How GCSES and A-levels will be graded in Wales next summer

DETAILS of how next summer’s exams in Wales will be run and graded have been released.

Regulator Qualifications Wales said grading would be set midway between pre-pandemic 2019 and this summer’s overall higher grades.

The decision means students and schools can expect results to be lower in 2023 than this year, when sat exams returned, but higher than the two pandemic years under teacher-assessed grades.

Students and teachers will be given some advance information of the topics, themes, texts or other content to expect in summer 2023 exams.

Record results were posted during the pandemic and critics have argued that grades were inflated when exams were cancelled and results awarded on teacher assessment in 2020 and 2021.

The aim now is to steady the system back but also take account of Covid disruption to learning.

Qualifications Wales said: “The intention is for this year’s results to fall broadly midway between the 2019 and 2022 results.

“This approach takes into account the disruption experienced by learners during the pandemic and the fact that AS qualifications and some GCSE units were awarded this year – using a different grading approach – and these will have an impact on next summer’s grading.

“The move signals the next step on the Welsh qualification system’s journey back to pre-pandemic assessment arrangements, whilst also maintaining support for learners, schools and colleges with advance information and a supportive approach to grading.”

The regulator said providing some advance information of what to expect in exam papers would help learners focus their revision for exams and assessments.

It added: “Qualifications Wales believes that this is the fairest approach for learners this year. The current trajectory means that there will be a return to pre-pandemic standards in 2024.”