samples of exam candidates work

Exam centres and school will need to provide samples of exam candidates work within two days of being asked. According to Ofqual's guidance on the process of grading review. Including any private candidates.

with under eight weeks to go until the submission deadline on June 18.

In a blog published today, Cath Jadhav, Ofqual’s director of standards exam boards would request samples of work from all schools.

This process is part of the third stage of quality assurance, which involves sampling of schools’ grades after submission.

Schools have responded:

Stuart Lock, chief executive of Advantage Schools, said there was “no point” in the submission which would “give a façade of validity and cost millions of hours of adults’ time which should be focused on the children”.

“This is really disappointing from Ofqual,” he added. “I presume it is so that they can be seen to be doing something.”

While others point to Gavin Williamson’s promise to “trust teachers” over this year’s grading process.

Exam boards will ask for samples from at least five exam candidates in at least one subject at A-level and two subjects at GCSE.

There is to one of them likely to be either English language or maths.

The exam boards will let exam centres and schools about sampling in the week of June 21.

Jadhav said schools would need to “promptly” submit the evidence – within 48 hours of the request – so it is important a school’s evidence and records “are in good order ahead of that date”.

Some will be chosen at random, but others will be targeted based on other factors, such as “significant changes in entry patterns” or where a centre is identified as needing additional support.