UTC Portsmouth will endeavour to support students and parents/carers by providing links to the latest updates from all key stakeholders as information relating to exams and grades becomes available.
First, however, are some answers, from the Department for Education, to questions you may be having right now:
What is happening about exams that would have taken place in May/June 2020?
The exam regulator, Ofqual, and exam boards will work with teachers to provide grades to students whose exams have been cancelled this summer, following our actions to slow the spread of coronavirus.
University representatives have confirmed that they expect universities to be flexible and do all they can to support students and ensure they can progress to higher education.
This year’s summer exam series, including A levels, GCSEs and other qualifications, and all primary assessments, have been cancelled as we fight to stop the spread of coronavirus.
The Government’s priority is now to ensure affected students can move on as planned to the next stage of their lives, including going into employment, starting university, college or sixth form courses, or an apprenticeship in the autumn.
This means ensuring GCSE, A and AS level students are awarded a grade which fairly reflects the work that they have put in. There will also be an option to sit an exam early in the next academic year for students who wish to. Ofqual will develop and set out a process that will provide a calculated grade to each student which reflects their performance as fairly as possible, and will work with the exam boards to ensure this is consistently applied for all students. The exam boards will be asking teachers, who know their students well, to submit their judgement about the grade that they believe the student would have received if exams had gone ahead.
To produce this, teachers will take into account a range of evidence and data including performance on mock exams and non-exam assessment – clear guidance on how to do this fairly and robustly will be provided to schools and colleges. The exam boards will then combine this information with other relevant data, including prior attainment, and use this information to produce a calculated grade for each student, which will be a best assessment of the work they have put in.
Will it be fair?
Ofqual and exam boards will be discussing with teachers’ representatives before finalising an approach, to ensure that it is as fair as possible. More information will be provided as soon as possible.
When will we receive our results?
The aim is to provide these calculated grades to students before the end of July.
What happens if we do not agree with our results?
We recognise that some students may nevertheless feel disappointed that they haven’t been able to sit their exams. If they do not believe the correct process has been followed in their case they will be able to appeal on that basis. In addition, if they do not feel their calculated grade reflects their performance, they will have the opportunity to sit an exam at the earliest reasonable opportunity, once schools are open again. Students will also have the option to sit their exams in summer 2021.
What about the work I have done for Cambridge Nationals/Technicals and EPQs?
There is a very wide range of different vocational and technical qualifications as well as other academic qualifications for which students were expecting to sit exams this summer. These are offered by a large number of awarding organisations, and have differing assessment approaches – in many cases students will already have completed modules or non-exam assessment which could provide evidence to award a grade.
What if the grades I get don't meet the entry requirements for the apprenticeship/sixth form college of my choice'?
The best thing to do in the first instance is to talk to them about the grades you have. Many colleges and training providers offer the option to retake essential qualifications alongside your study program or may be able to offer you a different course that you do have the entry requirements for.
For students wanting to join UTC Portsmouth Sixth Form, please contact the college with your grades via the admissions email.
Latest updates for different examing boards
Ofqual
JCQ
(20/03/2020) JCQ Response to the Department for Education’s Statement
DfE
Latest from the Department for Education
Exam Boards
AQA
Coronavirus and summer 2020 exams (updated 27/03/2020)
OCR
Pearson
FAQs relating to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) situation (updated 26/03/2020)
WJEC