Thousands of pupils to see exams downgraded
THOUSANDS of students in Wales will get lower exam results than teachers recommended because schools were too generous assessing GCSE and A-level grades this summer, Qualifications Wales has revealed.
The examinations body said that nearly one in four students (25%) would have received an A* or A in their GCSE results if they had accepted the Centre Assessment Grades grades recommended by teachers. Last year, in 2019, only 17.9% of pupils received one of the top two grades.
At A-level, the gap between teachers’ recommendations and the grades awarded in last year’s exams was even more stark with 40.4% of A*s and As recommended by teachers when last year only 27% achieved those grades through exams.
Qualifications Wales yesterday issued a comprehensive guide to how this year’s exam results were calculated. Not all grades were lowered, some students will receive higher-than-expected grades where the body said teachers had been too harsh.
Teenagers will receive their A-level results on Thursday and the GCSE results will be published the following Thursday, August 20.
The grades based on teachers recommendations, examinations already sat and coursework done have been moderated by exam boards, including the WJEC and exam regulator, Qualifications
Wales. Data, including schools’ past performance in recent years was also looked at when awarding grades.
Qualifications Wales’ guide includes an analysis of the grades recommended by teachers – called Centre Assessment Grades (CAGs)– for GCSEs, AS and A-levels that were provided to exam board the WJEC by schools and colleges, as well as details of the standardisation process used to calculate grades this summer.
Teachers provided each of their learners with estimated grades (CAGs) and a position within a rank order for each subject. This information was submitted to WJEC in June. Since then it has been standardised to ensure consistency in grades for learners across Wales, said the regulator.
Qualifications Wales chief executive Philip Blaker said: “On the whole CAGs were generous and there was also evidence of inconsistency between exam centres.
“This is in no way a criticism of teachers as there was no opportunity amid the pandemic to train them. Wales is no different to many other nations where this year has required a shift from externally assessed exams to calculating grades.
“Our analysis shows a clear difference between CAGs and exam results in previous years highlighting the need for standardisation to secure fairness for learners.”
The regulator said the results system agreed on, developed by WJEC and approved by Qualifications Wales, would “protect the standards of GCSEs and A-levels and the credibility of these qualifications, defending them from accusations of grade inflation”.
There are some differences to the way results have been reached at due to the design of GCSEs and AS/A levels in Wales, but the system is similar to that being used in England and Scotland.
“Qualifications awarded in Wales this year are of the same value as those awarded in any other normal year,” said Mr Blaker.
“The approach to awarding this year’s grades has been carefully thought through to be as fair as possible in the circumstances and protect the value of results – without such an approach big variations in outcomes would reduce confidence in results and therefore disadvantage this year’s learners.”
Qualifications Wales said it worked with Welsh Government and WJEC to help learners get their grades in GCSE, AS, A-Level and Skills Challenge Certificate qualifications this summer after exams were cancelled.
The Welsh Government’s responsibility was to set education policy and oversee the education system, providing policy direction and guidance.
Qualifications Wales approved the standardisation models developed by WJEC and monitored its processes for determining the grades awarded. Before results are issued, the regulator will review them with WJEC to ensure that national outcomes are broadly similar to previous years “to protect qualification standards and support fairness for learners, past, present and future”.