UK Education News – Week of July 16

Lower GCSE and A-Level Results Anticipated amid a Challenging Year, Assures Education Secretary

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has advised schools to brace for lower GCSE and A-level results this summer. In her end-of-term message, she acknowledged the possibility of a dip in results due to a challenging academic year, marred by strikes and a cost-of-living crisis. The grading for this year has returned to pre-pandemic standards, albeit with some protective measures against the impact of Covid disruption.

Despite the difficulties, Keegan has expressed appreciation to the school leaders and staff for their hard work and resilience throughout the year. The return to physical exams, which were put on hold for two years due to the pandemic, will see students provided with formulae and equation sheets in certain subjects, though advance information will not be available for all subjects.

In the same address, Keegan confirmed the proper funding of the 6.5% teacher pay rise announced recently, a move welcomed by the education unions. She further expressed a desire to understand and engage with teachers and leaders better, to ensure the delivery of opportunities necessary for student development.

Navigating GCSE Subject Choices: Shaping Future A-Level Options and University Prospects

Selecting the appropriate GCSE subjects is a critical juncture in a student’s educational path, potentially influencing their A-Level options and future university prospects. GCSEs provide foundational knowledge in various subjects, allowing students to pursue their desired A-Level courses. Top universities often consider GCSE performance when evaluating applications, and universities increasingly contextualise this performance against average school performance.

There is a crucial link between GCSEs and A-Level subjects, as some A-Level courses have prerequisite GCSE subjects. For instance, a GCSE in Music is typically required for A-Level Music performance or technology. Accordingly, it is wise for students to align their GCSE subject choices with their interests and aspirations, thereby keeping their future study options open.

Highly selective universities like Oxford and Cambridge have specific subject requirements for their undergraduate programmes. Understanding these requirements early on can help students tailor their GCSE choices to align with their desired future courses. Additionally, maintaining a balance of core subjects like maths, sciences, or English, along with other chosen subjects, can provide a solid academic foundation.

Parents are advised to seek guidance from school teachers, career advisors, or educational consultants to aid in the selection process. These professionals can offer valuable insights into the potential impacts of subject choices based on a student’s strengths, interests, and goals.

Understanding the Process to Appeal GCSE and A-level Exam Grades in 2023

Once exam results are released, there is a short window during which students can appeal their grades. For A-levels, results are released on August 17th, 2023, with a deadline for requests for a priority review of marking on August 31st, and a final deadline for review of marking on September 28th. For GCSEs, the corresponding dates are August 23rd, September 7th, and September 28th, 2023.

Reasons to appeal may include suspected errors in exam marking or administration. If a student’s further studies depend on achieving certain grades, it is recommended to maintain regular communication with the school or college they wish to attend. If appealing, the first step is to request the exam paper to check for errors in grade calculation. This request must be submitted by the school or college’s exams officer to the exam board.

A review of marking, where the exam paper is assessed by another examiner, can also be requested, but it requires the student’s consent. After review, the mark can go up, stay the same, or decrease. This service can be charged, with priority reviews taking around 10 days and regular reviews about 15 days.

If grades do not improve after the review, students may opt to resit the exams. However, only maths and English language GCSEs can be taken in the autumn, while A-levels and all other GCSE subjects must be retaken in the next summer exam series.

Appeals can also be lodged on three grounds: against the outcomes of post-results services, against decisions made in cases of malpractice, and relating to access arrangements, reasonable adjustments and special consideration. Following a review of marking, there is a 30-day window to appeal.

For 2023, the DfE aims to return exam results to pre-Covid levels, warning that grades would likely be lower than the past three years due to grade inflation caused by exam cancellations during the pandemic.

Here is more information about appealing A-level results.

Return to Pre-Covid Exam Grading in 2023: When and How to Collect GCSE and A-Level Results

This article provides information about results day for GCSE and A-level students in 2023. After exams have been completed, students now await their results. This year’s results will be a return to “normal” after years of disruption due to Covid-19. There was a rise in top grades during the pandemic due to various support measures enacted to balance the impact of school closures. In 2020, students were awarded teacher-predicted grades in the absence of exams. However, with most of these measures now removed or scaled back, the results in 2023 are anticipated to mirror pre-Covid levels.

