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Examinations
The Examinations Officer is Mrs Carol-Anne Lale, contactable by email c.lale@ralphallenschool.com or telephone 01225 838014.
SUMMER 2020 RESULTS
This guide should help you understand how results have been awarded this year and where to find more information. Student guide to post-16 qualification results: summer 2020 Ofqual, published 27 July 2020, last updated 19 August 2020.
What you can do if you're unhappy with results.
The best option for the majority of students who are unhappy with their grades - and feel they can't progress with the results they've received - will be to sit exams in the autumn. Please see below for details on making an exam entry for the autumn exams.
The appeals process for this summer isn't like the usual reviews of results process - so it's not possible to appeal grades because schools or students feel they don't agree with them. Any student who would like to improve their grades will have the opportunity to take the full suite of A-level exams in October, and GCSEs in November. You could also resit in summer 2021. If you choose to do this, both grades will stand and the highest grade can be used for progression.
Even if your results aren’t what you were hoping for, you might still be able to move on to the next stage of your education or employment as you had planned. If you have concerns about how your grades were arrived at you should contact us about your options. It is important to remember that:
1. You can ask us to check whether an administrative error was made when submitting information to the exam board. Administrative errors might include, for example, mixing up 2 students with similar names, or accidentally copying across the wrong data, but do not relate to the professional judgements of assigning CAGs. If we find a mistake in the information we provided we can ask the exam board to correct it.
2. We can appeal to the exam board on your behalf if we believe the exam board made a mistake when it communicated your grades.
3. You cannot challenge your school under the appeals process on the centre assessment grades submitted or your rank order positions. Any appeal would have to be undertaken by someone better placed than your teachers to judge your likely grade if exams had taken place. In the unique circumstances of this summer, Qfqual do not believe there is such a person.
4. You cannot appeal because your mock result was higher than the grade you were awarded. Your mock grade will have been taken into account in determining your centre assessment grade. You will either receive your centre assessment grade or your calculated grade (whichever is higher).
It is important that you contact us about whether we believe you have a reason for appeal. All appeals must be made by the school. This summer, your grade is protected, meaning that it will not go down to a lower grade as a result of an appeal.
If you have any serious concerns about your grades please email us at postexamqueries@ralphallenschool.com by 28 August outlining the nature of your concern. We will respond to these queries during the first week of September. The deadline for us to submit an appeal to the awarding bodies is 17 September and we will need time to investigate your concerns.
Please review the appeals document published by Ofqual for more information regarding the appeals process including grounds for bias, malpractice and maladministration.Student guide to appeals, mapractice and maladministration
AUTUMN SERIES EXERNAL EXAMINATIONS
Students who do not feel their calculated grade reflects their ability will have the opportunity to sit an exam in the autumn term. Only students entered to sit exams in summer 2020 are eligible to sit exams in the autumn.
Autumn series exam timetable here
There are no non-examined assessment (coursework) for the autumn exams, except for Art & Design. Results for all other subjects will be based solely on the examinations. Endorsement grades for GCSE English Language and GCE Sciences will be carried forward.
Both the summer and autumn results will stand, but you will be able to choose which certificate you present to employers or education providers.
Exam entry request form - Autumn 2020 Here
A level exams will take place 5 - 23 October. A level results to be awarded 17 December. Universities representatives have assured us that universities will be as flexible as possible in their admissions.
Any student wanting to understand the implications for university admission of taking these autumn exams should speak to the university from which they have an offer after receiving their calculated grades in the summer. The entry deadline for A level autumn exams is very tight. Please do not delay in submitting your request.
If it is your intention to sit an exam in this series, please complete and return the exam entry request form to the exams officer, Mrs Lale, via email, c.lale@ralphallenschool.com by Thursday 3 September. These applications must be sent to exam boards on Thursday 3 September. Failure to meet this deadline will result in your entry not being made.
