We have been updated on the plans for awarding grades for Year 11 and Year 13 qualifications this summer as the Department for Education has today (3 April) given us extra information on what they intend to do.

This information only refers to GCSE and A-Level courses, and further details on vocational courses will come out at a later date.

How will grades be calculated ?

Our school will be asked to send two pieces of information to the Exam Boards:

1. The grade that teachers think each student would most likely have got in the summer.

2. A list of where each student would sit in each subject they are doing compared to other students on the same estimated grade; Eg – whether they would be a top Grade 4 or a bottom Grade 4.

What information will the school use to predict grades ?

All schools will be asked to weigh up a range of things including classwork, homework, assignment grades, mock grades, PPE grades, non-exam assessments, coursework, as well as each student’s general progress during the course.

Having reviewed this, we will then decide what grade best fits for each student, and how they compare with their peers.

Will the school solely decide grades ?

No – the Exam Boards will standardise grades across all schools and colleges so that results are fair.

They will work to ensure every student is not advantaged or disadvantaged because their school are more generous or harsh than others when making their judgements.

Who will make the final decision on grades ?

The final decision on each student’s grade will be made by the Exam Board – not the school.

Do students need to complete any new work for the school to submit a grade ?

Our school is not required to set additional mock exams or homework to help decide grades.

No student will be disadvantaged if they were not set, or were unable to complete, any work given out after schools were closed.

Can I see the grades the school submits for a student ?

No – this information will be confidential.

We have been categorically told that we are not allowed to tell anyone this.

Students and parents should not ask teachers, or anyone else at school, to tell them the grades they will be sending to the exam boards, or where any student has been placed in the order of students; they will not be allowed to share this with anyone.

When will students get their results ?

The government is not certain on this yet but they are working hard to get results out as soon as is possible.

The results will not be delayed after the dates they were expected in August, and ideally they will be issued a little earlier.

Can a student take their exams at another time ?

The government is working with Exam Boards to offer additional exams in the Autumn Term as soon as it is possible to do so.

They will let all schools know about these in the coming weeks.

What work should Friary students be doing now ?

If a student is planning to go into our Sixth Form then they would have already been contacted and directed to Bridging Packs to work on .

Regardless of whether a Friary student is, or is not, staying with us, they should read the following articles that have been previously circulated via email, our website, and our social media platforms:

https://www.friaryschool.co.uk/2020/03/19/message-to-year-11-parents-19-march-2020/
https://www.friaryschool.co.uk/2020/03/19/key-information-working-at-home/

There is no doubt that if you think a Year 11 student is vulnerable to not getting key exam grades – such as a 4 in English and Maths – then they would be advised to make sure they continue studying for these courses so they can sit their exams in the Autumn.

Any Year 13 students going to university, a higher-level apprenticeship, or employment, should begin reading up on their next step. There would be no harm in making contact with your future placement and asking for things to do.

Alternatively, Year 13 have access to Unifrog, could study a MOOC, or contribute locally to the coronavirus effort through employment or voluntary work.

To Finalise…

Rest assured, we as a school have already began work on this process and will be following the government guidance to the letter.

The government has already issued some guidance and a letter to all Year 11 and Year 13 students:

Letter to Students

Summer 2020 Grades – Guidance for Teachers, Students & Parents

Feel free to get in touch if you have any specific queries, but you will appreciate that we cannot get into discussions about individual grades, and that all of the information we have is in this message and on the above attachments.

We will be in touch when we have any further information.

Thanks for your support and take care – we are all too aware at this time that there are more important things than exam results.