UK market: GCSE Grading System 2021

What is GCSE?

GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education. It signifies the completion of Secondary Education in the UK.

Students have to take the GCSE exams before pursuing their pre-university academic studies in the UK. 

How were GCSE exams different in 2021?

On 12th August, when the GCSE results came to England, they were unlike any the students had received before. Most students were graded generously due to the new policy of assessment.

A new approach to valuation that came in February 2021 was applied this time. Students were awarded marks based on the assessment of their teachers.

Also, students have been awarded grades from 9 to 1 instead of from A to G. 

What is the new GCSE Grading Policy of 2021?

In February of 2021, the Government decided that the GCSE level students will receive grades based on the judgements of their teachers, where the teachers will assess the performances based on a range of evidence.

The decision took place after a joint consultation with students, parents and carers, and teachers.

Thus, the results were determined by the assessments of the teachers and not through an exam. 

Why did we need a New Grade Policy?

Due to the pandemic, schools and universities remained shut down last year.

It was apparent that the pandemic would impact the results of the students taking exams in 2021. Students would most likely demonstrate a lower level of knowledge, understanding and skills than students of previous years.

As such, in the context of the current pandemic, the new approach would compensate for lost learning at a national level for the likely lower performance of students.

Implementation of the new policy: 

How have teachers been directed to assess and award the grades?

Teachers have to assess the performance of their students using a range of evidence.

This evidence should resemble the course that the students covered throughout their course of study.

Teachers will be trained and supported for this task, along with assessment materials.

They will receive guidance to make judgements that are fair and consistent for all of their students.

They have to make reasonable adjustments for disabled students under the Equality Act. 

What Assessment materials will the teachers use for grading their students?

Teachers will receive questions for each subject, along with mark schemes, example responses and data on past performance.

These questions will be available in various modified formats so that they are accessible to everyone.

The questions in the sets will be such that the teachers easily find the Questions related to what they have taught.

Apart from the assessment materials, teachers will be free to arrange their range of evidence when they feel it necessary to. 

Exam Board and Exam Centre Quality assurance

Exam centres will follow a consistent approach to determine grades.

The heads of the centres have to declare that the awarded marks are accurate and fair.

The internal quality assurance process will be the responsibility of the exam boards.

The checking of evidence will ensure that centres have taken adequate measures to maintain fairness in their judgement. 

What can students do if they are not satisfied with their grades?

Before grades are submitted, exam boards should allow students to see the evidence on which their marks will depend. At this time, students can raise their questions.

The exam centres will have to check for errors if the students believe that their grade is wrong.

The centre can also submit an appeal to the exam board on behalf of the students.

If students are still dissatisfied with the Exam Boards revised results, they can file an application to Ofqual's Exams Procedures Review Service for a review. However, this can increase or decrease their final grade. 

How will private candidates be graded?

The grading of private candidates will be similar to the other students. They will be assessed by a recognized exam centre using an adapted range of evidence.

There will be a list of centres that are willing to evaluate the performance of private candidates.

 It will be made sure that the private candidates can afford the costs. 

What about the numerical grading system?

Ofqual regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in the UK. It has introduced the numerical grading system. They believed that a numerical grade would better differentiate between students and their abilities. 

Earlier, the nine-category A* to G grading system was in effect.

This year, students in England have received grades from 9 to 1 instead of A to U. Northern Ireland and Wales still have the same grading system.

According to the new number system grading that came into effect in recent years, the numbers 9,8, 7 correspond to grades A* and A.

6,5 and 4 represent B and C.

3,2,1 correspond to D, E, F and G.

Grade U which represented 'Ungraded', will remain the same.

There are two pass marks under the new grading system:-

4 is the standard pass.

5 is a strong pass. 

The future of the new grading policy:

Even after the results, students will have the opportunity to improve their teacher assessed grades.

For this, provisions will be there for a complete series of exams in Autumn.

For the year 2022, there is a likelihood that the same policy will remain as the effect of the pandemic might continue.

Students would expect the same form of grading. But since situations are uncertain, there is no such confirmation about grading in 2022 and beyond.