Ofqual Consultation on autumn series 2021

A 2-week @Ofqual consultation has started on how an autumn exam series for GCSEs, AS and A levels should run this year.

Ofqual is seeking views on how an autumn exam series for GCSEs, AS and A levels should run this year, in a consultation published today (17 March).

We are keen to hear from students, teachers, exam boards and the wider education sector on our proposals, which include:

• the autumn series being open to any student who entered or who had intended to enter to take exams this summer

• holding AS and A level exams in October and GCSE exams in November/early December

• grades being determined by a student’s exam performance only

• students being able to use the better of the summer or autumn grade

• the use of the normal reviews of marking and appeal arrangements

The consultation follows the cancellation of GCSEs, AS and A level exams this summer because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. When the government set out its policy on how grades would be awarded it also confirmed it wanted students to have the opportunity to take exams in the autumn.

The consultation will be open until 9 April 2021.

Separately, we are also publishing an analysis of responses to our consultation on support materials and advance information for GCSE, AS and A level exams.

That consultation was launched in December last year, prior to exams being cancelled, and sought views on ways in which summer 2021 exams could have been made less daunting for students.

The cancellation of exams meant it was no longer relevant and no decisions have been taken as a result. We have today published the analysis in the interests of transparency.