Summer GCSE, AS and A level results 2020: FAQs for students and parents

Information for students about GCSEs, AS and A levels and other qualifications in 2020.

A level, AS level, GCSE and other qualifications

How do I find out my GCSE results?

Your school or college will be able to inform you of your grades from Thursday 20 August.

What about my BTEC or other Vocational and Technical Qualification (VTQ) results?

Vocational and technical results, such as BTECs and Cambridge Technicals, were rightly assessed differently to A levels. The statistical approach used for A levels was not generally used for VTQs as results generally took into account other factors such as coursework already completed.

Those awarding organisations have decided to take more time in order to make absolutely certain no student is inadvertently worse off due to changes in how grades are assessed.

Critically, no student will see their result downgraded as a result of this review, so any results already issued will either stay the same or improve. The relevant awarding organisations have assured us that students will receive their results as soon as possible.

My A/AS level centre assessment grade is lower than the calculated grade I got last week. What does this mean? Will I lose my university place?

Anyone who received a calculated grade higher than their centre assessment grade will not see their grade reduced.

Can a centre assessment grade be appealed?

A centre assessment grade can be appealed where there has been an administrative error. Students who have evidence of bias or discrimination can go through the normal complaints procedure at the centre or complain to the exam board, which could investigate potential malpractice. Students cannot otherwise appeal against the judgement of their school of college. Any students who are unhappy with their grades also have the opportunity to sit exams in the autumn.

Can I still use my mock exam grade if that is higher than my calculated grade or centre assessment grade?

No – the move to centre assessment grades means that the ability to appeal on the basis of a valid mock result is no longer available. Centre assessment grades were put together by schools and colleges taking into account the full range of evidence about students’ performance, including mock results, and were signed off by the Head of Centre as honestly and fairly representing the grades that students would have been most likely to achieve if they had sat their exams as planned. Appeals are only be allowed against centre assessment grades where there has been an administrative error.

Will there still be an examination series in the autumn for students not happy with their results?

Yes. Students will have the opportunity to sit exams in the autumn if they were not able to receive grades this summer or are not happy with the grades they have received.

Higher education: applications and clearing

When will universities have my results? When can I talk to my university about my place?

UCAS will let you know when universities have your grades. After that, we encourage you to contact your preferred university, as early as possible, to discuss your options.

What if my university have already rejected my application based on last week’s calculated grades, but I will now have higher grades?

UCAS will let you know when universities have your final grades. The first thing you should do is speak to your preferred university to see what options are available before taking any actions. The government and higher education sector have together committed to ensuring all students who achieved the required grades will be offered a place at their first choice university. At Wednesday’s daily meeting, the government’s Higher Education Taskforce agreed to honour all offers across all courses to students who meet the conditions of their offer this coming year wherever possible or, if maximum capacity is reached, to offer a suitable alternative course that you are happy with or a deferred place at the same university.

If there are places available, UCAS will be able to help you release yourself from any existing offer and take the offer at your preferred university. Universities will be receiving a number of calls at the moment, so please keep trying or email if you do not get through immediately.

What if I have accepted my insurance offer, or another offer in clearing, but I now have the grades required for my first choice?

UCAS will let you know when universities have your final grades. You should speak to your preferred university and see what options are available to you, based on your revised grades. If there are places available, UCAS will be able to help you release yourself from any existing offer and take the offer at your preferred university. Universities will be receiving a number of calls at the moment, so please keep trying or email if you do not get through immediately.

What if there are no places left on the course I want?

The government and higher education sector have together committed to ensuring all students who achieved the required grades will be offered a place at their first choice university. The government is working with universities to explore ways to build more capacity in to the higher education system and at an institutional level. At Wednesday’s daily meeting, the government’s Higher Education Taskforce agreed to honour all offers across all courses to students who meet the conditions of their offer this coming year wherever possible or, if maximum capacity is reached, to offer a suitable alternative course that you are happy with or a deferred place at the same university.

I got an offer during clearing – can the university withdraw it in order to give it to another student who has now met their offer because of centre assessment grades?

If you have accepted the offer, you can still take your place. If you now want to accept another offer, UCAS will be able to help you release from your existing offer and take up a place at your preferred university.

Can universities accept all students who meet their offer and also ensure campus remains socially distanced in September?

We are pleased to see that Universities UK has indicated that its members will be as flexible as possible and that, in relation to social distancing arrangements, they have said that ‘universities will do everything they can to work through these issues in days ahead.’

What support are you lending to university admissions offices? Will you consider pushing back the start of term?

We have been working closely with sector bodies in a higher education taskforce which is meeting daily. We are hugely grateful for the extra work and flexibility providers are undertaking to support all students. They have experience and expertise in dealing efficiently with large numbers of applications at this stage of the applications cycle, and we do not expect providers to delay the start of term on account of it.

Are you removing student number controls for universities?

We recognise that the change to centre assessment grades has implications for universities, and we therefore intend to remove the temporary student number controls for academic year 2020/21 to help ensure that there are no additional barriers to students being able to progress. We are working closely with the sector to create additional capacity and ensure they are as flexible as possible. At Wednesday’s daily meeting, the government’s Higher Education Taskforce agreed to honour all offers across all courses to students who meet the conditions of their offer this coming year wherever possible or, if maximum capacity is reached, to offer a suitable alternative course that you are happy with or a deferred place at the same university.

Students who previously missed an offer and will now meet it on the basis of their centre assessment grades should get in contact with the university. Those who have accepted another offer will be able to release themselves if they have their preferred choice reinstated.

Is there still a cap on medical and dentistry places?

This year many more students have been successful in meeting the required grades to study medicine and dentistry. We don’t want to lose the vital passion, enthusiasm and energy that these students have put into securing a high-quality university place.

That is why we are lifting the domestic caps for this academic year on these subjects and providing funding to support an increase in capacity.

What will happen if my grades have improved but my university doesn’t have space to offer me a place for medicine this year?

Where students have met their offer to study at a medical school, they should be able to take up that place this year where there is capacity to do so, or they should be offered a deferred place at their chosen university and course, subject to confirmation from Health Education England that clinical placements are in place.

My course is expensive for the university to provide so they aren’t going to expand this provision without support. Is additional funding being made available to the university?

This year, many more students than expected have met the grades to study vital subjects such as STEM and healthcare, where there are additional delivery costs for providers.

To ensure that providers are able to offer increased capacity, government will provide additional grant funding to support this provision which is vital to our economy and public services.