Following earlier announcements on how GCSEs and A Levels will be awarded this summer, Ofqual has now published a consultation seeking views on current detailed planning.

Key areas covered in the consultation for this year’s exceptional awarding arrangements include Ofqual’s proposals on:

• Issuing results - including for students in year 10 and below who anticipated sitting exams this summer
• The standardisation of centre assessment grades
• Confidentiality
• The appeals process
• The impacts on private candidates
• Regulatory changes so that Awarding Organisations can deliver results in line with the exceptional arrangements necessary this year.

In order to reach these proposals, Ofqual has already consulted extensively with groups representing teachers, school and college leaders, awarding organisations, students and their parents as well as assessment and statistical experts to advise on technical issues, but is now consulting wider to ensure all views are captured on these important and unprecedented arrangements.

In addition to GCSEs, AS and A Levels, Extended Project Qualifications and Advanced Extension Awards are also covered by the consultation.

The deadline for responses to Ofqual’s consultation is 29 April 2020.

Ofqual will publish a separate consultation on the additional autumn series which will include questions around: whether it should be limited to those students entered for the summer 2020 series; whether awarding organisations should be required rather than permitted to offer the additional series; and whether a student can discard an unfavourable result from the autumn series.

Separately, the Department for Education has made it clear that no performance tables will be published based on 2020 results.