Ofqual's guide to the 2020 GCSE results in England

• a summary of results (below)

• results tables based on the final grades awarded to students (the higher of the centre assessment grade or calculated grade)

• results of the 2020 national reference test

Summer 2020 grading

We announced on 17 August 2020 that, for GCSEs, AS and A levels, extended project qualifications and advanced extension awards, students would be awarded their centre assessment grade or calculated grade, whichever is higher.

Following this announcement, exam boards have been working hard to provide schools, colleges and UCAS with amended final grades. Therefore, to provide a national picture, we have calculated overall results for each qualification based on the grades awarded to students. We have also calculated outcomes by subject, using the JCQ subject groupings. The results are for all students in England, and for GCSE, we have also published outcomes for 16-year-olds only. While the data we have used to calculate these outcomes is nearly complete, there may be some minor differences compared to any subsequent figures that are published by JCQ. We expect that JCQ will publish final results data in the next few weeks.

GCSE results

We have published GCSE results based on students being awarded their centre assessment grade or calculated grade, whichever is higher. The outcomes are presented overall and by subject compared to the 2019 outcomes published by JCQ, for all students and 16-year-olds. There are separate data tables showing the outcomes at the key grades (7, 4 and 1), and the outcomes at all grades for those qualifications that were graded 9 to 1 in both 2019 and 2020. There are separate data tables for full course and short course GCSEs.

National Reference Test and grading standards in GCSE French and German

Prior to the summer, we announced that we would make an adjustment to the grading standards in GCSE French and German, to provide better alignment with GCSE Spanish. We implemented this by making an adjustment to the statistical predictions that were used as part of the standardisation process. Although some students will have been awarded their centre assessment grade rather than the calculated grade, our approach still means that the adjustment has been taken into account – because students have either been awarded the calculated grade (which had this adjustment taken into account) or the centre assessment grade (if higher than the calculated grade). We will keep under review the grading standards in GCSE French and German in future series.

We have also published information relating to the National Reference Test (NRT). This includes the results of the 2020 NRT and our annual statement setting out how we have taken account of NRT evidence. As for GCSE French and German, the upward adjustment we have made in GCSE maths based on NRT evidence has been taken into account given the approach to awarding grades. This is because students have been awarded the higher of their centre assessment grade or calculated grade.

AS and A level results

We have also published updated results for AS and A level following our announcement – that is, the final results based on the centre assessment grades or calculated grades, whichever is higher. The outcomes are presented overall and by subject compared to 2019 outcomes and include all students.