GCSE exams take place 2 – 23 November. The deadlines for GCSE exam entries for all subjects excluding English Language and Maths is 14 September. The entry deadline for GCSE English Language and Maths is 30 September.
To make an exam entry please complete the exam entry request form and return it to the exams officer, Mrs Lale via email, c.lale@ralphallenschool.com, no later than the deadline stated above. No entries can be made if your form is received after the relevant deadline.
INFORMATION TO CANDIDATES
The following information is issued by the Joint Council for Qualifications and should be read and understood by students taking external examinations.
Information for candidates - Written Examinations
Information for candidates - Onscreen Tests
Information for candidates - Non Examination Assessment
Information to candidates - Coursework
JCQ examination regulations booklet
INTERNAL APPEALS PROCEDURE
Our internal appeals procedure covering internally assessed marks and post results services has recently been updated. Internal Appeals Procedure Policy
ON EXAM DAY
Candidates must arrive on time.
Should you experience problems on your journey to any of your exams e.g. you are unwell or delayed, please contact the Exams Officer on 01225 838014. If we are unavailable to take your call please leave a message including your name and telephone number in case we need to call you back.
If you arrive late, but before the published start time, go to your exam venue. You may be asked to report to the Exam Officer if your absence has already been reported.
If you arrive after the published start time you must report to the Exam Officer in the first instance and will be taken to your exam venue.
Illness or absence
Illness and other absences must be reported to the Exams Officer prior to the exam beginning. A parent/carer must ring the Exams Officer on 01225 838014 if for any reason you are unable to attend your exam and advise her accordingly. This action should be taken before your exam takes place.
In the event of illness during your exam you must advise the Invigilator for your room at the time.
INTERNAL EXAMINATIONS
Internal mock examinations will be conducted under formal examination conditions using the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) regulations in order for students to experience the expectations for external exams. Students should familiarise themselves with the information within the candidate handbook and the JCQ publications booklet both of which are issued to students via their tutors. The awarding bodies take the security and integrity of external examinations very seriously. The handbook and the JCQ booklet give students guidance on examination procedures and thereby eliminating possibilities of any suspected candidate malpractice arising in external exams which could lead to penalties and potential disqualification.
EXTERNAL EXAMINATION AND ASSESSMENTS 2019/20
Details of the courses, specification codes and awarding bodies for assessment summer 2020 are shown below.
CERTIFICATES
Your certificates are valuable documents. Valuable in the sense that replacements can cost up to £45 per certificate but also as they are proof you studied at Ralph Allen School and completed the course. This is irrespective of the grades you achieved.
If you go on to further education at any time in the future you will need to produce them. Many employers will also ask to see them. It is in your interest to collect your certificates even if you don’t think you will ever need them.
We are only obliged to keep your certificates for one year after which they will be securely destroyed. Replacements will only be available directly from the relevant awarding bodies at a cost as previously mentioned.
Previous years certificates
There is limited availability to collect previous years certificates and by prior arrangement only. Certificates will not be available during examinations or results periods. You should either;
1. Email Mrs Tooley, Examinations Assistant s.tooley@ralphallenschool.com asking to arrange collection. If you are unable to collect certificates yourself you may email Mrs Tooley with details of who you would like to collect them on your behalf. The nominated person will need to bring photo ID with them upon collection. Unfortunately if we cannot see any ID we will not be able to release your certificates.
2. Complete and return the certificate postage request form to request postage of your certificates together with a payment of £4.50 to cover the cost of recorded delivery and packaging.
I’ve lost my examination certificates, where can I get hold of copies?
You will need to contact the awarding body directly to receive a replacement certificate or certified statement of results https://www.gov.uk/replacement-exam-certificate. If you cannot remember which awarding body you took your examinations with you will need to contact each in turn to see if they have a record of you achieving a qualification with them. Please note that there is generally a charge for issuing confirmation of qualifications and you will need to be able to prove that you are the certificate holder.