Ofqual welcomes today’s
announcement that GCSE, AS and A level exams will go
ahead in England next summer. And we strongly support the
revised timetable, with almost all exams now to be sat
after the summer half term. Exams are the fairest way to
assess what students know and can do.
In July, Ofqual announced changes to the
subject content in some GCSEs and to the detailed
assessment arrangements for GCSE, AS and A levels. No
changes have been made to those decisions. The curriculum
is settled, and now students and teachers have greater
certainty about how and when students will be assessed.
We have worked with the Department for Education (DfE) and
exam boards to map out a timeline to allow the majority of
summer GCSE, AS and A level exams to start on 7 June, with
results days taking place in late August. Students studying
level 1 and 2, and level 3 vocational and technical
qualifications instead of, or alongside, GCSEs, AS and A
levels and needing their results to progress, will receive
their results no later than their peers.
Interim Chief Regulator Dame Glenys Stacey said: “During
the pandemic, teachers and students are having to work in
exceptional ways, to catch up and keep up with learning.
These arrangements optimise the time now available for
that, providing the best part of three extra weeks extra
teaching and learning for many. And with this and the
subject content for these qualifications now settled,
teachers and students have some welcome certainty in these
uncertain times.
“Of course, we will need contingency plans. We are
discussing with government, exam boards and the sector, the
detail of that – taking into account the risk of disruption
at an individual, local and regional level.”
