General Qualifications Bulletin - International - Issue 48

How to submit an appeal from 01 January 2024

From 1 January 2024, we are pleased to confirm that there will be a new web form for centres and private candidates to use when they wish to submit an application to appeal or request a review of an administrative decision. Using this web form will help to guide centres and private candidates in the information that needs to be provided in an application to appeal. This will help us to ensure we can process all applications promptly.

The web form will be available on our main Post-results web page and will be operational by 1 January 2024. From that date onwards we will no longer accept appeal applications that are made directly to our appeals email inbox. Appeals submitted to the inbox prior to 01 January 2024 will be processed. We will return any applications to appeal that are sent to our appeals inbox from 01 January 2024 to you with a request to submit them using the web form.

Centres and private candidates must use the webform to submit appeals related to:

• the outcome of reviews of marking/moderation (within 30 calendar days of the date of the decision)
• the decisions made in relation to student or centre malpractice (within 14 calendar days of the date of the decision)
• the decisions made in relation to access arrangements, special consideration, reasonable adjustments (within 14 calendar days of the date of the decision)
• the outcome of a preliminary appeal in any of the areas above. An application for an appeal hearing must only be made once a preliminary appeal has been conducted and must be made within 14 calendar days of the date of the preliminary appeal decision.

Centres and private candidates must also use the web form to request the review of an administrative decision in areas such as decisions made in relation to very late arrivals and where we have issued an aegrotat (estimated grade). 

Further information on the appeals process can be found in the JCQ Appeals Booklet 2023.

Further information on appeals, including fees, can also be found on our post-results services page.

Our website will be fully updated by 1 January 2024 to refer centres and private candidates to our web form.

General queries about issues that are not appeals should not be submitted on the appeals web form as we will not be able to process them. If you need help with a matter that is not an appeal, please contact our customer services team for assistance. This will ensure your query can be routed to the appropriate team without delay.

Results day for the November GCSE Maths and GCSE English Language series will be Thursday 11 January, and for International GCSE it’s 25 January. Our regular post-results support services will be available from these dates.

ResultsPlus 

You can get a detailed breakdown of your students’ results through ResultsPlus, our online results analysis service.

Take a look at our ResultsPlus video that provides you with an overview of how ResultsPlus can help you learn more about how your students’ performance compares with class and Pearson Edexcel national averages. 

Access to Scripts

You can view your candidates’ marked scripts online or download as a PDF, using our Access to Scripts service.

Find out more and take a look at our user guide and FAQs.

Ofqual guides for schools and colleges and for students for 2024

On 20 November, Ofqual published its updated guidance for schools, colleges and other exam or assessment centres on qualifications arrangements for 2024. 

On the same day they also published their updated student guide for 2024.The guides cover both GCSEs, AS, A levels, other general qualifications, and vocational and technical qualifications.

On 5 December we introduced our new app-based multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all users of Edexcel Online, replacing the email-based MFA. The app is now mandatory to access Edexcel Online via the Pearson Portal. If you've not done so already, you'll need to download the Pearson authenticator app to a smart device (such as a smart phone) to continue to access Edexcel online via the Pearson Portal.

This change means that every user will be required to use a smart device to receive a verification code each time they wish to access Edexcel Online or other applications accessed via the Pearson Portal. You can either use a centre provided device, or if you so wish, your own device. We understand some organisations ask for your telephone number as part of MFA, however, we can confirm that the Pearson app does not collect and/or use any personal data, including your mobile phone number.  

MFA adds an extra layer of security, requiring users to provide multiple forms of identification before granting access, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorized access; app-based MFA enhances this even further. It's also a more seamless and convenient user experience. Users can easily access authentication codes or approve login requests directly from their smartphones, eliminating the need for carrying additional hardware tokens or relying on less secure methods such as SMS/email.  

The Pearson Authenticator App is now readily available to download via the Google Play store and the Apple App Store. This app will not require any signal or data coverage beyond the initial installation, and once installed, it will not require any additional device access. You will need to scan a QR code via the in app QR reader, when registering your device. This will require one off access to your camera. We are aware that some applications do require a phone number as part of device registration; the Pearson app does not require this.  

To support you with this new process we've created some guidance and provided answers to questions you might have. You can read these Frequently Asked Questions in our Pearson Portal Authentication customer support article. Here we have also outlined the step-by-step process you need to follow for the initial download of the app, and how to use it moving forward.  

You should read this article in conjunction with our existing articles Logging in and Accessing Pearson services using the Pearson Portal and Edexcel Online access and logging in Troubleshooting.  

If you require any further information have any questions about this, please do get in touch with us through our Pearson Support Portal.   

Thank you for helping us to ensure we continue to protect student and centre data. 

As always, our essential information guide is available for you to access throughout the academic year. This guide is designed to aid you with frequently asked questions and various processes that you might require assistance within your day-to-day activities as an Exams Officer.

Earlier this year, we unveiled the Pearson Development Hub - a designated space specifically tailored for exams officer training. Do take a look at the guide we've produced to help you access the hub.

Don’t forget to sign up for our live Exams Officer events where we’ll walk you through the latest news, updates, and upcoming processes for the weeks ahead, providing you with the opportunity to pose any questions you may have. You can sign up for events and view recordings of previous events on our Pearson Development Hub.

From Monday 18 December, the provisional timetables for November 2024 International GCSE and January 2025 International A Level and Edexcel Awards will be available on our Exams timetable page.

The consultation window will run from Monday 18th December to Monday 15 January.

Please send any comments to timetables@pearson.com

Our Key Dates Finder enables you to find all of the key dates for Pearson general qualifications and subjects in one place. Here are those taking place during January 2024.