19 January 2021

Dear Parents/Carers
Consultation on the awarding of qualifications in 2021
Ofqual and the Department for Education have now launched their consultation process on the awarding of GCSE and ‘A Level’ qualifications this summer, as well as a separate consultation for vocational qualifications including BTECs.

The consultation period will be open for two weeks, closing on Friday 29 January. To access the consultation documents and respond, please see the links below.
GCSE and A Level consultation
Vocational award consultation
Respond to the consultation

Key proposals from Ofqual and the DfE
• Students will continue with their education during this academic year
• A student’s grade in each subject will be based on their teachers’ assessment of the standard at which the
student is performing
• Students will be assessed by their teachers in a period beginning in May into early June
• Exam boards will provide guidance and training and make a set of papers available for teachers to use with
students as part of their assessment
• Teachers will continue to assess any non-exam assessment or coursework that a student has undertaken in a
subject
• External quality assurance by the exam boards will be ongoing throughout June
• Results will be issued to students once the quality assurance process is complete, most likely in early July
• Student appeals could be submitted immediately following the issue of results

For those of you who would like a little more detail, I have summarised the consultation paper in the attached document.

It is important to note that these are only proposals at this stage. We are not expecting confirmation of the final arrangements until the end of February at the earliest, and any of Ofqual’s suggestions above and in the attached may change as a result of the consultation process. In the meantime our expectations for your child remain high and we expect them to be fully engaged in classes and activities so they can continue to progress I am sure that you and your children will have views about how qualifications should be awarded this year and I would encourage you to participate in the consultation process and make sure that your voices are heard.

Yours faithfully

Ms C O’Brien
Deputy Headteacher
Att. Ofqual Consultation