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EXAMS SUMMER 2021

The grading process for Y11 and Y13 external qualifications has now been formalised by the DfE and the JCQ (the body which oversees all exam qualifications).

The exam boards have asked us to consider the standard at which each student has performed over the course of study. This judgement should be based on the evidence of a student’s performance on the subject content which they have been taught, whether in the classroom or via remote learning.

The judgements have to be objective and based on the evidence produced by a student. We must have the evidence of the standard a student is working at and not just what we think they might be able to achieve. Most of this evidence will need to be obtained in the next half term. We will then be required to submit a grade for each student.

Each subject has looked at how best to obtain this evidence. This evidence base has then been quality assured by Trust assessment leaders to ensure it will provide valid evidence and therefore a valid grade for each student.

The evidence base that will be used for each subject is available below. A timeline of when these assessments will take place on a week by week basis is also provided. Specific details on what to revise for each assessment and which lesson they will take place will be provided by class teachers.

UPDATE 17/5/21:

Information on how the academy will determine these grades can be found in the documents below, along with a student guide published by Ofqual.

CENTRE REVIEW/APPEALS PROCESS

If a student requests a centre review or an awarding organisation appeal, there are three possible outcomes:

The original grade is lowered, so the final grade will be lower than the original grade received.

The original grade is confirmed, so there is no change to the grade.

The original grade is raised, so the final grade will be higher than the original grade received.

Once a finding has been made a student cannot withdraw a request for a centre review or appeal. If the grade has been lowered a student will not be able to revert back to the original grade they received on results day.

EXAM GRADE QUERY

A student may want to understand how their grade was determined before appealing the grade. They should complete an “exam grade query form” which will be available in paper on results day for filling in or by downloading here and emailing to appeals@deferrers.com before Friday 13th August.

Exam Grade Query Form

STAGE 1 CENTRE REVIEW

Following a grade query, this option can only be requested on the following grounds:

Administrative error – A student thinks that the academy has submitted the wrong grade for them.

Procedural error - A student thinks that the academy did not follow their process correctly as set out within the centre policy document.

Centre Review Request Form

A student must request a centre review before they can request an awarding organisation appeal. This is so the awarding organisation is certain that the grade is as the centre intended.

STAGE 2 EXAMINATION BOARD APPEAL

Following a centre review, if a student remains unhappy with the grade that has been awarded then they can choose to take forward an appeal to the examination board(s). This option can only be requested on the following grounds:

Administrative error by the awarding organisation.
Procedural error by The de Ferrers Academy
Procedural error by The de Ferrers Academy concerning issues with access arrangements/reasonable adjustments and/or mitigating circumstances.
Unreasonable exercise of academic judgement based on the selection of evidence.
Unreasonable exercise of academic judgement bases on the determination of the Teacher Assessed Grade.

Once you have received the outcome of your centre review, if you wish to request an awarding organisation appeal you should do so as soon as possible by downloading the JCQ Appeal form below and completing stage 2 and emailing it to appeals@deferrers.com

JCQ Appeal Form

Priority appeals

A priority appeal is only for students applying to higher education who did not attain their firm choice (i.e. the offer they accepted as their first choice) and wish to appeal an A level or other Level 3 qualification result. You should inform your intended higher education provider that you have requested a centre review or appeal.

UCAS personal ID

A student’s UCAS personal ID is the 10 digit code included in all correspondence from UCAS. This is needed to confirm that a student’s place is dependent on the outcome of the appeal.

DEADLINES

PRIORITY APPEALS (Students applying to university and did not gain their first choice and wish to appeal an A level grade)

Deadline for submitting centre review	Tuesday 10 Aug - Mon 16 Aug
Deadline for centres conducting review	Tuesday 10 Aug - Fri 20 Aug
Deadline for submitting exam board appeals	Tuesday 10 Aug - Mon 23 Aug

NON PRIORITY APPEALS (All other appeals including GCSE)

Deadline for submitting centre review	Tuesday 10 Aug - Fri 3 Sept
Deadline for centres conducting review	Tuesday 10 Aug - Fri 10 Sept
Deadline for submitting exam board appeals	Tuesday 10 Aug - Fri 17 Sept
Deadline for response from exam board after submission of Stage 2 appeal.	42 days of receipt of application.