Exam grades will be published week early

GRADES for cancelled GCSE and A-level exams in Wales will now be published a week earlier than the original planned days, the Welsh Government has confirmed.

Education minister Kirsty Williams said the decision was made following “crossgovernment discussions”.

It means that the results for both exams and selected vocational qualifications will be given out during the week starting August 9.

In England it has been announced that A-level grades will be published on August 10 with GCSE students receiving their results two days later on August 12.

Yesterday Ms Williams said: “Following crossgovernment discussions to not disadvantage learners either side of the border with their progression I can confirm that GCSE and A-level results and selected vocational qualifications results in Wales will move forward this year to week commencing August 9.”

GCSE and A-level exams in Wales were cancelled after schools in Wales closed in December amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Work pupils have been doing at home will count towards their assessed exam grades and there is no specified number of pieces of work that need to be assessed.

This means learners will be awarded the same grades having covered different proportions of the specification.

The Welsh Government, WJEC and Qualifications Wales are keen to avoid a repeat of the row over results last year when an algorithm used to standardise grades saw thousands marked down.

The exam regulator has now written to all students explaining more about how they will be graded for GCSE, AS and A-levels that can’t be sat for a second year thanks to the ongoing effects of the pandemic.