Ofqual exams and assessments webinar
On the 17th of April 2024, we hosted a discussion with Ofqual about this year’s arrangements for exams and assessments for GCSE, A Levels and vocational and technical qualifications. This included information about support for students, the approach to grading, key information for parents about this year’s exam series, and how you can support your child.
Watch the webinar
Webinar Panel
The webinar sees Ofqual’s Associate Director GQ Policy and Strategic Relationships, Danielle Cartwright, and Manager of Strategic Relationships VTQ at Ofqual, in conversation with Siân Lewis.
Danielle Cartwright is Associate Director for General Qualifications Policy and Strategic Relationships at Ofqual, the independent regulator for qualifications, exams and assessments in England. Ofqual maintains standards and public confidence in GCSE, A and AS levels, as well as vocational and technical qualifications. Danielle joined Ofqual in 2019. She has a comprehensive understanding of the education sector, having worked for a number of years as a teacher and senior leader in secondary education.
Siân Lewis is Head of Parent Participation and joined Parentkind in September 2021. Her previous roles include leading on the delivery of a skills and careers focused mentoring programme for young people across London and working as a freelance Producer in the television production industry. Siân believes passionately in harnessing parent voice and parent participation in education and supporting better outcomes for children, schools and communities.
Parents’ questions answered
Support for students this year
What additional support materials will be provided to students, and will this be continued in the future?
The Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed that in view of the disruption students may have experienced, it is not necessary for students to memorise formulae for GCSE mathematics and equations for GCSE physics and combined science in 2024, as they must in a normal year. Ofqual has changed its rules to require exam boards to provide students with support materials in the form of formulae and revised equations sheets for GCSE mathematics, physics and combined science exams in 2024 only. DfE has confirmed that 2024 will be the final year for these changes to its subject content requirements. For GCSE mathematics this will apply to exams taken in November 2024. There will be a return to normal exam arrangements for these subjects in 2025. This means that formulae and revised equation sheets will not be available after 2024.
When do students see the formula / equations sheets? Can they access these now?
Exam boards have published the formula and equation sheets which can be downloaded from their websites. Students will also be given a clean copy of the formula and equation sheets in their GCSE mathematics, GCSE physics and GCSE combined science exams.
Exam and assessment arrangements
When will EHE (elective home educated) be able to sit GCSEs online at home with an online invigilator, as per during Covid?
These were exceptional arrangements in response to a pandemic in relation to schools and colleges preparing evidence for teacher assessed grades. Where possible, all examinations should be completed under the appropriate conditions and within the school or college environment. This protects the best interests of the student, the school or college, and the integrity of the examination system. Schools and colleges are therefore expected to make every effort to ensure that this can happen for all their candidates scheduled to sit examinations.
Every year there are some students who might need access arrangements or reasonable adjustments to help them access exams. JCQ has published guidance on access arrangements, reasonable adjustments and special consideration, which will be of interest to exams officers, SENCos and to senior leaders. Schools can also reach out to awarding organisations for further advice. In line with JCQ’s instructions for conducting exams guidance, where a candidate could not sit the examination within the school or college, the school or college could apply for the examination to be sat at an alternative site (e.g. the candidate’s home or a hospital) and send an invigilator to the alternative site to invigilate in person. This is a reasonable adjustment for students in specific circumstances and a school or college must have exhausted all other options.
You should speak to the school or college, who will discuss with the relevant exam board as appropriate.
How would I and my child know if she is ready for the exams?
If your child attends a school or college then they will sit their exams and assessments according to the school or college’s policies. If your child is home educated, you can choose to enter your child at a time suitable for your child. To note, for GCSEs, AS and A levels – examinations can only be sat in May or June each year. Exams are available in GCSE English language and mathematics only in November, and only students who were aged 16 or above on 31 August of that year can enter.
How can I support a child with ongoing assessments in Northern Ireland?
Ofqual is the Regulator for England. For questions about assessments taken in Northern Ireland, please contact CCEA Regulation.
Grading
Are the GCSE and A level grade boundaries staying the same as last year or will they be likely to go up?
The 2‑year transition to pre-pandemic grading is now complete. Normal grading arrangements will continue for GCSEs, AS and A levels in 2024. As a result, Ofqual expects national results in 2024 to be broadly similar to those of the summer of 2023.
Grade boundaries are set after students have taken the assessments and marking is nearly complete. Grade boundaries typically change each year to reflect any
differences in the demand of the assessments.
National results, and results for individual subjects, vary a little each year due to changes in the cohort of students taking particular qualifications and based on how students perform in their exams and assessments.
Revision, support and motivation, and careers
What are the best strategies/techniques for revision – how should children revise? When is the best time to start revision? If you have a change of mind for a career pathway, when is it too late to change and apply? How can I best support my child with GCSEs at this stage and through the exam season? Any advice on maintaining momentum? How much time should a child be doing other things (e.g. hobbies) in the lead up? Any tips to encourage reluctant revisers?
