The announcement to cancel exams this summer due to the Coronavirus outbreak will have been unsettling for many learners. Qualifications Wales, the body which regulates qualifications, other than degrees, in Wales has recently published and an update on what it is doing to provide learners with the grades that they can use to progress to sixth form, college, university, training or work
The aim is to treat learners as fairly as possible at this unprecedented time this summer.
How will grades be calculated?
Most GCSEs, AS and A Levels that learners in Wales have been entered for will be awarded by WJEC. The Skills Challenge Certificate is only awarded by WJEC. If you are entered for a GCSE, AS or A Level offered by a different exam boards, the same principles will apply.
Your schools, colleges and other exam centres will be asked to send exam boards two pieces of information for each of your qualifications, based on what they know about your work and performance:
• the grade they believe you were most likely to get if teaching, learning and exams took place as originally planned; and,
• the order of learners, by performance, within those grades.
Your school, college or learning establishment will consider a range of evidence like your class and homework; your results in assignments and any mock exams; any non-exam assessment you might have done; and your general progress during your course.
This information will allow WJEC and other exam boards to gather and compare grades across Wales.
What do you need to do?
Nothing. Your teachers will review all the work you have done so far; any new work set will not influence this summer’s results. Teachers may continue to set work to ensure that all teaching and learning has been completed and help prepare you for next year.
The data (grades and rank order) that will be provided is confidential and cannot be shared with you as learners, your parents or carers. Please don’t ask your teachers, or anyone else at your centre, to tell you the grades they will be sending to exam boards or where they have placed you in the order of learners.
This is to help ensure the information submitted by schools and colleges is as fair as possible.
When will I get my results?
Every effort is being made to make sure you get results as soon as possible – and no later than the published dates of 13 August (AS and A level) and 20 August (GCSE).
Can I take my exams another time?
There are already exams available in GCSE English Language, Mathematics, Mathematics-Numeracy and Welsh Language in November each year. You can enter for these exams in November 2020. Other exams will be available, as usual, in summer 2021.
More information & Updates
A set of FAQs here that you and your parents or carers might find useful is available on the Qualifications Wales website https://qualificationswales.org/english/publications/centre-assessment-grades---frequently-asked-questions.
There are also regular updates on the Qualifications Wales website (www.qualificationswales.org) and social media (@quals_wales on twitter and @qualswalescymcymru on facebook).