MGS
29th March 2021
Dear Year 11/Year 13 Parent and Carer,
RE: Awarding of Grades – Update
I would like to take this opportunity to update you on the progress being made by the school in the awarding of grades for the Summer of 2021.
Each subject team in school is currently creating plans which we expect to be able to confirm following the release of the exam board materials. These plans identify a range of evidence that has been, or will be collected, along with additional assessments that will need to be carried out over the remainder of the course.
In order to address the disruption created by the global pandemic, the assessments taken will focus only on the content that students have had the opportunity to study.
Students will be completing assessments regularly between now and the end of their course. The students will be given plenty of notice for each of these assessments and will be directed to specific materials to help them prepare.
We will be monitoring students’ timetables very closely and ensuring that students’ workload does not become overwhelming. The school is passionate in its support of all our students in securing academic success yet recognises that our commitment to their emotional wellbeing must also remain a priority.
I am sure that you may still have many questions following this letter. Given that we have not been assured that the exam material will arrive in school before the end of term, we hope that you understand the difficulty for us to confidently share the finer details of departmental plans. We hope that this picture will become far clearer after Easter and we will once again give you a further update of how the grades will be awarded.
In the meantime, I would refer you back to my previous advice in that the coming months are as important as they were always going to be. It is vital that students ensure they continue to attend all lessons as expected, complete all work which is set and continue to revise. This will ensure that they are ready to perform at their best on our return to school after Easter and help secure the best grades possible.
Yours faithfully,
Mr M Smith
Head teacher
Dear Year 11/Year 13 Parent and Carer,
RE: Awarding of Grades
On 25th February, following the cancellation of the examinations due to take place this year, the Education Secretary gave us the outcome of the recent consultation on the awarding of grades.
Thank you to all those parents, carers and students who took the time to complete the consultation survey. I am pleased that the DfE and Ofqual have determined that the teachers, (those who know our students best) will be asked to provide the final grades. This should ensure our students get the results they deserve.
We must now wait until the end of this term for the guidance and materials from the exam boards that will determine the process that schools are expected to undertake before submitting grades to them.
In the meantime, what I can say to you and your children is that the coming months are as important as they were always going to be. Our staff have been working exceptionally hard to ensure students have been maintaining their progress and will continue to do so. It is vital that students ensure they continue to attend all lessons as expected, complete all work which is set and continue to revise. This will ensure that they are ready to perform at their best on our return to school and help secure the best grades possible.
As soon as I have further information from Ofqual which is anticipated later this term I will write again.
Yours faithfully,
Mr M Smith
Head teacher
Important Notice for Parents/Carers of Year 11 and Year 13 Students (April 2020)
Parents/Carers of Year 11 and Year 13 Students: Important message from Ofqual
Dear Parents/Carers of Year 11 and Year 13 Students,
Ofqual have today issued the guidance on how GCSEs, AS & A levels will be awarded in summer 2020.
For this summer’s awards, the school are being asked to provide centre assessment grades for each of you.
Exam boards will be contacting the school after Easter asking them to submit, by a deadline that will be no earlier than 29 May 2020, a centre assessment grade for every student in each of your subjects: that is, the grade we believe you would be most likely to have achieved if you had sat your exams and completed any non-exam assessment. Judgements will balance different sources of evidence such as:
- classwork
- bookwork
- any participation in performances in subjects such as music, drama or PE
- any non-exam assessment – whether or not complete
- the results of any assignments or mock exams
- previous examination results – for example, for any re-sitting students or those with relevant AS qualifications
- any other records of student performance over the course of study
Your teachers will not be allowed to share these estimates with you.
A letter from Ofqual for all students can be found here
Further guidance on the process can be found here
Grading in 2020 - information for students can be found here
Important Notice for Parents/Carers of Year 11 and Year 13 Students:
Following the government announcement on 18th March 2020 , our first thoughts go to our Year 11 and 13 students who have been busy preparing for their GCSE and A-level examinations, which will now not take place during this academic year.
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