JCQInstructions Guidance for on conducting the determination examinations of grades for A/AS Levels and GCSEs for Summer 2021: 1 September 2020 to 31 August 2021 PROCESSES TO BE ADOPTED BY EXAM CENTRES AND SUPPORT AVAILABLEFor the attention FROM of AWARDINGheads of centre, ORGANISATIONS senior leaders within schools and colleges and examination officers Produced on behalf of: UPDATED: 27/07/2021 ©JCQCIC 2020 Contents Introduction.................................................................................................................................................5 Scope of guidance......................................................................................................................................................................5 Other essential documentation.......................................................................................................................................6 Other relevant documentation.........................................................................................................................................6 Terminology....................................................................................................................................................................................6 What will awarding organisations do?.........................................................................................................................7 What will centres do?...............................................................................................................................................................8 Timelines and key dates.........................................................................................................................................................9 Where to get awarding organisation information support and guidance.........................................9 The quality assurance process.............................................................................................................11 Internal quality assurance process..................................................................................................................................11 External quality assurance process................................................................................................................................13 Centre Policy guidance .........................................................................................................................15 Creating the Centre Policy..................................................................................................................................................15 Summary of the Centre Policy.........................................................................................................................................15 Content of the Centre Policy.............................................................................................................................................16 Statement of intent...........................................................................................................................................................16 Roles and responsibilities..............................................................................................................................................16 Training, support and guidance................................................................................................................................16 The use of appropriate evidence...............................................................................................................................16 Determining teacher assessed grades................................................................................................................17 Internal and external quality assurance............................................................................................................17 Comparison of grades to results for previous cohorts...............................................................................17 Access Arrangements and Special Consideration.......................................................................................17 Addressing disruption......................................................................................................................................................17 Objectivity................................................................................................................................................................................18 Recording decisions and retention of evidence and data....................................................................18 Authenticating evidence...............................................................................................................................................18 Confidentiality, Malpractice and Maladministration, and conflicts of interest.....................19 Private Candidates............................................................................................................................................................19 Results.........................................................................................................................................................................................19 Appeals......................................................................................................................................................................................19 Centre Policy portability between UK jurisdictions............................................................................................19 2 Guidance on grading for teachers...................................................................................................20 Using grade descriptors and exemplification.......................................................................................................24 The grade descriptors.....................................................................................................................................................24 The grading exemplification.....................................................................................................................................24 Using the descriptors and exemplification......................................................................................................25 Using the grade descriptors...................................................................................................................................25 Reaching a grade judgement..............................................................................................................................26 The use of tracking data and predicted grades in reaching grading decisions..................26 Using data to support the grading process................................................................................27 Introduction.................................................................................................................................................................................27 The use of data in reviewing overall centre outcomes...................................................................................27 What data needs to be considered?...........................................................................................................................27 Internal quality assurance: using the data to inform the overall review of outcomes.............28 Once the review is complete............................................................................................................................................29 Guidance on the use of additional assessment materials for 2021.................................30 What are the 2021 additional assessment materials?.....................................................................................30 What is the purpose of additional assessment materials?...........................................................................31 How and when should additional assessment materials be used?.......................................................31 Do these materials need to be administered in exam conditions?.......................................................32 What if students have seen some of this material before?..........................................................................32 What support materials will be provided?..............................................................................................................32 Understanding the outcomes.........................................................................................................................................33 Reasonable adjustments, access arrangements and special consideration..............34 Reasonable adjustments and access arrangements.......................................................................................34 Special consideration.............................................................................................................................................................35 Guidance for centres on modifying sets of questions.....................................................................................35 Appropriate adjustments for students with visual impairments............................................................36 Advice on providing written or verbal descriptions of