarded and determined by teachers, with pupils only assessed on what they have been taught, the Education Secretary announced today. Teacher assessed grades for students – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk.
The system now agreed is that teachers will be able to draw on a range of evidence when determining grades, including the optional use of questions provided by exam boards, as well as mock exams, coursework, or other work completed as part of a pupil’s course, such as essays or in-class tests. Teachers will submit grades to exam boards by 18 June, allowing as much teaching time as possible before teachers make their assessments.
Ofqual, the exam regulator, say they wish students to “engage fully” in their education for the remainder of the year. So, the regulator is proposing teachers making final assessments of their students’ performance during late May and early June. Ofqual said any later than this would delay releasing grades. If it was earlier, there would be insufficient time for teachers to assess their students.
Last year, teachers were asked to come up with a grade they thought a student would have achieved had they had set their exams. This is no longer the case. Under the current plan, Ofqual has asked that the grades should be based on teachers’ assessments of the “evidence of the standard at which their students are performing; it should indicate their demonstrated knowledge, understanding and skills”. They confirm “Teachers should assess students on the areas of content they have covered and can demonstrate their ability, while ensuring sufficient breadth of content coverage so as not to limit progression,” Awarding qualifications in summer 2021 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Ofqual published its summer 2021 qualification explainer tool on 24 March, which shows what approach will be taken for individual qualifications. Students can search for their specific qualification to see how it will be assessed
Highgate Wood School’s process for the awarding of grades is outline in our Summer-2021-HWS-Centre-policy
Our Teacher Assessed Grades methodology for Year 11 is course is explained here Please do not assume that recently provided and publicly available exams material will be used by departments. This is a decision for individual departments and most will not publish in advance assessment materials. For most subjects our view is that material is best when it is unseen.
Small changes might be made in percentage contribution if the assessments suggest this is in the best interests of making the best judgements. This will not affect grades as such but only the initial ranking that forms the starting point of teachers using their professional judgement to decide on grades.
Key Year 11 assessments will take place in the week beginning Tuesday 3rd May (Year 11 Assessments Timetable) but assessment information for both GCSE and A Level grades will also be drawn from a wider range of sources, including in-class tests and responses in lessons.
Results Days
Results days for GCSE, A level and some vocational qualifications will take place in the week of 9 August – moved forward from the week of the 23 August. These earlier dates provide additional time for appeals to be completed, so students reliant on those outcomes to achieve their university offer have the best chance of accessing a place.
For any questions relating to this years examinations please email exams2021@hws.haringey.sch.uk