Yesterday in parliament, the Secretary of State for Education confirmed that students will not sit GCSE, A-level or AS exams this summer, and that the Department for Education and Ofqual will ‘consult next week on how to fairly award all pupils with a grade to ensure they can progress to the next stage of their lives’.
As yet, we have had no further information about what this process may look like, but whatever is decided, we will work hard to strictly follow all the guidance given and try our very best to ensure our students get the grades their hard work deserves.
Given all the uncertainty, Year 11 parents evening next week is going to be very different in terms of the information we can provide for you. We would normally have included ‘predicted final grades’ on reports, but I do not feel able to do this given the current situation. In addition, the information resulting from mock examinations is different this year. Given we had so many students self-isolating and that we wanted to use the exams to identify gaps in learning, exam papers were sent home in many cases, and as such were not conducted under the strict exam conditions we would usually put in place.
I fully understand that this is an exceptionally difficult time for all, but particularly our Year 11 and 13 students, their families and their teachers. I hope you understand why it will not be possible for teachers at next week’s parents evening to be able to give you definitive statements about the grade your child is likely to be awarded in summer. Whatever the process for determining these grades, there will be significant moderation, and the decision will not be solely down to individual teachers. Teachers will be able to give you an indication of the grade(s) your child is working at and the targets they could aspire to, but there can be no guarantees about the grades students are awarded as a result of whatever process is put in place. Please book your appointments before 10pm on Tuesday 12th January at which point the booking system will close.
If you have any questions prior to the parents evening or after the event, please email me on head@haslingdenhigh.com. I will be available to speak to parents on the evening if you find yourself with an immediate concern. Please email me on the evening with a contact phone number and I will endeavour to contact you.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support.
Best wishes,
Mark Jackson
Headteacher