3 April Update:

Further to my message last week, today Ofqual, the exams regulator, have published new guidance on how your GCSE and A level grades will be decided. 

We have been asked to produce two pieces of information for each of your qualifications:

The first is the grade, based on our professional expertise and experience, that we believe you would have achieved if teaching, learning and exams had gone ahead as planned.

The second is the order of all the students who we have given a particular grade to, in each subject, based on our judgement of your performance.  The best performing person at that grade will be top.  The lowest performing person at the grade will be bottom.  This is required to allow a fair fine tuning of grades nationally to ensure grades awarded this year are similar to those awarded in previous years.  

When deciding the grade you were most likely to achieve we will take into account a range of supporting evidence.  This includes how you have done in tests and assessments, how you have done in non-exam assessment (NEA) whether this was finished or not, how you did in your mock exams, how well you do in class and homework and our experience of how well similar students would usually progress during the teaching and revision time you have missed.   Where applicable we will also take into account exceptional circumstances which would have led to you having special consideration in traditional examinations.   

The information that we need to submit to exam boards is confidential.  Please do not ask your teachers or anyone else at our school for information about the grades or the order we will be submitting.  We are not allowed to share this. 

As stated last week, we will not expect or consider, work that has been produced since the school closure when developing our grade and order.  There is no need to do any more work to prove yourselves. We know you.  We know the qualifications. We know what you are capable of achieving.  Throughout your GCSEs and A Levels we assess you regularly, we standardise this and track this, consequently we already have the information we need to make accurate professional judgements. Our teachers are experts in assessment, experts in the qualification they teach and experts in making ethical, informed judgements based on the myriad of information we gather.

Our guidance remains that if you feel there are elements of the course you would like to continue with, particularly if it would be beneficial in preparation for A Level, Apprenticeships or University, you can still work on this on a voluntary basis.  Over the Easter holidays we will be publishing details of our new curriculum offer for Year 11 and Year 13 which will focus on preparing you for the next steps in your education and ensuring you are not disadvantaged next year by the early finish to your studies this year. 

The results day has not yet been confirmed.  However, we know it will be no later than the published dates for A levels (13 August) and GCSEs (20 August) and more than likely a little before.  We will update when we have more clarity.  We are also awaiting more information about the process of taking your exams in either the Autumn or in Summer 2021 should you want to do so.  If you do take the exams, then both grades will stand.  Ofqual are currently considering arrangements for an effective appeals process should you not be happy with the grade you are awarded.  They will be consulting on their proposals shortly and we will provide further information to you when it becomes available. 

Finally, and most crucially, the GCSE and A level grades you’ve earned this summer will be indistinguishable from those awarded any other year.  They will carry equal weight with employers and universities.  The exam boards, Ofqual and all the staff at Denmark Road are committed to ensuring this process is fair and the grades you receive this summer will be a true representation of the grade you would have achieved in more normal times. 

Have a wonderful and restful Easter break.  Enjoy your time with your family and stay in touch on our group chat rooms.  Stay home.  Be safe.  We can’t wait to celebrate with you all on results day.

28 March Update:

I trust you are all keeping well and have managed to enjoy some of the sunshine we have had this week. It is great to see so many of you engaging on the group chats, staying in touch with each other, motivating each other and trying out new things.

We understand the concerns you will have following the announcement that exams will not take place in the summer. As you know from previous communications, we are still awaiting precise guidance from the government and examination boards as to how we, as teachers, will contribute to your calculated grade. Ofqual has confirmed that this information will be published next week. As soon as we know, you will know.

We also appreciate that some of you feel you should currently be continuing with work and assessments, that you feel there is a need to prove yourselves and what you are capable of. There is no need: We know you.  We know the qualifications. We know what you are capable of achieving.  Throughout your GCSEs and A Levels we assess you regularly, we standardise this and track this, consequently we already have the information we need to make accurate professional judgements. Our teachers are experts in assessment, experts in the qualification they teach and experts in making ethical, informed judgements based on the myriad of information we gather.

Our guidance for all students in Years 11 and 13 across all subjects remains as follows: If you feel there are elements of the course you would like to continue with, particularly if it would be beneficial in preparation for A Level, Apprenticeships or University, you can still work on this on a voluntary basis.  

We recognise the hard work you have put into your studies and we are extremely proud of what you have achieved.  At the end next week we will be providing further information on how we will be supporting you in your preparation for the next stage of your education.  Over the next term we will be providing opportunities to explore and develop new knowledge, techniques and skills which will help prepare you for those next steps while also supporting your well-being. 

23 March Update:

The government has now provided some outline guidance following the cancellation of all GCSE and A level exams this summer. 

In summary, there will not be any exams this summer.  Our students will be awarded a ‘calculated’ grade which will be based on a number of factors.  These will be formal grades and will be indistinguishable from grades awarded in other years.  They will be published by the end of July.  Students who are unhappy with their grades will have the opportunity to appeal by sitting an exam as soon as possible after schools reopen – but not before the start of the next academic year. 

We know our students.  We know the qualifications.  We support the government’s decision to involve our teacher’s recommendation in awarding grades.  This is a system similar to the one used for unwell students during exam season.  We believe it will provide a fair and credible way of assessing qualifications during these challenging times. 

Please see our frequently asked questions below: 

https://closures.gloucestershire.gov.uk/

https://twitter.com/Glos_schools

A message from Claire Giblin, Headteacher:

This Sunday is the 109^th International Woman’s Day.  A day for us all to celebrate the achievements of women.  With this goal in mind I would like you to know about an amazing woman who played a key role in accelerating women’s equality.