Public Examinations 2022

The Department for Education and Ofqual jointly consulted on proposed contingency arrangements for awarding Teacher Assessed Grades (TAGs), for use in the unlikely event that exams are not able to go ahead in summer 2022 due to the pandemic.

The government is clear that students entering GCSEs, AS or A levels in 2022 should expect to take exams in the summer. In recognition of the fact that students’ education has been disrupted by the pandemic, they will be given extra help to prepare for their exams as follows:

•  students taking GCSEs in English literature, history, ancient history and geography will not need to cover the usual range of content in the exams
• students taking GCSEs in all other subjects will be given advance information about the focus of the content of the exams to help them focus their revision
• students taking AS and A levels will be given advance information about the focus of the content of the exams to help them focus their revision
• students taking GCSEs in mathematics will be given in their exams copies of formulae they would in other years have to memorise
• students taking GCSE physics and combined science will be given in their exams a sheet covering all the equations they might need to apply in the exams

The advance information for GCSE and AS and A Levels has now been published and can be viewed here: Click to view

There is also a useful update on the changes here: Click to view

Ofqual has decided that grade boundaries for summer 2022 will be set so that more students than was the case before the pandemic receive higher grades, providing a safety net for students in this transitionary year.

Students taking Project qualifications and the Advanced Extension Award are expected to be assessed in summer 2022 in the normal way.

If exams have to be cancelled in summer 2022, students’ grades will instead be determined by their teachers, using a Teacher Assessed Grade (TAG) approach similar to that used in summer 2021. TAGs are based on teachers’ assessment of their students’ work.

If exams are cancelled the Secretary of State will set out in a direction to Ofqual the government’s policy on how TAGs should be used to determine grades in summer 2022. This direction would take account of the timing of the decision to cancel exams and any public health restrictions in place at the time.

Decisions on contingency arrangements 2022 (GCSE, AS, A level, Project and AEA): Click to view

Ofqual's approach to grading examinations and assessments in summer 2022: Click to view

Hewens College is bound by the regulations set out by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), which determines the regulations for examination conditions, results and certification. For further information on examination regulations, including JCQ’s rules for students, please read the documents set out below for download.

For further information, please visit the JCQ website at https://www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/general-regulations

Students should, whenever possible, attend the College in person to collect their results. Summer 2022 examination results are scheduled for 18th August 2022 (Post 16) and 25th August 2022 (Year 11). Details about collection procedures will be published nearer the time.

If collection in person is not possible the following options are available by prior arrangement:

Results sent by post: This must be organised with the College in advance of the official results day. Students requesting this service must provide the College with a stamped (postage paid), self addressed envelope in which their results can be posted. The College will post the results on the official results day.

Nominated person to collect the results on the student's behalf: In this event, the student must provide the person collecting their results, with a dated and signed letter that gives them the appropriate authority to do so.  The letter must state the full name of the person collecting the results and that they have the student's full permission to do so. The nominated person must then attend the College, with the letter and formal photographic proof of their identity, such as a driving licence or passport. It is very important to note that public examination results will not be given to a third party unless they have the appropriate written permission from the student concerned and can provide the required photographic proof of identity.

We are bound by JCQ’s regulations, which stipulate that certificates need to be collected in person and signed for. We are unable to post certificates.

Any student who is unable to collect their certificates in person may nominate someone to collect them on their behalf. In this event, the student must provide the person collecting their certificates, with a dated and signed letter that gives them the appropriate authority to do so.  The letter must state the full name of the person collecting the certificates and that they have the student's full permission to do so. The nominated person must then attend the College with the letter and formal photographic proof of their identity, such as a driving licence or passport. It is very important to note that public examination certificatess will not be given to a third party unless they have the appropriate written permission from the student concerned and can provide the required photographic proof of identity.

Please see the following links for information about the new GCSE grading structure:

• Ofqual Guidance on New GCSE Grading Structure
• HM Government GCSE's are Changing
• Summary of Changes to GCSEs from 2015