JCQ Student Guide Summer 2021 What to do if you think there has been an error in your grading DATE PUBLISHED: 06/08/21 VERSION DATE: 26/08/21 Introduction We’re giving you some of the most important information and advice in the guide here, so you have it right at the start. The exam boards have published a number of documents setting out the arrangements for Things to do if you don’t have Key information about appeals Important dates summer 2021. This guide provides an overview the grades you need of the appeal process for students, but if you • If you believe there is an error with your grade, • Schools and colleges must submit priority appeals want more information about the guidance for there are two stages to the appeals process: to the exam board by 23 August 2021 and non- schools and colleges please see the Additional A Focus on your progression priority appeals by 17 September 2021. However, information section in the final section of this » Stage 1 is to ask your school or college for a centre your school or college will set its own deadlines guide. review. Your school or college will check whether for receiving your centre review and appeal, which 1. If you haven’t got the grades you need, talk to the it made a procedural error, an administrative error will be earlier than these dates. This is so they can school, college, university or employer you’re hoping or both. This allows them to correct any errors they meet the exam board deadlines. You must check to go to as soon as possible. They may still accept you. identify, and must be completed before a stage 2 the deadline your own school or college has set. The Exam Results Helpline offers support for students appeal is made. Qualifications covered by this guide in these situations. • You should tell your intended university or college » Stage 2 is to ask your school or college to submit an that you have requested an appeal as soon as 2. If you can’t get onto the course you applied for with This guide is designed to help you decide awarding organisation appeal for you. You should possible so they can decide how to handle your your grades, ask if there are other options at the same what you should do if you have any concerns only progress to stage 2 if you remain concerned offer. For many universities the conditions of your or questions about your grades for: school, college or university. If not, talk to other schools, with your grade after the completion of stage 1. offer must be met by 8 September 2021, although colleges or universities as soon as possible – they may At stage 2 you can ask the exam board to check • Advanced Extension Award in Maths you should check the date set by your university still have places. whether the decision your school or college made • AQA Applied General qualifications or college as it may differ. about your grade was unreasonable*, or whether • AQA Entry Level Certificate qualifications the selection of work they used to decide your grade • A level exams in the autumn start on 4 October • AQA Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 Technical B Understand the appeals process was unreasonable. You can also ask the exam board 2021. GCSE exams in the autumn start on qualifications to check whether the school or college made a 1 November 2021. Your school or college can • Cambridge Nationals procedural error, or whether the exam board itself provide information on entry deadlines for these. 3. If you believe there is an error that impacted your grade, • Cambridge Technicals made an administrative error. talk to your school or college. They can give you more • Extended Project Qualification information about how your grade was decided. • Your grade could go down, go up or stay the • FSMQ same as a result of the appeals processes at stages 4. If you are still convinced that an error has been made • GCE AS and A level 1 and 2 so you should consider carefully whether that impacted your grade after talking to your school or • GCSE you have a strong case for an appeal. college, you can first request a review from your school *Unreasonable exercise of academic • Level 3 Certificate in Core Maths or college (a centre review) and after that you may judgement appeal: • OCR Entry Level Certificate qualifications • Some errors won’t lead to a grade change. appeal to the exam board (an awarding organisation The focus of this type of appeal will be on whether the • WJEC Entry Level Certificate appeal). • You cannot withdraw your request for a centre • WJEC Level 1/2 Latin review or appeal once your school or college or the selection of evidence and/or the grade you were given was unreasonable. The exam board’s independent • WJEC Level 1/2 Vocational Awards exam board has made a decision. Consider entering for another exam series reviewer will review the selection of evidence used • WJEC Level 2 Certificate in Additional C • You can request a priority appeal if you have missed to decide your grade and/or your work. Only if the Mathematics out on your firm offer for higher education from a reviewer decides that the evidence selected and/or • WJEC Level 3 Applied Certificates and university or college (that is the offer you accepted your grade were clearly wrong will they decide that Diplomas 5. If you want to try to improve your grade, you could consider entering for the autumn exam series or as your first choice), and you wish to appeal an A your school or college’s academic judgement was If your qualification is not one of these, the exam series next summer. Talk to your school or level or other Level 3 qualification result. unreasonable. The reviewer will not uphold (i.e. agree please refer to the individual exam board’s college about how this will work for you as you may to) your appeal merely because other evidence might documentation. Students in Wales, Channel need to revise for those exams and work on your new have been selected or a different grade could have Islands, Isle of Man, Scotland and overseas course at the same time. been given. There is more information about this in the following WJEC General Qualifications should documents listed in the Additional information box in refer to the appeals guidance published by the Useful contacts and resources section. WJEC. Students following Eduqas General Qualifications or WJEC General Qualifications in Northern Ireland should refer to this guide. 2 Contents Click on the section you would like to read A diagram with some An example of the type of A diagram with some A diagram with some Who you can talk to and questions you can ask information you will need to questions you can ask yourself questions you can ask what questions you can ask yourself to help you work give when you ask for a centre to help you work out what to yourself to help you work them so you have the help out what to do when you are review with some notes to do when you are asking for an out what to do you need asking for a centre review explain what is needed awarding organisation appeal A diagram with some An example of the type of Simple explanations of some Examples of different questions you can ask information you will need of the words or phrases used situations students may be yourself to help you work out to give when you ask for an Some questions that in this guide facing to help you decide what your concerns are with awarding organisation appeal we think you may want what is the right thing for your grade and what reasons with some notes to explain answers to you to do to give when you appeal what is needed A list of organisations you can contact for support and their contact details; and additional reading that might be helpful 3 Deciding what to do after you’ve got your results Start here 4 Who to talk to and what to ask Steps you can take immediately Questions you might ask Steps you can take immediately Questions you might ask Talk to the school, college, university or • Can you still accept me with my grades? Talk to someone who knows you well • What do you think I should do? employer you are hoping to go to next – they • What related courses do you have that I could get onto and who you trust such as your parents/ • Can you help me with …? may still accept you or have places on related with my grades? guardians, friends. courses. • Do you know anyone else that has been in a similar • If you aren’t able to offer me a place, could you suggest position? What did they do? any other school/college/university/employer that might accept me? Talk to someone who understands the • What can I do about this? • Do you think it would be worth me taking the exam this process and is independent, for example • What are my options? autumn or next summer to try to improve my grade? someone at the Exam Results Helpline or National Careers Service. Talk to other institutions you might be able • What courses do you have that I could get onto with to attend (for example your insurance choice my grades? or others via UCAS’s Clearing service, or post 16 provider as appropriate) – they may still have places.