Ofqual announces A Level students will be given Centre Accessed Grades

Ofqual, a non-ministerial government department that regulates qualifications, announced yesterday that A Level and GCSE students will be given Centre Accessed Grades (CAGs) as predicted by their teachers.

Roger Taylor, Chair of Ofqual, said: “We have therefore decided that students be awarded their Centre Assessment Grades 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.”

This means that students will be able to use their CAGs rather than the original algorithm which was used to predict the grades which were given to them on August 13th.

Following the announcement late yesterday, the College is working to get these grades to students as soon as possible. The College is still awaiting confirmation from the relevant awarding bodies and will be in touch with students directly following this.

Phil Sayles, Principal and Chief Executive of Selby College, said: “We understand the anxiety and urgency if A Level or Vocational students feel they need confirmation of their Centre Assessed Grades to further Higher Education admission. The abrupt (but welcome) change in direction on Monday 17th August at 4pm has left the exam boards, UCAS, universities and Ofqual struggling to catch up and implement what they now need to do.

“We are waiting and expect important communication about how the official, revised grades from exam boards will be issued to candidates and to the College. Students will need these official confirmations to challenge for HE places or be released from offers they accepted as alternatives. We will provide information as soon as possible, and all the support we possibly can to assist those students on A Level or Vocational courses to progress as wherever possible.”

The Association of Colleges has also welcomed yesterday’s announcement.

David Hughes, Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges, said yesterday: "We therefore support this afternoon’s announcement to use Centre Assessed Grades/teacher grades because decisive and urgent action was needed, in the interests of thousands of students who found themselves at the bluntest end of the system. Moving to CAGs is a boost for those students and will allow them to progress in learning and into work. It will be a relief after days of anguish.”

Further updates will be provided as and when they are available.