A level and GCSE grades to be calculated according to predicted grades, mock exams, and coursework

The corona virus pandemic has caused disorder across all five continents. Besides the great and tragic loss of life, every sector of the economy has been impacted. Even the largest corporations have been affected, but it will be the loss of so many small businesses that will have the most deleterious effect on economies. Many shops are already boarded up, and though the more established names have a hope of recovery, thousands of small vendors - the little independent bookstores, the cafes and specialist hobby stores - will close permanently. For the UK, as well as many other countries, small businesses make up a sizeable amount of the GDP (as much as 30% by some estimates) and the coming weeks and months will unfortunately see many close down.

With all schools now shut, and no GCSE`s or A-Levels to be taken this year, tens of thousands of students are in an unprecedented situation. How are they supposed to keep up with their studies? Has this whole year of schooling gone to waste? When will they sit their exams? The first thing I would say is that learning is never a waste - any work done this year will be of benefit. For many students it may feel that this global crisis couldn`t have come at a worse time, as they have studied for nearly two years for exams they were hoping to take in just a few months.

The exam regulator Ofqual, along with all the exam boards, will be working with teachers in order to negotiate these difficult months. University representatives have said they expect universities to be understanding and flexible.

`The coronavirus outbreak is expected to continue having a significant impact on the education system, and the country, for months to come. Therefore exams have been cancelled now to give pupils, parents, and teachers certainty, and enable schools and colleges to focus on supporting vulnerable children and the children of key workers.`

Without the possibility of assessments this year, how then will GCSE, A and AS level students be awarded their grades? Upon what criteria will universities be able to grant admissions? One option would simply be to defer grading for a year, and to have this year`s exams taken next year. Assuming things are back to some state of normality by 2021 (and even that cannot be said for certain) this seems like a fairly straightforward solution. The reality though is that forcing tens of thousands of students to effectively repeat a year would be hugely problematic: schools would need the facilities and staff to cope with the attendance of a whole extra year group, and there would potentially be double the number of pupils applying for university placements next year.

The proposed solution is that students who were expecting to take their GCSE, A or AS level exams this year will be awarded a grade that `fairly reflects the work that they have put in,` according to the Department of Education.

`Ofqual will develop and set out a process that will provide a calculated grade to each student which reflects their performance as fairly as possible, and will work with the exam boards to ensure this is consistently applied for all students.

`The exam boards will be asking teachers, who know their students well, to submit their judgement about the grade that they believe the student would have received if exams had gone ahead.`

Schoolteachers will be asked to make an assessment of each student, to gather information from a `range of evidence` which includes classwork, and specifically mock exams. Almost all Year 11`s will have taken their mock exams this January, with some schools having completed them late last year; and most A level mock results will have been announced by February.

By collating all this information, it is proposed that each student will be awarded their grade. In the words of the Department of Education `the aim is to provide these calculated grades to students before the end of July.` I can well understand the disappointment many students will feel, as a low mock exam result is just the incentive required to galvanise earnest scholarly action, ensuring improvement upon a predicted grade. An appeal option is going to be offered, and I can only imagine the majority of pupils will be availing themselves of it. For those students who feel their predicted grades are not an accurate reflection of their true potential, The Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said they may be able to take a `mini-session [of exams] in the autumn.` Students will also be offered the opportunity to take their exams in the summer of next year.