Proposals have been published to issue guidance to schools and colleges about the collection of evidence of student performance in the future.  The evidence could be used as part of long-term contingency arrangements in the unlikely event that exams are unable to go ahead at a national level and that a system of Teacher Assessed Grades (TAGs) is implemented.

The proposed guidance, published in a consultation from the Department for Education and Ofqual, repeats the arrangement that is in place for the current year, and would apply to GCSEs, AS and A Levels, Project Qualifications and the Advanced Extension Award in maths. For Vocational and Technical Qualifications (VTQs) used alongside these qualifications for progression to further or higher study, the consultation proposes that similar arrangements should be put in place, but these would be set by Awarding Organisations so that the arrangements reflect the design of their qualifications.

The consultation asks whether the gathering of evidence every year is proportionate and what additional burden this might place on students and teachers.

The government is clear that it does not expect to be in the situation again where public exams do not go ahead but in that unlikely event, more details on the process for determining, quality assuring and appealing TAGs would be provided.

The deadline for responses to the consultation is 2 August 2023.