Ofqual has asked examiners to “bear in mind” any “residual impact of disruption” caused by the Covid pandemic on students’ performance in A-level and GCSE exams this summer, Tes can reveal.
The regulator said it is continuing with its “back to normal” grading approach for 2024 exams after completing its two-year process to return to pre-pandemic grading standards last year.
However, when asked whether it will be instructing examiners to be “more lenient” when setting grade boundaries again this year to take into account any pandemic disruption to learning, Ofqual told Tes: “We have asked them to bear in mind any residual impact of disruption on performance.”
It added that it has also asked examiners “to maintain standards from 2023” to ensure that the “level of work this year is broadly comparable to last year”.
GCSE and A-level grading ‘protection’
While grading standards broadly returned to normal last year, there was still “some protection against any impact of Covid disruption”, Dr Jo Saxton, who was chief regulator at Ofqual, told Tes last year.
Because of pandemic disruption, examiners were “slightly lenient when setting grade boundaries” last year, the Ofqual Student Guide 2023 stated.
Ofqual said it expects this year’s GCSE and A-level results to be broadly similar to those in summer 2023 .
Last year there was a drop in the overall proportion of top grades awarded at A level and at GCSE, compared with 2022, though the proportion still remained slightly above that achieving top grades in 2019.
The previous chief regulator told Tes after GCSE results were released in 2023 that students taking exams in 2024 would not need grade protection.
However, headteachers and sector leaders warned last year that the impact of Covid was not over.
Analysis of last year’s GCSE results revealed that the key stage 4 disadvantage gap had increased to its widest point since 2011.
Every year Ofqual oversees the setting of grading boundaries by a group of senior examiner subject experts from each exam board.
During awarding, the examiners compare scripts from the current exam series with those from previous years. This is done to ensure that work achieving each grade level is of a comparable standard each year, and provides consistency over time.
An Ofqual spokesperson said: “We built some limited protection into our approach in 2023. There are no indications this was needed to a significant extent.
“In 2024 we are maintaining standards from 2023. This means it will be no more or less likely for a student to achieve a particular grade this year, compared to last year.”
More than a quarter of senior leaders said they were more concerned about Year 11 absence this year than last year in the run-up to the 2024 exams.
As of spring this year, Year 11 absence was still nearly as high as it was last year - despite a government drive to reduce it - and higher among the most disadvantaged students.
Leaders raised concerns that continued high absence in the wake of the pandemic would affect attainment in this year’s exams.
GCSE grading standard adjustments
Grading standard adjustments have already been announced for three GCSE subjects this year: computer science, French and German.
And the Department for Education announced last year that students sitting GCSE maths, physics and combined science would continue to be provided with formulae and equation sheets for the 2024 exams.
It said this decision was made in recognition of the 2024 GCSE cohort having experienced “two years of national closures”.
Responding to a consultation on this extra support, the Association of School and College Leaders and the NAHT school leaders’ union said it should remain in place permanently.
Exams were cancelled for two consecutive years during the pandemic. In 2020 students received centre-assessed grades and in 2021 teacher-assessed grades, resulting in an increase in top grades in both years.
A-level and GCSE exams returned in 2022 but with mitigations in place to take Covid disruption of learning into account, such as exam aids like formula sheets and advance information on topics.
That year top grades fell from the proportion awarded with teacher-assessed grades but remained well above 2019 levels.
For the latest education news and analysis delivered directly to your inbox every weekday morning, sign up to the Tes Daily newsletter
