Summer 2021 grading - FAQs for art and design

In the past weeks, we’ve been running online Q&A events to give you a chance to ask subject-specific questions about this year’s grading process. This followed our roundtable video, which gives suggestions on how to use support materials and answers many general grading questions. In this blog, I’ll summarise the questions asked at our Art and Design Q&A event.

Some pupils have had little opportunity to use more specialised equipment during lockdown. Will they be disadvantaged if there’s little evidence of textile response?

It’s a holistic approach and you need to use your professional judgement in order to come to an overall grade. A key point to remember here is you are assessing performance not potential. 

Consider the quality of the evidence that you have, review the evidence and read through the grade descriptors. Then match the student’s evidence to the suitable statements within the grade descriptors. For assistance with making grading decisions in such situations, please refer to worked examples.

Do we still need to fill in the CCS443 form?

We don’t require you to complete the centre marks forms for summer 2021. However, you might want to consider using the relevant forms as part of your personal paperwork evidence.

Do we need to submit a whole grade or the breakdown for all the AOs?

In summer 2021, we only need you to submit grades to us by 18 June and not a breakdown of the assessment objectives.

Can we share portfolio marks with students for Art and Design in summer 2021?

You must not do this when the work forms the sole source of evidence (such as EPQ, Art and Design portfolio), but this will not be the case for some subjects, like history.

To what extent will OCR be sampling work after grades have been sent into the exam board? What will be expected of schools in terms of the organisation of that evidence?

Once the grades are received, every centre will be asked to provide samples of student work. Exam boards will request at least the following evidence: 

• One A Level subject (at least 5 students) 
• Two GCSE subjects, one of which is likely to be either English language or maths (at least 5 students for each) 

Centres that offer only A Levels or only GCSEs will be asked to submit only work for those qualifications. 

All centres will be asked to provide the evidence used to determine the grades for the students selected. Exam boards will decide on the subjects and the students (selected from across the grade range, and potentially including private candidates where centres have accepted them).

Does the digital record of portfolios still have to be of the highest standard, as advised in September?

If you are selected to submit evidence for art and design as part of the quality assurance process (stage 3), the standard of the digital evidence needs to be appropriate to clearly see all the work.

Stay connected

If you have further questions about this summer’s grading process, you can email us at art&design@ocr.org.uk, call us on 01223 553998 or tweet us @OCR_ArtDesign. You can also sign up to subject updates and receive email information about resources and support.

All advice and guidance provided by awarding bodies regarding arrangements for summer 2021 undergoes ratification by the JCQ (Joint Council for Qualifications). This is to ensure that awarding bodies provide consistent information to centres. The content of the above blog is currently being reviewed by the JCQ and is therefore potentially subject to some change in wording.

About the author

Before joining OCR in September 2019, Karl taught creative subjects in both art and design technology for 12 years. With experience with a variety of roles in secondary schools, including as a head of department, he has a wealth of knowledge and experience in teaching creative subjects at GCSE, A Level and BTEC. He has also previously worked as one of our examiners.