JCQ guidance of A level appeals
We felt it would be useful to repeat the JCQ guidance of A level appeals
The Centre Policy has been shared with students and parents/guardians so they understand the exam centre’s approach to assessment.
Eligible exam candidates have been given their access arrangements when completing assessments.
The arrangements are noted and recorded on the centre’s assessment record.
Students have been informed how they should report incidents/events which may have adversely affected them at the time of taking the assessment (special consideration).
The centre has kept a record and the information will be recorded on the centre’s assessment record.
The centre has considered JCQ’s guidance on private candidates and suitable sources of evidence and methods of authentication have been used.
Teachers have been able to authenticate students’ work. Students have been informed of the assessments used as evidence in determining their grades.
Students’ work has been retained in accordance with the JCQ Retention of Evidence –
Summer 2021 notice and Ofqual’s Information for heads of centre, heads of department and teachers on the submission of teacher assessed grades.
Students’ work and associated records are readily available if requested by an awarding organisation.
Marking and grading decisions
The centre has followed the grading guidance provided by JCQ and made use of the grade descriptors and exemplification evidence.
If access arrangements and reasonable adjustments could not be provided at the time of an assessment, the lack of them has been taken into consideration in determining the grade or alternative evidence has been used.
Specialist teachers and other professionals have been consulted where appropriate and decisions have been documented in the centre’s assessment record.
If applicable, special consideration has been considered in determining a mark/grade for an assessment or the assessment has not been included when determining the grade and an alternative assessment used, if possible.
Conflicts of interest have been identified and appropriately managed as required.
Grades have been determined based on a holistic judgement of the evidence and due regard has been taken of Ofqual’s Information for centres about making objective judgements.
There is a clear and succinct rationale for the teacher assessed grades based on the evidence used to determine the grades.
For tiered GCSEs, the grade reflects the tier of entry.
Internal quality assurance
Internal quality assurance has been conducted in accordance with the Centre Policy.
Historical centre performance data at qualification level has been used appropriately as a high-level check once grades had been assigned to students in line with the JCQ guidance.
The internal quality assurance decisions are documented, stored securely and can be retrieved.
Each exam grade for a subject has been signed off by at least two teachers in a subject including the head of department or subject lead.
If there is only one teacher, the Head of Centre is the second signatory.
The Head of department has completed all checks to enable them to complete the Head of Centre Declaration. The Head of Centre Declaration has been submitted. .
Accurate record keeping
All relevant information is recorded on the centre’s assessment record for each subject as outlined in the JCQ guidance.
Submitting grades
Grades have been checked to ensure that there are no administrative errors. Particular attention has been given to checking students with the same or very similar names.
Exam candidates have information about the centre’s arrangements for conducting centre reviews and submitting appeals to the awarding organisation following a centre review.
Exam candidates work and associated records have been stored so that they can be accessed by staff promptly if a centre review is requested and can be sent to the awarding organisation if an appeal to the awarding organisation is requested.
Exam Centre staff are available to provide guidance to students and conduct the centre review (stage 1 of the process).
Exam Centre staff are available to submit appeals to awarding organisations including all relevant evidence (stage 2 of the process).
Centre staff are available to respond to awarding organisation queries on appeals, such as providing further information.