Will the exam ‘triple lock’ affect me? And other questions

England, Wales and Northern Ireland’s A-level and AS-level results, and A-level equivalent technical qualifications like BTECs and Cambridge Technicals are published on Thursday morning.

Students have not taken exams because of the coronavirus epidemic and will receive marks from teachers, which have been then processed by exam boards. Pupils in Scotland received their results last week.

Experts Eddie Playfair and Catherine Sezen, senior policy managers at the Association of Colleges, have answered some of your questions and will answer more during the day. To send in a question, use the form at the bottom of this page.

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Association of Colleges

How does the government’s “triple lock” affect my right to appeal against my results? Theo

The “triple lock” was only announced on Wednesday so it’s a bit early to know how much it will affect final outcomes, but it will enhance your right to appeal. We’re still waiting to hear what the definition of a mock will be, but the impact of this change should be to help those students whose calculated grades have ended up below their mock results.

Is the mock exam being used the last one that students took in January 2020? Edit Hervai

This has not been made clear yet. We know that mocks take many forms and some centres will do more than one, so schools and colleges are waiting for a definition of a mock.

Can you specifically appeal one grade/subject, or will all your grades be reviewed if you appeal? Mohib, Stockport

The process is designed to apply to each subject entry separately, so potentially one or more of your grades could be the subject of an appeal.

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If we’re not happy with our results, can we resit Year 13? Emma-Louise, Hackney

You need to discuss this with the college or school you attended in 2019-20 to consider the various options open to you. Simply repeating a year is not generally recommended unless there are exceptional circumstances – but of course 2020 has been pretty exceptional!

If you have the possibility of progressing to a higher level – for example university – that might be the best option, but don’t make any final decisions without getting support and advice from your college or school first.

Are there strategies in place to avoid bias against disability? Ronit, Watford

When producing centre assessment grades, centres will have predicted how a student would have performed assuming they had received all the additional support and access arrangements which they require because of a disability.

Hopefully, any mock processes would also have included that additional support and this is definitely worth discussing with your centre.

My daughter’s year group was said to be full of very high-achieving students. With the ranking process, could this work against them? Juliette, Bristol

The grading and ranking process in your daughter’s school will have aimed to make a well-informed prediction of each candidate’s likely performance. We can’t pre-judge the outcomes, but once students know their final results, they will be able to ask to see their centre assessment grades.

If they have been adjusted downwards, it could be due to a combination of factors, including the previous achievement of students and the centre. This can be the subject of an appeal – including reference to any mock grades.

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How do we appeal art where we didn’t get to do our eight-week exam unit? Abigail, Reading

Your college or school will have based your centre assessment grade on a range of evidence they have about your work in art. Once you get your actual grade, you can also access your centre’s art grade and there will be an appeal process – in art as for all other subjects.

Will having “corona grades” for exams we didn’t sit undermine us when we go for jobs? Anon

The system this year was designed to make sure that the class of 2020 was not disadvantaged, and to produce outcomes which are broadly similar to previous years. So we expect the national grade profile to reflect this.

This should provide reassurance for employers, universities and colleges that this year’s grades have an equivalent value to those of previous years.

• How can I find a new job?

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If an A-level student chooses to sit a real exam, will the universities treat those and exams taken next summer equally? Janet, Cheshire

The autumn exams are an opportunity for students entered this summer to take an exam. The grade they are awarded will have equal value and so this can inform any applications they are making to university in 2021.

The current plan is for exams next summer to go ahead as normal, with a few alterations, and they should be seen as equivalent to any other year.

What if I am not happy with how my school ranked me? Gaetan, Kent

You don’t know your ranking right now, as this is confidential. The rankings your school submitted will have reflected their rounded judgement of the relative positions of all candidates within each grade in that subject.

If you have any concerns once you’ve seen your results, do discuss them with your school and these could be the subject of an appeal or complaint.

Do you have a question about your exam results? Use the form to send it to us.

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