2020 GCSE Results

An explainer video from Ofqual

The ‘Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation’ (Ofqual) created this handy explainer video.

How will my school calculate my results?

Your school will need to provide evidence for the predicted grade. This may include your mock exams, coursework, and any future work set by your teachers, so please put your best foot forward!

If you’re interested in understanding how schools set your grades in more detail, you can see:

• General information for Heads and teachers (click here)

• ‘Objectivity in grading and ranking guidance’ for Heads and teachers (click here)

• Ofqual blog on making grades as fair as they can be (click here)

• Information from your exam board can be found in the ‘Where do I find information from my exam board’ section below

What if I’m taking GCSEs privately?

On the 30th of April Ofqual published new guidance on awarding grades to private candidates, which can be found here. Please also see the ‘Where do I find information from my exam board’ section below.

How will exam boards change my results?

A statistical model has been created that looks at all GCSE results from your school since 2018. If your schools results are too strict or too generous, your exam board will make adjustments so that the performance of the school as a whole will meet the statistical predictions.

Early communication from Ofqual indicated that many schools have been too generous and so many grades will be reduced.

Where do I find information from my exam board?

We have included links to the relevant pages for the exam boards below:

• AQA (click here)

• OCR (click here)

• Pearson (click here)

• WJEC (click here)

How will I know how my grades were calculated?

Your school will have to provide evidence for the grades that were awarded, and you can expect to see a summary that explains how your grade was determined.

How do I appeal my GCSE results?

It is anticipated that the method of calculating results is not perfect and may result in mistakes that unfairly give some students worse grades than they would have expected. When you recieve your grades you will also be given your available options if you disagree with them, including your access to appeal.

The National Careers Service Exam Results Helpline offers advice each year for students who have not received the results they had hoped for. The number is 0800 100 900 and the line will be open until the 27th August.

Unfortunately, the appeals process will only cover adjustments made by the exam board and not the original grade submitted by your school. If you have concerns about bias, discrimination or any other factor that suggests your school did not behave with care or integrity, you are advised to make a complaint to the school directly, or the exam board who will investigate on your behalf.

If you believe your grades do not reflect your ability, you will have the opportunity to sit exams, currently scheduled for November 2020 or Summer 20201. If you choose to do this, you get a result that was lower than your predicted grade, you will be able to continue to use your predicted grade.

How can I improve my GCSE results?

Remember any work that they set you from now on may be used as evidence to support your final grade, so do your best! Fledge can offer high quality private tuition from experienced teachers at a low cost, and will give you your first session free.

In addition, Fledge are also launching a 2020 GCSE Resit programme, which includes 10 hours tuition for just £99.99. We will publish more information about this in due course.

Where can I look for further information?

Ofquals full guidance for teachers, students, parents and carers can be found here.