Spotlight on the DfE’s measures to support students taking exams in 2021

Last week, we shared the basics about the DfE’s package of five measures for students taking exams in 2021. The DfE measures are primarily focused on GCSEs, AS and A Levels. We know you’re very busy, so we’ve pulled together some more detail on the measures in case you’ve missed anything. This includes Ofqual’s consultation on advance information and support materials’ announced yesterday. Take a look:

'Generous' grading in summer 21 aligned to national outcomes in summer 2020

Ofqual’s Chief Regulator to the Secretary of State confirmed that:

• Students will not need to demonstrate the same level of knowledge as in 2019 or in earlier years, to get a particular grade. Ofqual expects results in 2021 to look very similar to the 2020 grade profile.
• Students should not be disadvantaged because of subject choice. It will ‘spread the generosity of 2020 results between subjects more evenly’ and not ‘bake in’ differential standards between subjects.
• It’s important that grade boundaries – particularly at the lower grades – are not so low as to ‘be implausible’.

Advance notice of topic areas in GCSEs, AS and A Levels to focus revision and exam aids – such as formula sheets – provided in some exams to build confidence

The DfE and Ofqual have both stated that:

• Advance information will vary from subject to subject. There will be no single solution.
• Information on advance notice and exam aids will be published at the end of January 2021.
• Adaptations will involve ‘either’ providing advance information or additional support materials for use in the exam, ‘or both’. There will be some subjects for which alternative adaptations would be more appropriate – exam boards will publish further information on this in January.

On 10 December, Ofqual launched a new consultation on ‘advance information and support materials’ for GCSE, AS and A Levels in summer 2021. This will run until Sunday 20 December. There’s a video and PowerPoint to help you. Among the proposals for advance notice, the consultation states:

• The advance information will also need to apply to ‘contingency’ papers.

The consultation proposes that for exam aids (or ‘support materials’):

• Students should be given formulae and equations in the exams for subjects where they would normally have to memorise them.
• Students who get modified papers must also get exam aids provided in modified form.

A contingency exam series shortly after the main summer exams giving students a second chance to sit a paper if they missed the exam series due to illness or self isolation. A ‘validated teacher informed assessment’ if a student misses all opportunities to take a paper.

• Dates for the contingency series are 28 June to 16 July 2021.
• The exams will be ‘timetabled to allow at least a 10-day gap after each subject’s final paper in the main series’.
• Results from the contingency series might be delivered slightly later than the scheduled results days.
• Ofqual expects the validated teacher informed assessment route to apply to ‘a very small number of students’.

A new expert group to look at differential learning loss and monitor variation in the impact of the pandemic across the country.

• Ofqual to support the advisory group and has offered its advice to the group. It describes differential learning loss as ‘this most difficult of problems’.

Michelle North, Head of Assessment Standards, said: “We’re working hard to identify the best package of advance information and exam aids to support you and your students. We’re trying to find the right solution for each subject and working with other exam boards to make this as consistent as possible. You can be reassured that all our advance notice material will be freely available on our website so teachers and students, including private candidates can find the information they need.”