You may want to speak to your child’s school or college for further information to encourage better study habits and support their revision.
Ofqual’s guide, Coping with exam pressure a guide for students, has been produced in conjunction with Professor Dave Putwain, a researcher (and a former school and college teacher) at Liverpool John Moores University. This guide has advice and guidance for your child in preparing for their exams and assessments. We also signpost further resources to support students and their parents here.
For careers guidance, please speak to your child’s school or college, or contact the National Careers Service.
How to support child with anxiety & struggling with mental health issues? What can I say when my daughter catastrophises about how she is going to do?
Speak to your child’s school or college so they are aware and understand what support the school or college can provide.
Ofqual has commissioned specific resources on managing anxiety from experts, such as:
- How can you feel prepared for results day?
- A guide for students on coping with exam pressure
- An Ofqual blog on helping students navigate their education in ways that support their mental wellbeing
We suggest contacting a charity who specialise in supporting young people such as Young Minds or NSPCC.
Special consideration and reasonable adjustments
What happens if a child is unable to sit an exam due to illness?
You should speak to your child’s school or college if your child has missed an exam due to illness.
Special consideration is any adjustment given to a student, who has experienced a temporary illness, injury or event outside of their control at the time of the exam or assessment, which significantly affects their ability to take an exam or show what they can do in an assessment.
Special consideration is only for things that happen immediately before or during an exam or assessment that have a significant effect on a student’s ability to take that exam or assessment, or on how they performed.
To be eligible for special consideration your child must have been fully prepared for the assessment and have covered the whole course.
These are the 3 most common types of special consideration:
- changes to the way assessments are taken if you have temporary injury or illness, sometimes referred to as ‘access arrangements’ — for example, a student with a broken arm may have someone write their dictated answers
- a small number of extra marks may be awarded if your exam performance is affected by temporary illness, injury, or other unforeseen circumstance
- awarding a grade if you unavoidably missed an exam or assessment, as long as you have completed at least one other exam or assessment for that qualification.
There is further information in the JCQ publication: A guide to the special consideration process.
How to manage hay fever and exams?
You should speak to your child’s school or college to make them aware that your child suffers from hay fever.
See above for information about special consideration arrangements.
What support can students with special educational needs get with exams?
The Equality Act 2010 requires awarding organisations to make reasonable adjustments to assessments for disabled students. Reasonable adjustments, sometimes known as access arrangements, are changes made to an assessment or to the way an assessment is conducted that reduce or remove a disadvantage caused by a student’s disability. They are needed because some disabilities can make it harder for students to show what they know and can do in an assessment than it would have been had the student not been disabled. The adjustments for an individual student will depend on how — and by how much ‑their disability affects them when taking a particular assessment.
If possible, a school or college should apply for any adjustments needed well in advance of the planned assessment date. This will make sure that there is plenty of time to plan and implement any adjustments before the assessment. Exam boards will be able to provide a school or college with information about when to apply for adjustments for the qualifications they make available.
Reasonable adjustments are not intended to compensate for knowledge, skills and understanding that a student does not have, including where their disability is the reason for any gap in their knowledge, skills or understanding.
I suggest you speak to your child’s school or college for more information about reasonable adjustments.
What sort of reasonable adjustments can be made for an autistic child in exams and how can you get these?
See above for information about reasonable adjustments.
For National Assessments in year 6, the Standards Testing Agency provides advice to schools relating to access arrangements available for pupils participating in KS2 tests. I suggest speaking to your child’s school about the support required for your child so they can take part on the KS2 tests.
Results/post-results
Can my child resit if he didn’t get good marks in that particular subject?
Most exams for GCSEs, AS and A levels take place in May or June each year. That means most students who want to resit a GCSE, AS or A level will need to wait until the following summer to do so.
In GCSE English language and GCSE mathematics, exams are also available in November, but only for students who were aged 16 or above on 31 August of that
year. Some VTQs operate assessments throughout the year. Students may be able to take their assessment again, at the next available opportunity.
You should talk to child’s school or college if you would like more information about resits.
Resources
- Understanding exams and assessments – and what to expect
- Ofqual website: rolling update
- Ofqual Student Guide 2024
- Ofqual Resources to help students prepare for exams and assessments
- Coping with exam pressure – a guide for students
- Series of blogs written by researchers and practitioners who work together through the University of Manchester
- Other organisations that can provide support
- The National Careers Service
- Exams Results Support — young people or their parents can contact the helpline on 0800 100 900 to speak to a professionally qualified careers adviser
Related resources
-
If you’re a parent with a teenager taking their GCSEs, AS levels, A levels, T levels or VTQs this year, our exam guide is for you. From revision to resits, discover how you can best support your child through this important time.
-
We’ve curated this series of free webinars for parents, run by our team of parenting experts and professionals.
-
How do you help your child cope with exam anxiety and not getting the results they would like? We offer some advice and tips.
