Summer Exams 2023: Everything You Need to Know

Will GCSE Students Get Formulae Sheets in 2023?

In GCSE maths, physics, and combined science exams, formulae and equation sheets will be given, so students do not need to memorise as much.

Will There Be Support for Language GCSEs?

GCSE modern foreign language exams do not require students to know the unfamiliar vocabulary. Exams may still contain unfamiliar vocabulary. However, exam boards can give meanings for words that are not on their vocabulary lists.

Contingency Days in 2023

Exam boards have included additional ‘contingency days’ in the exam timetable in case of unexpected events. These days would be used in the unlikely event that exams had to be moved because they could not take place when planned. These are the afternoons of 8 and 15 June and 28 June. Hence, students need to be available.

Summer Exam Grades – Predictions

Grading for GCSE, AS and A levels in 2023 will be back to normal. There is also some protection in place for GCSE and A-level student cohorts this summer. This means that a student who would have achieved an A grade before the pandemic will be just as likely to get an A in 2023, even if their performance is a little weaker.

Plan B for Summer Exams

Ofqual has provided guidance for teachers to save evidence of student performance. This would only be used to determine Teacher Assessed Grades in the unlikely event that exams could not go ahead. Schools and colleges have been instructed to use students’ mock exams as evidence for their GCSE grades. Teachers will let students know when they are taking assessments that could be used, but students should just approach them as they usually would.

Ofqual Student Guide

Ofqual will be publishing a Student Guide in the spring term with all the information students need on exams and assessments in 2023. This will be available on the Ofqual website.