Last year’s examination fiasco was met with widespread criticism, after students ,across the nation, saw their grades lowered due to a ‘classist’ algorithm (partly based on postcode). Due to protest from parents, teachers and students alike, Ofqual were made to do a U-turn, and instead allowed teacher predictions.
After a series of plans, upgrading and scrapping, it appears there is now a set pathway that will determine this year’s GCSE and A Level results. On Wednesday, education secretary Gavin Williamson confirmed that the government is putting its "trust in teachers, not algorithms".
Teachers have the full power to decide their students’ grades based on in-class tests, coursework, mock exams, essays and other evidence of student’s work.
They also have the option of using questions set specifically by exam boards to help determine grades. However, this will not be mandatory.
These grades will have to be submitted to exam boards by 18th June.
Those who feel their efforts have not been accurately reflected by the grades have extra time to make appeals, as students are set to receive their results slightly earlier than normal in August.
Appeals, which will be free of charge, can be made by students and taken to examination boards. Specific circumstances, such as bereavement, will also be taken into account.
Additionally, students will, like last year, have the opportunity to resit their exams in Autumn. In fact, last year, 60% of students managed to increase their algorithm-determined grades after having sat these exams.
Athulya Jaganath , a Year 11 student at Henrietta Barnett school, has ‘mixed feelings’ about the results day situation. She believes that the fact that the system takes Year 10 work into account will be ‘problematic’ as some schools will not have ‘enough evidence’ and she would’ve ‘preferred to have actual gcses’ as she doesnt know how fair or realistic teacher assessed grades would be.’
Worries lie in the possibility of an inflation of grades and the consequent effects on university and sixth form college applications. Arguably, higher grades could result in more competition for those not only seeking higher education but apprenticeships and starting the career ladder. However, the examination boards will be sampling and carrying out checks on the grades given, in order to regulate the process and minimise grade inflation.
With results days set to be on August 10th for A-levels and August 12th for GCSEs, will this year’s results day be any more successful than last year’s? And more importantly, how will students receive the results they truly deserve?
