I wanted to take the opportunity to update you following the Prime Ministers announcements made on Monday 4 January. This update also includes information that we have received since Monday evening and includes the information available from awarding organisations at this time.   

The Prime Minister announced that GCSE and A level exams would not take place this summer, and that vocational examinations would continue as planned. We understand how disappointing and concerning this news is and the College seeks to reassure all learners, parents, guardians, and employers that the College will seek to ensure no learner is disadvantaged and that we will work to provide as much information and guidance as possible as soon as information is available to us. 

For specific examination and assessment information please see below.

Vocational, Professional and Technical examinations 

All Vocational, Professional, and Technical examinations will continue as planned in January 2021. If you have a BTEC, VTCT, AAT (or similar) exam please attend the College at your scheduled time. If you are unable to attend your examination, please contact your tutor and we will seek to ensure that no learner is disadvantaged. We will work with any learner unable to attend and the relevant awarding organisation to ensure that there is either the opportunity to take the exam at a later date or provide further details of alternative arrangements where appropriate. 

GCSE Mathematics, English Language and Core Maths examinations 

The Education Secretary confirmed this afternoon that teacher assessment grades will be used to determine GCSE and Core maths grades in summer 2021. However, at this point we await full details of how these grades will be awarded. It is practical to assume that a similar process to last academic year will be used, therefore, your continued progress towards the scheduled mock examinations in March 2021, high attendance rates, class work and assessment work during this period of remote learning will undoubtedly support teachers in determining GCSE grades. We will provide a further update once we have confirmed details from OFQUAL and the Department for Education. 

Vocational, Professional and Technical qualifications 

The College is working with awarding organisations to ensure that all learners have the opportunity to achieve their qualification in a timely manner. However, the period of remote learning does mean that some assessment activity and qualification content will be adjusted to ensure core content and assessments can be completed during this period of remote delivery. Your tutors and teachers will communicate changes to schemes of learning and assessment schedules with you and provide further updates to qualification assessment changes when we receive them. 

I wish you all the best for your ongoing studies and will provide further updates about exams in due course. In the meantime, if you have any queries, questions or concerns please contact your tutor directly. 

Paul Stannard 

Vice Principal (Quality)