What evidence will be used to determine grades?

Holistic Evidence and a Common Approach to Evidence:

Evidence in the form of assessments including in class assessments – continue to gather this evidence but only test what they have been taught.

  • Mock exams/assessments
  • Classwork including work in exercise books
  • Essays
  • Exam board questions

Evidence will be valid and reliable.

Keeping you in the know

Your teachers will tell you which pieces of work will be used as evidence to inform your overall grade. You will have the opportunity to raise any concerns about the evidence being used, for example, if the evidence was affected by personal circumstances, such as illness. Your teacher will make the final judgement about what evidence is to be included. .

Your teachers will not be able to tell you the grade they have submitted to the exam board as stated by the JCQ – (the exam regulator).

How is the evidence used?

No single piece of evidence will necessarily be more important than another, as teachers will be assessing you based on a range of evidence that can give an overall picture of your performance.

Determining Grades

Once all the evidence is selected and assessments are complete, teachers will decide on an overall grade. They will do this objectively – so, if you are performing consistently at a grade 5 standard in a subject at GCSE, you should be awarded a grade 5.

It is important to say that much like with exams in normal years, the grades issued by teachers at Strood Academy will not take account your potential. They will be a snapshot of the standard you are performing at based on a wide range of evidence. It should be no easier or harder for you to achieve a grade this year based on your performance than in previous years.

What happens after my teacher determines my grade in a subject?

Once a teacher has determined your grade, it will be reviewed by other teachers at Strood Academy and the Senior Leadership Team so grades are determined consistently within the school Exam boards will check these policies to make sure they meet their requirements. We will be moderating grades with other schools in the trust to ensure that we are accurate in our judgements and once the grades are received, every centre will be asked to provide samples of student work.

JCQ

Exam BoardsLeigh Academies TrustHeadteacherSenior Leadership TeamHeads of Subject/FacultyTeachers

Appeal Process

Right to appeal:

“Every learner will be able to instruct the centre which determined their Teacher Assessed Grade (TAG) to conduct a centre review and to submit an appeal to the awarding organisation on behalf of the learner.”

  1. Stage 1
    The first stage of an appeal is to check for a clerical error if none are found then a student may wish for the school to take forward the appeal to the exam board on their behalf.
  2. Stage 2
    The exam board will look at the evidence used to determine a grade and whether it is wide ranging and consistent. It should be noted that grades can go down as well as moved up.

Appeal Information

Every student has the right to appeal their grade(s) if they wish. The government is currently consulting on the specifics of the appeals process, but it will follow these broad steps:

  1. A student who is unhappy with a grade should contact the exams office (exams@stroodacademy.org) by email.  An appeals form will then be sent to the student who has lodged the appeal which must be completed by the student and a hard copy returned to the School. There is a priority appeals window for students who need the result of an appeal urgently to be accepted into university, college, an apprenticeship or a job. The deadline for priority appeals to be submitted to the school is Monday 16 August.
  2. The school will check that no administrative or procedural error has taken place.
  3. If the school identifies an error, it will submit a revised grade to the exam board along with its rationale for the change. This will be considered by the exam board and if they agree with the change a new grade will be issued.
  4. If the school does not feel an error has been made the school will contact the student and inform them of this.
  5. If the student wishes they can then ask the school to appeal to the exam board on their behalf. The school will submit a second appeals form which needs to be completed by the student along with the evidence on which they made their judgement to the exam board. The exam board will then consider if a change to the grade is supported based on the evidence submitted and inform the student and the school of its findings.

Please be aware that there is no grade protection when appealing to the exam boards which means that grades can go down as well as up as a result. This section will be updated to reflect changes in government guidance as they happen.

There will be an opportunity for students who are not satisfied with their grades to sit exams in the autumn term.

 Autumn Exams

Like last year, an autumn series of exams will be available for students who would like an opportunity to improve on their teacher assessed grades.

  • A-level exams (and any AS exams) to be held in October.
  • GCSE exams to be held in November and December.
  • Exams will be in the normal format with no adaptations.
  • Grades will be determined by performance in exams only. NEAs will not be included except for in Art and Design qualifications.
  • Students will keep the higher of their Teacher Assessed Grade and the results of the autumn exam series.

RESULTS DAY

TAG Overview