General Qualifications Bulletin - UK - Issue 21
Dear Colleague,
Whilst it has been a quieter few weeks in terms of examination announcements, I know it has continued to be busy for you all in schools. We have kept this edition of the bulletin shorter, but it has got all the key links and information you need. Please do share this email with colleagues in your schools and colleges to make sure that this important information reaches everyone that it needs to.
In this edition you will find some new information for private candidates. I know not every centre will be working with private candidates but Dr Jo Saxton, the Chief Regulator for Ofqual, has written an open letter to all private candidates to support them in understanding the arrangements that are being put in place. Please pass this on to any private candidates or learners who may find this helpful.
View Ofqual's letter to private candidates
I also know that many of you have been asking us about what information is still to come from us OR from the Department for Education and Ofqual. Below are some of the key links that you will need and also some things that are still to come.
Summer 2022 support page
Summer 2022 Frequently Asked Questions
JCQ Advanced Information Examples and Frequently Asked Questions
Ofqual Contingency Arrangements for UK qualifications
I expect that there may be more information to share with you in the coming weeks and months about advance information and contingency arrangements for 2022. Advance information will still be released no later than 7 February 2022. We will continue to keep you updated as and when new information is released via all the channels we have available.
You can also follow us on Twitter (@ PearsonEdexcel) to keep up to date. If you would like to speak to us directly, you can get in touch with any questions via our contact form, or by calling the relevant team for your role.
Hayley White
Assessment Director
We strongly encourage you to read the details of these arrangements in full in the consultation outcome. Many of these may feel familiar to the approach used for Teacher Assessed Grades (TAGs) in summer 2021. You can also read our frequently asked questions.
Consultation outcome
Frequently Asked Questions
Exams will take place in May/June 2022 for International GCSE. In the unlikely event that these exams cannot take place in some countries because of the pandemic, students’ grades would instead be determined by using an evidence-based approach, which would be marked and graded by Pearson. Centres would have to submit at least one set of past papers as part of the portfolio.
We strongly encourage teachers to teach and assess their students as normal, but also to review the guidance in relation to the range of evidence that would be needed and to plan their exam preparation accordingly.
Contingency arangements for International qualifications
Exam Aids are now available in the following subjects:
- GCSE (9-1) Mathematics
- GCSE (9-1) Physics
- GCSE (9-1) Combined Science
- International GCSE Physics
- International GCSE Double Science
- International GCSE Single Science.
The exam aids can be found in the Summer 2022 support section for each qualification. You can find a link for your individual subject from our main Summer 2022 support page.
Visit the Summer 2022 support page
On 30 September, the Department for Education and Ofqual published the outcomes of the consultation on proposed Summer 2022 adaptations, including optionality and advance information.
We have created frequently-asked-questions that give you more detail about the adaptations.
Read the Frequently Asked Questions
Please visit the summer 2022 support tab on each qualification page to find out about the specific adaptations which have been put in place for each qualification. The adaptation and optionality information is available on each page. The Advance Information is not yet available for release. When it becomes available it will be published on the Summer 2022 support tab for each qualification.
International GCSEs
We have created frequently asked questions that give you more detail about the adaptations.
Read the Frequently Asked Questions
Please visit the Summer 2022 support tab on each qualification page to find out about the specific adaptations which have been put in place for each qualification. The adaptation and optionality information is available on each page. The Advance Information is not yet available for release. When it becomes available it will be published on the Summer 2022 support tab for each qualification.
Ofqual have recently published an open letter to private candidates for UK qualifications to offer support with what is going to happen next with the qualifications learners are working towards and how changes they are making will affect them.
Please take the time to read the letter on the Ofqual website and pass it on to any private candidates that you may be supporting at your schools and colleges. We will be sharing more shortly on the approach for private candidates sitting international qualifications.
Ofqual letter to private candidates
GQ basedata will be available from 3 December. Please ensure that all your entries are made before the entry deadline to avoid being charged late fees. Amendments to entries made before 22 April will not be charged for. Any withdrawals made prior to 22 April will be refunded.
The UK qualifications entry deadline is 21 February 2022.
Read more about key dates and deadlines (PDF,0.1 MB)
For support with making entries using EDI or Edexcel Online, please see the below links:
Making entries using EDI
Making entries using Edexcel Online
Results days will be returning to one week apart:
- Thursday 18 August: AS/A level and International AS/A Level and other Level 3 qualifications
- Thursday 25 August: GCSE, International GCSE and other Level 2 qualifications.
The final timetables for all UK and international qualifications in summer 2022 are now available to view on our Exam timetable page.
Read more on our Exam timetables page
In 2022 we will only be offering the option of a visiting examiner for UK centres. UK centres will have a choice of assessment by either a visiting examiner attending their centre, or digitally via recorded performances (to be submitted via the Learner Work Transfer (LWT) platform.
Due to the ongoing restrictions around global travel we are unable to offer visiting examiners to international centres and work must be submitted and assessed digitally.
If you are a UK centre who wishes to proceed with an in person moderation visit, we strongly recommend that you also collect some video evidence, as a contingency, in case the visit cannot take place for any reason.
For more information about the subjects where visiting moderation is an option, please visit the relevant subject pages where there are subject specific support documents and FAQs.
Access subject specific support and FAQs via our Summer 2022 support page
Read more information about the Learner Work Transfer platform
Examinations will be taking place in January 2022. Please make sure that you have looked at which International GCSE qualifications are available in the series as some amendments have been made.
See the International GCSE qualifications available in the January series (PDF, 0.1 MB)
We can confirm that there will be no adjustments made to assessments for this series, other than the changes to International GCSE English Literature 4ET1.
See changes to International GCSE English Literature 4ET1
Teachers entering students for the optional spoken language endorsement for International GCSE English Language A or B are not required to make or submit video recordings of assessments.
January 2022 timetables
The final timetables for all international qualifications in January are on our Exam timetables page.
Take a look at the Exam timetables page
Information on results days for the October/November 2021 series is available on our results day support page.
Read information about results days
The release of results to students can take place from 08.00 am for the October/November 2021 series. This is a change from what we have previously communicated. The 08.30 am was only put in place temporarily for August 2021 results dates and should not be followed for this series.
We are pleased to be able to confirm the speaking windows for our modern foreign languages.
Learn more information about the speaking windows on our languages support pages
There is a new FAQ hub and a new Teaching, Learning and assessment page for Vocational and Technical qualifications in 2021/22.
Read vocational and technical qualifications 2021-2022 FAQs
Take a look at the Teaching, learning and assessment 2021-2022 page
You will find the latest information and support for our vocational qualifications on this page, along with links to our regular VQ Bulletin containing all the key updates you need for our vocational qualifications. Please do bookmark this page for future reference.
