Assessments 2021

On 6 January 2021, the government confirmed that in summer 2021, students taking GCSE, AS and A levels regulated by Ofqual, should be awarded grades based on an assessment by their teachers.  To determine the grade which students will be awarded, teachers are required to use a range of evidence to reflect the standard at which a student is performing now and not based on their potential.  Students will only be assessed on what they have been taught, ensuring that sufficient coverage of the curriculum has been taught to enable progression. 

Teachers will be able to use and draw upon a range of evidence when determining grades as suggested by Ofqual. These could include:

  • student work produced in response to assessment materials provided by the exam board, including groups of questions, past papers or similar materials such as practice or sample papers

  • non-exam assessment (NEA) work (often referred to as coursework), even if this has not been fully completed

  • student work produced in centre-devised tasks that reflect the specification, that follow the same format as exam board materials and have been marked in a way that reflects exam board mark schemes - this can include:

    • substantial class or homework (including those that took place during remote learning)

    • internal tests taken by pupils

    • mock exams taken over the course of study

  • records of a student’s capability and performance over the course of study in performance-based subjects such as music, drama and PE

  • records of each student’s progress and performance over the course of study

JCQ and the exam boards have been working together to support schooled and colleges to determine the grades this summer. Whilst teachers will be setting and marking the work that is produced, the actual work and the marking of it will come under scrutiny and a rigorous quality assurance process by external examination bodies that will ultimately award all examination grades.  

This year, results will be published earlier than in previous years.  Students will be informed of the exact time to come into school to collect their results.  Year 13 will receive their results for AS/A Levels on 10 August 2021.  Year 11 will receive their results for GCSE/BTEC on 12 August 2021

Please read our Centre Policy which gives further information on the guidelines and robust processes we will undertake at St Martin's to ensure that we submit teacher assessed grades that are fair, evidence based and free from bias and administered with integrity.  JCQ has also published a guidance document for students, parents and guardians.  Assessment topics and an assessment timetable for Year 11 and 13. 

Appeals

Following the release of results, there will be a window for students who believe their grade is wrong to raise an appeal.  It is to be noted that appeals are not likely to lead to adjustments in grades where the original grade is a reasonable exercise of academic judgment supported by evidence. Grades can go up or down as a result of an appeal.  Refer to the JCQ appeals flowchart for further information on how to appeal.

If a student wishes to appeal, the appropriate appeal form must be completed. You can find a copy of the appeal form in the table below. 

The first stage of any appeal is a Centre Review, in which we will check if any administrative or procedural errors have occurred. If students remain unhappy with the outcome of the Centre Review, they can ask that we put forward an appeal to the Awarding Organisation on their behalf. 

The deadlines for the appeal process are:

  • Centre Review deadline for priority appeals: 16 August

  • Awarding Organisation deadline for priority appeals: 23 August 2021

  • Centre Review deadline for non-priority appeals: 3 September 2021

  • Awarding Organisation deadline for non-priority appeals: 17 September 2021


Centre Policy for Awarding of Teacher Assessed Grades 2021
JCQ timeline: what is happening when
Year 11 Assessment Topics
Year 11 Assessment Timetable
Year 13 Assessment Topics
Year 13 Assessment Timetable
How GCSEs and AS/A Levels will be awarded: Summer 2021
Student guide to awarding in Summer 2021
JCQ Guidance for students, parents and guardians: GCSEs AS/A Levels
JCQ Appeals Flowchart
JCQ Appeals Pro-forma Summer 2021