2020 has been a challenging year for all Stevenage students, particularly those taking their GCSEs and A-Levels. Due to the current pandemic and subsequent lockdown, students in years 13 and 11 were not able to sit their final examinations.

To replace examinations, schools were asked to make their best assessment of what grade each student would be most likely to receive. The grades schools submitted to the Examination Boards were agreed by the centre, following rigorous internal quality assurance. This means that Centre Assessed Grades were not the sole responsibility of any individual teacher.  

Ofqual (The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation) had consulted on and implemented a standardisation process for exam results this summer, but the system has resulted in inconsistent outcomes for A-level students. Subsequently, the Government and Ofqual have jointly agreed to revert to centre assessment grades for A-Levels and GCSEs, which are the grades which schools and colleges assessed students were most likely to have achieved, had exams gone ahead. This was deemed to be the fairest approach to avoid some students receiving grades that did not reflect their prior performance.

On 17th August, Ofqual published a statement, recognising that while the approach adopted attempted to maintain standards and protect the public trust in educational qualifications, in fact, the process did not achieve this. Teachers across the country welcome Ofqual’s decision to revert to Centre Assessed Grades in A-Levels and GCSEs. 

Dr Matthew Laban, Principal of Barclay Academy says “We, at Barclay Academy, are proud of all of our students during such unprecedented times and particularly proud of our Year 11 students. Several of our students have achieved outstanding results with grade 7 or higher in all subjects.

We are all set to provide clear guidance and support to ensure they get the best courses and we will be encouraging our Year 11 students to choose the best option for them in the next phase of their lives.”

Staff in all Stevenage schools will continue to work diligently to ensure students receive the grades they deserve, (including supporting students through the appeal process), so that they can progress on successfully to the next stage of their lives.   

About Stevenage Schools

The joint statement represents the views of Barclay Academy, Barnwell School, The John Henry Newman Catholic School, The Thomas Alleyne Academy, The Nobel School and Marriotts School in Stevenage.