JCQ’s response to Ofqual’s publication of further guidance on summer awarding 2020

JCQ’s response to Ofqual’s publication of further guidance on
summer awarding in 2020

3rd April 2020

JCQ and its member exam boards have been working with Ofqual on the arrangements for awarding in the summer of 2020.

We welcome the documentation issued by Ofqual today that gives further details on the qualifications it regulates that can be found at How GCSE, AS and A levels will awarded in the summer 2020. Ofqual has also issued a comprehensive series of question and answers that represent agreed procedures and arrangements that can be found at Guidance for teachers, students and parents.

What happens now?

The exam boards will contact all centres after Easter with further details on how they will collect centre assessment grades for their students, rank ordered within each of those grades. It has been agreed with Ofqual that this is the fairest process of awarding and the exam boards are grateful to teachers and heads of centres for the work they will carry out to enable their students to progress. In order to ensure that the final grades awarded are as fair as possible, the exam boards will standardise judgements across different centres once they have been submitted, using a statistical methodology developed in conjunction with Ofqual.

Is there a deadline?

In order to give centres time to consider the evidence they have on each candidate centres will not be required to return submissions before 1 June.

Can I enter Year 10 students and below this year?

Ofqual’s initial decisions on GCSE and A level grading proposals for 2020 has confirmed that candidates in any year group or of any age are eligible for eligible for calculated grades this year provided they had been entered for an examination this summer. This means that year 10 and below candidates can be entered and are eligible to receive centre assessment grades.  Heads of centre should submit a centre assessment grade for these candidates and include them in their rank orders.

How can private candidates find a new centre with whom they have no prior relationship?

The awarding bodies are compiling a list of approved centres that may accept entries for private candidates. Please contact your awarding body who will be able to provide further information.

Ofqual’s initial decisions on GCSE and A level grading proposals for 2020 and JCQ’s Supplementary information for centres on the entry of private candidates for awarding in the summer of 2020 provide further information for private candidates.

When can we expect more information from JCQ and the exam boards?

The exam boards understand that centres will have questions on procedures for 2020. In order to provide further information JCQ will be publishing a regularly updated FAQs after Easter when the awarding bodies have contacted centres.

The exam boards will send further information and instructions as soon as possible after Easter. In the meantime, we would be very grateful if you did not contact JCQ or the exam boards in advance to ask about the specifics of submitting data or send them any unsolicited material.

The awarding bodies will continue to process already submitted files and if they require any further clarification, they will contact centres.

Where will FAQ updates be shared?

We realise that many of you will be working away from your centres during this difficult time. Any update of our FAQs will be posted on the JCQ website and shared on Twitter at @JCQcic

Contact details