More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Thousands of Kent pupils are nervously awaiting A-level results in an exam year that has been like no other.
With tests scrapped because of coronavirus, this year's results are more about predictions.
School and colleges have spent the time they would ordinarily have been overseeing exams instead predicting the grades they believe their pupils would have achieved if they'd been able to sit their actual A-levels.
Those predictions were then sent to exam boards to be adjusted - or standardised - in an attempt to ensure that this year's grades are not hugely out of sync with last year's results or do not become too dissimilar to what students achieve in 2021.
But this method of deciding 2020 grades is causing huge levels of anxiety with many worried that individual results, particularly from high-achieving students in lower performing schools, will be downgraded by a computer and a statistical model.
Exam results in Scotland, released last week, are already causing their own controversy with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon admitting the government "did not get it right" over the way it moderated grades, with those downgraded results having now been scrapped in favour of teacher predictions.
In Westminster, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson swiftly followed with his own fresh announcement late on Tuesday - offering students a fresh 'triple-lock' system in which they will have the choice to take the highest grade from either their estimated result, their mocks or an optional written exam in the autumn.
But what options are open to students who don't get given the results they were hoping for?
Usually, if A-level grades are hugely different to what was expected, there are very clearly set-out appeal systems and processes in place. But this year things could be a little different.
Here's what to do, and the options you or your teenager may have:
Can you appeal?
If the predictions given this morning aren't what you were expecting, speak to the school in the first instant.
As a result of the government's 'triple lock' option, there is now the opportunity to appeal this moderated grade in favour of a mock exam result (should the student have sat one) if that was a higher mark.
But only teaching staff at schools or colleges can appeal these A-level results on behalf of their pupils.
Individual pupils are not able to contest their results by themselves because they think they'd have done better if they'd been able to sit the actual A-level exams.
Instead it will be the job of schools or colleges to raise the appeal if there is the option to revert to a mock result or if results the school has been given don't, in its view, reflect recent improvements.
A school can also appeal for a student if it is thought that there has been some error in the process, but you must be clear on what basis it is the result is being appealed.
If a school or college won’t submit an appeal to the exam board on a student's behalf, it must have a process in place for you to ask for a review of that decision says the government.
Resits
Sitting exams in the autumn is an option for those who missed out on taking actual exams this summer and wish to defer going to university.
Any student who wants to explore this option must speak to their school or college as they will need to be entered for the subjects they wish to retake and students will have to take all the exam papers in that chosen resit subject.
The government has promised to cover the cost for schools of anyone who wishes to enter autumn exams in this way.
Anyone achieving a different grade in the exam will be able to use whichever mark is higher for either university applications or for adding to CVs when finding a job.
New results will be based on exam performance only. There will be no non-exam assessments and results from previous non-exam assessments are not expected to be included or considered. Only students whose summer exams in 2020 were cancelled can resit this autumn.
UCAS and Clearing:
If you didn't get the required grades for the course or university you were hoping for speak to the university you had chosen. It may still accept you onto the course, especially if you missed out on their requirement by a very small amount.
If you're not able to get on that course then one of the options may be to use the UCAS Clearing service to match you and your grades with a course that you want.
With many gap year plans on hold because of restrictions around the world relating to the pandemic and concerns over job prospects and unemployment, many more students are expected to enter the UCAS clearing system this week in search of a suitable university course.
Last year 73,325 students found a degree course in this way, with some experts predicting the figure could be close to 80,000 this August.
But with many foreign students not expected to come to the UK this year to study because of coronavirus, there may also be more options available through Clearing than in previous years as demand from oversees could be less.
Students who are part of an exam results appeal that has been lodged by their school or college should have until September 7 before universities they have applied to will want to make final decisions on who is being admitted to courses and the government is asking everyone to be as flexible as possible.
But before accepting any new course, try to do some research in order to be sure that the university or its course is what you were looking for. It would also be worth being sure about how teaching will be delivered and what university life will look like in light of the pandemic.
To find out more from exam regulator Ofqual, click here and for UCAS and clearing, click here.
