Ofqual has announced that exam boards will make exams available in all GCSE, AS and A Level subjects in this year’s autumn series, for students who had entered or intended to enter for the summer exams.

The news follows Ofqual’s consultation on the arrangements for an additional exam series in autumn 2020.

This additional exam series will provide students who would like to improve their grade or who were unable to receive a calculated grade in the summer, with the chance to take an exam.

Exam boards can, however, withdraw an exam if there have been no entries by the closing date.

Other key outcomes from the autumn 2020 consultation are:

• Non-exam assessment (NEA): exam boards must base results on students’ performance in exams alone and not on any non-exam assessment, with the exception of art and design qualifications. Ofqual admits that it would’ve been desirable for the autumn series to include NEA, but on balance concludes that issues of manageability and fairness raised by consultation respondents could disadvantage some students. Ofqual has published research comparing specifications from five subject areas at GCSE and A Level, with and without coursework, to investigate how attainment differs dependent on student characteristics.
• Art and Design: students will be able to enter for GCSE, AS and A Level Art and Design qualifications in the autumn. Their grades will be based on their performance in a new task, set and marked by the exam board and taken under normal supervised conditions.
• Endorsements: Students will be able to carry forward their A Level Geology and practical science, and GCSE English Language endorsements to the autumn series.
• Certificates: exam boards must issue replacement certificates for the summer results if students request this.
• Reviews of marking: exam boards must adopt the normal arrangements for reviews of marking and appeals.
  

The exact timings of exams have yet to be confirmed by Ofqual, but aims are for AS and A Levels to be held in October and GCSEs in November.