Students facing exams this summer will get extra support to acknowledge the disruption their learning has faced – promises the head of the government’s exam body.

In a letter to parents, chief regulator at Ofqual Dr Jo Saxton, has released details of the steps being taken to help teens through their exams and here’s what she says is planned..

Special student guides

While exams are going ahead as normal this year, in her letter to families Dr Saxton says she wants parents to know that the department responsible for exams and qualifications is doing all it can to help students – many of whom may be sitting external exams for the very first time because coronavirus cancelled previous formal assessments.

Because many students may not be familiar with what happens during the exam term, a special exam guide has been prepared for all pupils in the UK to steer them through the coming weeks and months. It applies to those taking GCSEs, A levels, other general qualifications including International Baccalaureates, T levels and BTEC and Cambridge Technicals.

The guide explains everything from exam timetables to ‘reasonable adjustments’ and access arrangements some students such as disabled pupils may be entitled to and also outlines things to consider when preparing. There is also infomation on exam marking, what to do if you think a set of results might be wrong and where to seek advice. Teenagers and their parents can find the full 2023 guide by clicking here.

Allowances and extra help

While students have faced no classroom closures in the last 12 months, learning over the past three years has faced significant upheaval as a result of the pandemic.

It also means some students are only sitting formal external exams for the very first time as previous grades or assessments may have been decided by teachers or coursework.

Ofqual says it is putting in additional support for students this year which will recognise the disruption and time lost and this includes:

*Support materials: In GCSE maths, physics, and combined science exams, candidates will be given formulae and equation sheets, so there are fewer things for them to remember in the exams.

*Grading protection: Work will be marked and graded in the normal way, as it would have been before the pandemic. But because of the disruption caused by the pandemic, examiners will be slightly ‘lenient’ when setting grade boundaries says Dr Saxton.

*A spaced-out timetable: Exam papers in the same subject will be well spaced out in the timetable. This, says the letter, will make it less likely a student will miss all exams in a subject if they are too ill to take one of the tests and should also help with more time to revise and prepare between papers.

*Help with languages: In GCSE modern foreign languages, the exams do not have to test unfamiliar vocabulary. Exams may contain unfamiliar vocabulary, but exam boards can give meanings for words that are not on their vocabulary lists.

Expectations for results

Ofqual says it expects results in 2023 to be ‘similar’ to those in pre-pandemic years with the grading protection introduced for GCSE and A level students meaning that a student who would have achieved an A before the pandemic should be just as likely to do so this summer, even if the quality of their work is a little weaker.

There are no caps, it adds, to the numbers able to achieve each or a certain grade and universities – it assures parents – understand this year’s approach in offering higher education places.

Results day

Students will receive their results on August 17 for AS and A levels, T Levels and vocational and technical qualifications taken alongside A levels at level 3.
GCSE students will get their results on August 24.

For students studying a level 2 VTQ, it is likely that they too will receive results on or before August 24.

Additional steps have been taken, says the letter to parents, to ensure level 3 vocational and technical qualification results used for progression are also issued in August alongside A levels.