A return to external exams

And so, after something more resembling of a normal school year, we approach the end of term, having waved Y11 and Y13 students off at the end of their exams to enjoy the summer before “The Big Day”.

It is only now, looking back, that we really understand the impact of the various lockdowns on our school community, and how much we took for granted pre-pandemic. For two years, GCSE and A-Level students have not taken formal, external exams. Aside from receiving the all-important grades, taking exams is an important learning experience for any student. Completing GCSEs and A-Levels teaches resilience, organisation, time management and more – these are all important skills in adult life and something High Storrs has always helped students develop in order to be ready both for their exams and for next steps beyond school.

Great credit must go to all of our students, especially Y13. This is the year group who, without warning, had Y11 cut off on the evening of Wednesday 18th March 2020. Prior to Mr Johnson’s announcement (a couple of weeks before the Easter holidays) I confidently told my Y11 class that,

“due to this new bug, the Prime Minister will probably close schools for a couple of weeks, but we will be back after Easter and then we will make sure everything is in place for the summer exams!”

Little did we know!

Although we were aware there might be illness and disruption to summer examinations, attendance rates for all examinations (GCSEs and A-Levels) were high. Moreover, despite the worries that many students felt in the run up to the exams, all of our students in Y13, Y11 (and Y10) did demonstrate determination to prepare as best they could for their exams and give their papers their very best effort. Well done to them!

The challenges of ‘Advance information’

To try to offset the disruption of lost learning in Y10 and Y12, the government allowed exam boards to support students with ‘Advance Information’ – clarification and guidance on what topics would and would not be examined in each subject, to give students more confidence and slim down the revision load required after two years of disrupted learning. But even this did not run smoothly! Various subjects included content in the exams which has not been indicated as topics for revision. In GCSE AQA Combined Science and also in GCSE Music, the exam board was quick to apologise and state students would be awarded full marks for questions on the exam that had not been included in the Advance Information. This was to avoid pupils being unfairly disadvantaged.

The two results days

And so, at the end of term, we now look forward to a long (and possibly very hot) summer before A-Level results day on Thursday 18th August and GCSE results day on Thursday 25th August. Detailed letters about the organisation of both days has been emailed to parents / carers, copies of which can be found HERE. Please do read the information carefully. Key points are:

· Y13 – A-Level Results – Thursday 18th August – 8.00am Main Hall (support will be on hand to help students with next steps to University / college etc.). UCAS clearing opens at 8.30am.

· Y11 – GCSE Results – Thursday 25th August – 8.30am Main Hall (students wishing to enrol in HSS 6th form will be sent a letter with a specific appointment time for their enrolment meeting on 25th. Support will be on hand to help students with next steps to 6th form / college etc.)

· Y10 – GCSE Results – Thursday 25th August – 10.00am Main Hall – Y10s may come to school to collect results from 10.00am onwards

On both days we politely ask that parents / carers remain outside the school building unless there is a specific issue, or if you are collecting results on behalf of a student.

The letters also contain information about what to do if your child cannot collect their results in person on the day. You can nominate another student or a family member to collect results on behalf of a student, but this must be done in writing before the end of term. Similarly, results can be posted out to students on the Thursday morning, to arrive on the Friday (at the earliest) but again this must be arranged with the exam office in advance. We will not be able to make last minute arrangements for the alternative delivery of results.

Final notes on government changes to grading this summer

This summer’s results come with a word of caution. The government has stated that after 2 years of “above average” results based on CAGs and TAGs, results this year will be more in line with 2019 outcomes – the last time we had external examination results. So, exam results will be lower this summer than in 2021. But on the other hand, the Department for Education has also stated that papers will be marked more generously alongside Advance Information, in order to allow students a fair chance of achieving their potential. This year’s results for both GCSE and A-Level will be unpredictable.

Bearing this in mind, UCAS have also urged caution for A-Level students on results day. Schools have been warned that clearing will be busier than in previous years, partly due to an expected lower number of top grades, but also due to universities not wanting to overrecruit (having taken too many students in 2020 and 2021). Y13 students are advised to come into school and check their results early … just in case.

Collecting examination results is a memorable milestone in the academic journey of young people, and the sense of togetherness when students are able to celebrate with their friends and teachers is something that unfortunately was lost during the pandemic. This year, we look forward to a return to the joyful and happy scenes that greet the release of GCSE and A-Level results and look forward to students coming into school to celebrate together.

We wish all our students a happy and relaxing summer, and look forward to welcoming them to school on results day.

Mr Walton McBain