Praise for pupils and school staff as GCSE grades published
Since the Secretary of State for Education announced that the 2020 exam series in England would be cancelled to help fight the spread of coronavirus, our schools and colleges have been asked to provide centre assessment grades for their students for this summer’s awards. To accomplish this, they have undertaken a rigorous process which has then been standardised by the exam boards.
On Monday (17 August 2020), the exams regulator, Ofqual, “decided that students be awarded their centre assessment for this summer – that is, the grade their school or college estimated was the grade they would most likely have achieved in their exam – or the moderated grade, whichever is higher.”
Today students have received their final GCSE grades from their school, which is whichever is the higher of the centre assessment grades (school grades) and the calculated grades (Ofqual grades) in each subject.
Karen Bradshaw, Shropshire Council’s executive director of children’s services and acting interim chief executive, said:
“I would like to recognise the resilience and efforts of all our pupils who were unable to sit their GCSEs this year, and who have had to cope with such difficult circumstances due to the pandemic.
“I would like to thank headteachers and their school and college staff, recognising how tirelessly they have worked throughout the year, including the crucial period when they had to carefully consider and then provide the centre assessment grades for their students in this most unprecedented of years.
“I must pay tribute to other members of our school communities, including parents and carers who have provided excellent support, guidance and direction for the pupils.
“The pupils’ achievements are a culmination of all the hard work, commitment and dedication that they have shown throughout their studies and in preparation for their examinations that they frustratingly couldn’t sit. I wish them all well in their future endeavours.
“This is such a crucial time for young people as they transfer from school to continued education at school or college, or as they move into further training and employment. We wish all of Shropshire’s pupils every success in the future.”
Shropshire Council have also arranged a virtual drop in session to provide any advice related to well-being and anxiety, on Saturday 22 August 2020 from 1pm-2pm via Zoom, details of which can be found here: https://shropshire.gov.uk/virtual-drop-in/. Meeting number: 852 8195 7344, password: 726382.
Further information
Stay updated with the latest news about coronavirus and Shropshire Council services by signing up to our email bulletins