A-level results day is scheduled for Thursday, 17 August, with GCSE results day a week later, on Thursday, 24 August. Generally, results are available for collection from schools and colleges around 8 am, but students should verify this with their institution or teachers. Some schools may distribute their grades via email or post.

Grading for this year’s exams will resemble pre-pandemic levels. Dr. Jo Saxton, the head of England’s exams regulator, Ofqual, shared that while the results were notably higher in 2020 and 2021, grade boundaries for 2023 will be set to be “fair to students.” Certain measures from the Covid years, like the spacing apart of exams and providing GCSE students with formulae and equations in some subjects, have remained. The exams are marked by independent examiners using published mark schemes, with grading taking place afterward.

Urgent Need for Alternative Teaching Methods for GCSE Resit Students, Suggests EEF Review

The Education and Endowment Foundation (EEF), in collaboration with the University of Warwick and the Centre for Education and Youth, has called for exploration and testing of alternative teaching methods to improve pass rates among GCSE resit students. This comes in response to the fact that in 2022, only 15.2% of students resitting their maths GCSE and 24.1% in English achieved a grade 4.

The review by EEF highlighted that the biggest obstacle to high-quality teaching for these students was the struggle of FE institutions to recruit and retain teachers with the necessary subject expertise. It also found a deficiency in evidence-informed programmes and interventions to aid learners and facilitate professional development for resit class teachers.

Joe Hallgarten, CEO of the Centre for Education and Youth, noted a “double disadvantage” for 16-19 year-olds struggling with basic maths and English, including inadequate teaching, lack of curriculum time, and insufficient academic and pastoral support.

The report indicated that evidence for post-16 practices is far more limited than for school pupils, with a shortage of high-quality programmes for 16-18 year-olds. It found no clear trends in specific techniques or systems of assessment being used.

The EEF was urged to maintain and increase its focus on post-16 English and maths for low-achieving and disadvantaged learners, including GCSE resit students, due to the persistent underperformance of resit learners and the poor evidence base for interventions in this area. EEF CEO Becky Francis emphasised the importance of finding better ways to support teaching and learning for GCSE resits to minimise outcome gaps before most young people leave the education system.

High University Achievement Among Low A-Level Scorers Sparks Concern Over Grade Inflation

A report from the Office for Students (OfS) shows that one in four students who only achieved three D grades at A-Level graduated with first-class degrees. These figures indicate that significant numbers of underachievers in school transform into high achievers at university. The data comes amid attempts to reduce grade inflation and findings that half of top awards given last year could not be accounted for by prior academic performance or background.

Susan Lapworth, CEO of the OfS, highlighted the progress made in combating increases in top grades being awarded in universities and colleges over the past decade. However, she noted the persistent challenge of grade inflation that does not reflect actual student achievement, which can negatively impact students, graduates, employers, and potentially the reputation of English higher education.

While Lapworth acknowledged that improved teaching and other factors could explain the rise in first-class degrees, she expressed concern over the sustained increase in unexplained firsts and 2:1s since the academic year 2010-11. The OfS has pledged to use its revised quality regulating approach to intervene where degree awards may not meet its requirements.

Exploring Apprenticeships, T Levels, VTQs, and Other Alternatives to A Levels and Traditional University Education

Let’s explore alternatives to A Levels and traditional university education in the UK. These alternatives are intended to suit different learning styles, career goals, and situations, offering flexibility and diverse pathways for students aged 16 and above.

Apprenticeships: These are paid jobs that offer on-the-job experience and training in a wide range of industries. Apprentices spend at least 20% of their time in off-the-job training, learning skills needed for their profession.

T Levels: T Levels are similar to three A Levels and focus on technical skills. They combine classroom learning with an industry placement and result in a nationally recognized qualification.

Vocational Technical Qualifications (VTQs): VTQs are practical qualifications that focus on specific jobs or broad employment areas, designed to equip students with the skills needed to start their careers or continue to higher levels of education.

For those who are 18 and considering alternative routes, options include:

Degree Apprenticeships: These apprenticeships combine work with study for a degree, allowing students to gain a degree while earning a competitive salary.

Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs): HTQs are level 4/5 qualifications designed to provide skills needed by employers. They can be studied flexibly around other commitments and will be eligible for tuition fee and maintenance loans from September 2023.

For those looking to transition directly into the workforce, some companies offer school leaver schemes, which allow young people to learn and train with a large company while earning a wage.