Appeals summer 2021
This page provides information and support on the summer 2021 appeals process for all centres following our UK and international academic qualifications.
We understand that teachers have worked incredibly hard to derive fair and consistent grades for their students. Our expert team of reviewers will follow the latest JCQ guidance, carefully considering the complex detail of each individual case.
On 8 June 2021 JCQ published their Guide to appeals processes, Summer 2021 series for GCSE and A level qualifications.
Two further guides have now been published by JCQ to support students on results day:
To help UK centres navigate the JCQ guidance and understand what you need prepare for before grade submission, after grade submission and for results day, as well as what you need to share with students, we have put together the visual guide below.
You can also watch our video on the appeals process for summer 2021.
International qualifications
The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) has outlined the appeals process for regulated GCSEs and A levels in summer 2021 in the JCQ document, A Guide to Appeals Processes, summer 2021. We will follow the same principles for Pearson’s International GCSEs and International AS/A Levels.
The document below provides a summary of the appeals process for these international qualifications and also provides information on where the appeals process will differ from the arrangements detailed in the JCQ document.
International qualification appeals should be submitted using the Pearson Appeals Portal. This will be accessed by centres via Edexcel Online (EOL). Applications to appeal should be submitted with the relevant supporting evidence for the appeal.
To help international centres navigate the JCQ guidance and understand what you need prepare for before grade submission, after grade submission and for results day, as well as what you need to share with students, we have put together a visual guide that you can download.
Post results services – fee arrangements for summer 2021
The types of services available for this series and associated fees for post results services, where applicable, are shown below. Please consider carefully if there are grounds for appeal.
If you are a state-funded centre or a private candidate in England, no fees will apply. This is because the Department for Education is providing funding to awarding organisations for appeals to enable these to be offered for free to these centres. This applies to UK general qualifications and BTEC qualifications most similar to general qualifications, including Nationals, Firsts, Tech Awards and Technicals.
If you are a UK independent school, international school or international private candidate, fees are as follows. Where the appeal relates to a Pearson administrative error, we will not charge centres for appeals that are successful. Where the appeal relates to a centre’s academic judgement or to the procedure used by a centre, fees will apply. These fees make a contribution towards some of the associated costs of running the appeals process.
No fee is charged before an appeals process is completed. Where fees apply, our intention is to send initial invoices to centres at the end of the appeals window towards the end of September.
| Post Results Service – Pearson Qualifications | Detail | What the service involves | Fee per student appeal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centre error correction | The centre has identified an administrative or process error which has led to an incorrect TAG being submitted. This also applies where an error has been identified during a centre review at Stage One of the appeals process. | Pearson will correct administrative or process errors identified by the centre. | Free |
| Appeal to Pearson regarding centre’s academic judgement (Stage 2) |
The student believes that the centre made an unreasonable exercise of academic judgement in the selection of evidence from which to determine the grade and/or the determination of the grade from that evidence. | An independent subject expert will review the selection of evidence and/or the student’s performance evidence to determine whether the teacher’s judgment was unreasonable. | A level / GCSE / International GCSE:
|
| Appeal to Pearson regarding centre procedural issue (Stage 2) |
The student believes that the centre did not apply its procedure properly or consistently. | The Pearson appeals team will check the key procedures documented by the centre and identify what action should be taken if procedures have not been followed. | A level / GCSE / International GCSE:
|
Appeal to Pearson regarding a Pearson administrative error |
The student believes that Pearson made an error that affects their grade. | The Pearson appeals team will check that Pearson has not made an administrative error in issuing the grade. | A level / GCSE / International GCSE: International A Level: BTEC: |
| Appeal to Pearson regarding IAS/IAL aggregation | The centre disagrees with or believes an error has been made by Pearson regarding the aggregation of UMS and the subsequent calculation of cash-in grade for an International AS/A Level qualification. | The Pearson appeals team will review the centre's request in light of the student's IAL unit scores. | £45 per qualification (no charge if appeal upheld) |
If a student wants to appeal on more than one ground/type of appeal, a fee will be charged for each appeal type.
Process:
In order to submit an appeal, centres should use the appeals service which will be available through the Pearson appeals portal from 10 August 2021.
Access Appeals Portal User Guide 2021
Student appeals should only be submitted at the request of the student, and they must be informed that their grade could go up, down or stay the same as a result of the appeal.
