Post-16 schools to honour teacher-predicted grades

Tuesday 18 August 2020

States-run sixth forms and colleges will honour offers of post-16 education based on teacher-predicted grades, regardless of the final GCSE grades issued nationally later this week.

Education, Sport & Culture has made the announcement to reassure local students amid growing controversy surrounding this year’s public exam results.

It applies to all offers made to Year 11 students by the Sixth Form Centre and the College of Further Education.

“It is entirely understandable, given the current situation, that there are anxieties about results for GSCE and equivalent qualifications,” said ESC President Matt Fallaize. “Although everyone involved will hope that all students receive grades which they consider to be fair, the Committee does not want our students’ access to post-16 places to be affected by the continuing uncertainty.”

After this year’s national exams were cancelled, teachers were required to submit ‘best estimates’ of what students would have received under normal conditions. Regulatory body Ofqual has adjusted these grades in an attempt to standardise results and ensure fairness for students in different years.

However, the A-Level results last week showed clear examples of certain students being unfairly disadvantaged by the process, dropping several grades and losing out on University offers through no fault of their own.

Year 11 students can breathe a sigh of relief as The Committee for Education, Sport and Culture provides reassurance about post-16 offers. Read more here: https://t.co/KsHrwwA6Cq pic.twitter.com/MO5R7646tY

— States of Guernsey (@Govgg) August 17, 2020

As Guernsey does not run its own exams, ESC has made this decision to safeguard local students in the event that GSCE results suffer the same fate.

“The Committee believes that for this year, it is best to determine entry into the Sixth Form Centre and the Guernsey Institute/College of Further Education by relying on the grades students were predicted by their teachers, who will have made their predictions fairly and conscientiously,” said Deputy Fallaize.

Both the CFE and Sixth Form Centre have said that their staff will be providing support to ensure that all students can succeed in their post-16 education. Louise Misselke, Principal of the CFE, said that “lecturers will look at all relevant information and any retake requests or requirements to help determine which level of study will best support each student.”

Keiran James, Principal of the Grammar School and Sixth Form Centre, assured students that they would be welcomed at the school, and that steps would be taken the help them succeed. 

“All students who have received offers to study at the Sixth Form Centre will be accepted to do so,” he said. “They will be able to study the subjects for which their teachers’ predictions meet subject-specific entry criteria.”

Pictured: ESC President Matt Fallaize has said that teacher-predicted GCSE grades will be honoured by the Sixth Form Centre and CFE, after last week's national A-Level results were marred in controversy.

“Students’ progress will be carefully monitored to ensure they are on track to perform well in their courses, to ensure that every student achieves the best outcomes possible.”

Ofqual have announced that an Autumn exam series has been arranged for any students who wish to sit exams in any of their subjects. ESC has allocated funding to support students who wish to take advantage of this and those students are asked to speak to the relevant staff member at their school after receiving their results.