2020 GCSE results day – a day like no other

After two weeks of government u-turns, today the anxiety is over for students receiving GCSE results. But BTEC candidates still must wait after awarding bodies pulled results at the eleventh hour.

Ruth Holmes

20 August 2020

Students collecting their GCSE, IGCSE and BTEC exam results today should have been spared the uncertainty of those receiving their A Level results last week.However, Ofqual’s change in policy this week means that 200,000 BTEC candidates will not receive their results this morning.Yesterday, BTEC exam board Pearson was among those that made a last-minute decision to reassess grades to bring them into line with Ofqual’s new approach.The 250,000 higher level BTEC students who received their results last week will also have their grades pulled and revised.

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How does the marking scheme impact A Level, IGCSE and IB students?

Examinations regulator Ofqual bowed to pressure from students and school leaders on Monday, announcing students completing their A Level and GCSE studies this summer, but unable to take formal examinations as usual because of the Covid-19 pandemic, would be awarded the higher of their centre-assessed or moderated grade.Exam board Cambridge International, which offers IGCSEs, immediately issued a statement saying exam results in the June 2020 series will not be lower than the predicted grade submitted by the school.The International Baccalaureate Organization, the awarding body for the International Baccalaureate, also followed suit, saying “no student will receive a lower grade than what was received previously”. Of 3,020 schools internationally receiving IB results last month from the May 2020 session, 700 appealed on behalf of their students.Ofqual’s change in policy means around 15,000 A Level students now make their grades for their first-choice university, leading to some courses being over-subscribed and a the prospect of deferral until 2021 for some.

What do the GCSE 2020 results show?

According to preliminary insights from Ofqual, around a third of GCSEs are expected to be at Grade 7 or above this year. This is up from a quarter last year.Similar data based on input from 1,900 schools submitting their results from FFT Education Datalab, an independent education research company, also suggests 78% of pupils this year are expected to receive Grade 4 Maths or above. This compares to 73% in 2019. For English, the figures are 81% and 71% respectively.The data also suggest “subjects that had historically been graded the most harshly were those that were seeing the biggest increases under centre assessment.”Speaking earlier this week, General Secretary of teachers’ union the NASUWT, Dr Patrick Roach said “urgent lessons need to be learned about how to secure a more resilient qualifications system that will give confidence to pupils, parents and teachers, and recognise fairly the achievements of all students.”

What does Make UK, champions engineering & manufacturing in the UK, say about the 2020 GCSE results?

Commenting on the GCSE results today Verity Davidge, Director of Central Policy and Skills at Make UK, said, “Clearly these results are in extraordinary circumstances but, despite this, from apprenticeships, to new T Levels, and further education, there still remains a wealth of opportunities for young people to explore. In order to take advantage of these opportunities and prevent apprenticeship starts falling off a cliff this academic year, Government must move quickly to ensure that BTEC students receive their results as soon as possible, otherwise without a quick fix, there is a risk that vocational pathways are once again seen as second best to academic qualifications.

“While results are important, employers are looking for well-rounded individuals and have always looked beyond just exams grades when recruiting the next generation of talent. As such, in these difficult times we would urge employers to continue to make these opportunities open and accessible to all.

“As we move forward, it’s imperative that no stone must be left unturned to ensure young people are not unfairly disadvantaged as a result of Covid-19 in the long-term. The first step on this road should be establishing a National Skills Taskforce to work in partnership with industry to oversee the skills challenges we face and help deliver the pathways to success for thousands of young people.”

The British School in the Netherlands GCSE results

Students in Year 11 at Senior School Voorschoten (SSV), the British School in The Netherlands (BSN), are receiving their GCSE and iGCSE results after what has been an extraordinary academic year.The school has maintained its very high standards of academic excellence and is delighted to report:

62% of GCSE and iGCSE level grades are at 9-7 or A*-A
98% of GCSE and iGCSE level grades are at 9-4 or A*-C

The overall average grade for students is a grade 7, or an A grade.

King's College Alicante students obtain outstanding (I)GCSE results

Pupils from King’s College, The British School of Alicante have excelled in their (I)GCSE exams, with graduates setting new records and 57% of students placed in the Top 30 Universities in UK.

King’s College Alicante did not fail to impress with their outstanding (I)GCSE results, with 80% of entries awarded A*-A grades.

King’s College School, The British School of Madrid in La Moraleja: outstanding (I)GCSE results

Pupils from King’s College School, The British School of Madrid in La Moraleja are celebrated after receiving outstanding grades in their IGCSEs. This is the first year that the students have taken these exams following the school expansion up to Year 11 (age 16). The academic prowess that the results demonstrate place the school firmly among one of the best international schools in the world.

As a year group, 72% of entries secured a 7 (A grade equivalent) or above, 50% secured an 8 (A* or above) and an impressive 23% secured the highest possible grade 9.
Most impressively, 99% of all exam entries at King’s College School La Moraleja gained a strong passing grade (5).
Individual successes include María José G M who excelled by securing a grade 9 in all her GCSEs and Fernando María T P who achieved 100% grade 8 and above including five grade 9s.
Other notable achievements include Erika T de J, Carlota N He, Andrea T W & Silvia S Á who each achieved a grade 8 or above in all their subjects.

Headteacher at the school, Mrs June Donnan commented “I would like to take this opportunity to thank our Year 11 cohort for the hard work during their two year course, these results are the product of their dedication. I would also like to thank our outstanding teachers for their commitment to securing academic excellence for the students in their care. They have remained steadfast in their determination throughout a very challenging academic year and deserve all possible plaudits.”

King's College Murcia receive their best results in history for (I)GCSEs and A Levels

Pupils from King’s College, The British School of Murcia have excelled in their (I)GCSE exams, with graduates setting new records for the school and securing places in top Higher Education institutions in the UK and Spain, as well as other European cities.

King’s College Murcia did not fail to impress with their outstanding (I)GCSE results, with 53% of entries awarded A*-A grades and 3 pupils achieving all (10) A* grades (9-8).

Students from King’s College, The British School of Murcia are celebrating a memorable A Level & (I)GCSE results day. With an impressive percentage of entries, 49%, awarded A*-A grades and an even more remarkable 27% top A* grades. The school’s students have set new records this academic year, including an incredible 76% of entries awarded A*-B.Mrs Jennifer O’Brien, Head of Sixth Form said, “This year we have seen truly outstanding achievement from our pupils taking GCSE, A Level and Parte Específica qualifications. In a year where we have overcome unprecedented challenge, we are reminded that such great achievement does not happen in examinations, but in the years of determined effort grounded in high quality education striving for academic excellence and personal development."

Padworth College GCSE results

Commenting on the results, Lorraine Atkins, Principal said, “We are delighted that 38% of the GCSE results are Grades 9 to 7, which is a superb reflection of the students’ efforts. During the last academic year, the new management team at Padworth College has supported students with a range of new learning strategies, which have paid dividends in the form of focused target setting by the academic staff. We are delighted that these methods have resulted in a significantly improved set of GCSE results.”

Record GCSE results at Reddam House Berkshire

Year 11 students are celebrating the best set of GCSE results in the school’s history, with 39% of grades at A* (9-8), 63% at A*- A (9 -7 ) and 82% A*- B (9 – 6).

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