North London School
Menu

 Home » ks3 » GCSE Appeal

GCSE Appeal

Posted on: August 16, 2021

Year 11 Grades and Appeals 2021

How were grades calculated this year?

Grades this summer were based on Teacher Assessed Grades (TAGs). TAGs were submitted to the exam boards by a holistic assessment of students’ performance in a subject, following a rigorous assessment process, moderation and quality assurance.

These grades have been approved by the relevant exam boards, following external quality assurance checks.

All evidence and records on which a student’s grade is based, including copies of the student’s work and any mark records, is retained safely.

What do I do if I’m not happy with my / my child’s grade?

All students have the right to appeal their grades if they meet the eligibility criteria as listed below.

It is important to note that an appeal may lower, confirm, or raise the original grade awarded.

Students also have the option to resit GCSEs in the autumn, which may be preferable to some. The design, content and assessment of these papers will be the same as in the previous GCSC examinations series.

What are the grounds for appeal?

There are four main grounds for appeal, as dictated by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ). They are:

  • Administrative error: for example the transposing of grades for students with similar names.
  • Procedural error: for example, the existence and consideration of mitigating circumstances at the time of an assessment
  • Academic judgment on selecting evidence was unreasonable: evidence used to calculate final grades were not reasonable.
  • Academic judgement on the grade given was unreasonable.

What does ‘unreasonable’ mean?

In this context, ‘unreasonable’ is a technical term that means the teacher’s exercise of judgement will not be considered unreasonable simply because an alternative practice of judgement would have resulted in a more or less favourable result for the individual student. The teacher’s judgement will be considered unreasonable only if it is such that no teacher acting reasonably could have reached the same decision.

Furthermore, independent reviewers will not remark or grade students’ evidence. Instead, they will consider whether any teacher acting reasonably could have arrived at the same grade.

What will be the outcome of an appeal?

At either stage of the appeals process, a student’s grade may go up, down or stay the same. When placing an appeal, the student will have to sign a declaration accepting the outcomes.

What should I do before appealing?

Parents/guardians and students must read the JCQ Student and Parent guide before appealing,

https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/JCQ-Guidance-for-Students-and-Parents-on-Summer-2021.pdf
https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/JCQ-Student-Appeals-Guide-2021.pdf

We may not be able to offer as much advice and guidance on the likely success of an appeal this summer as we would usually do, as we have already moderated and quality assured all the grades ourselves.

What are the two stages of an appeal?

All appeals must first go through a centre review.

Phase one: At this stage, we will check for administrative errors and check that our policies and procedures were followed correctly. The exam boards have already approved our policy.

Students who wish to appeal their grades for any subject can do so from Friday, August 13th at 9 am. A form will be available on the school website for students to complete and submit. Any appeals received will be processed, and an email of confirmation will be sent to students.

The outcome of the centre review will be communicated to students. If we find that a grade should go up or down at the centre review stage, we will ask the exam board to change it. They will then consider this request.

Phase two: Following the outcome of a centre review, students may still choose to pursue an awarding organisation appeal. They must fill in the form below, which we will then send on their behalf to the exam boards. Students and parents cannot send appeals directly to the exam board themselves – it must come from us.

How do I make an appeal?

For all appeals, please complete this form and hand it into the school reception for the attention of the exam officer or email it to examsofficer@northlondongrammar.com

What are the deadlines for appeals?

The deadline for submitting a centre review is September 3rd, and the deadline for submitting an awarding organisation appeal is September 10th.

Translate »