Additional Exam Support for GCSE and A Level Students in 2022 – Download the Postcard!

Did you know that exams this year will be graded to allow students a safety net? Download the postcard explaining additional exam support being offered GCSE and A Level students in 2022.

The last two years have not been easy for anyone. The Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting shutdowns across the UK and the world have had an enormous impact on almost every aspect of our lives. This includes education.

Exams were completely cancelled in 2020 and broadly cancelled in 2021. Though they are now able to run again, the knock-on effects of the pandemic are still being felt. So if you feel as though your education has suffered as a result of these world-changing events, you are far from alone.

Fortunately, the government has recognised the impact on young people and is putting measures in place to ensure that this year’s exams are as fair as possible given the circumstances.

What changes are being made to exam support for students in 2022?

Changes are being made to exams in five key areas. There is a useful diagram showing the changes which you can download from the government website.

Read on to learn more about the accommodations that are being made and how they will work. These changes apply to all students taking Ofqual-regulated GCSE, AS, or A Level exams in summer 2022. You can also check the support by subject list to find information on your specific subjects.

More Generous Grading

The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) has determined that 2022 will be considered a “transition year”, reflecting the ongoing impact of the pandemic on young people’s education. This means that more generous grading will be used compared to pre-pandemic exams.

Generous grading provides a safety net for students who may just miss out on a higher grade without it, and aims to correct for the disruption caused by the pandemic. Of course, you will still need to work hard to achieve the grades you’d like.

Ofqual expects that overall results will be higher than in 2019, but not as high as in 2020 (when predicted grades were used in place of exams).

Changes to Coursework

Assessed non-exam work such as coursework and fieldwork has been adapted in some subjects to reflect the current situation. This change recognises that pre-pandemic requirements may be impossible or unduly difficult for many students in the current context. In some subjects, certain requirements have been scrapped entirely, while others have been modified to become more flexible.

Just some of the subjects where coursework and non-exam requirements have been reduced or relaxed include Dance, Design & Technology, Drama, Engineering, Film Studies, Music, and Physical Education.

Reduced or Optional Content

In some GCSE subjects, there will be reduced content or fewer topics for students to learn this year. This is to allow students to focus on a smaller area of their subjects, reducing the amount of things they need to revise ahead of their exams.

Subjects with reduced or optional content this year include Ancient History, English Literature, Geography, and History.

Support Materials

For many students, one of the most stressful and difficult parts of exam preparation lies in how much content they have to memorise ahead of the exam. That’s why some subjects are offering formulae and equation sheets that students can take into exams, reducing the amount they have to memorise.

This allowance applies primarily to subjects involving working with numbers. Maths, Combined Science, and Physics are some of the key subjects affected.

Advance Information

In many subjects, exam boards will give students information on the content of the exam ahead of time. This is to help them focus their revision and make sure they are as well-equipped as possible to tackle the questions that will be on the exam.

This allowance applies to the vast majority of subjects with exams this year, but check the list to be sure your subjects are covered.

Where Can I Learn More?

We suggest downloading the information postcard from the government website and keeping it on hand as a useful reference. You can also visit each of the individual exam boards’ websites for further information on their exam changes:

Your school or college and your subject teachers should also know what changes are being made to your exams this year. If they have not informed you about any changes, ask for clarification as soon as possible. This will allow you to make sure you’re using your revision time appropriately.

Remember that these alterations are designed to ensure you can achieve your full potential despite the problems and complications presented by the pandemic. They are not there to make exams “easy” or to take away the hard work involved. You will still need to do your best work and revise effectively to achieve your exam goals. Check out our exam revision guides to help you get started.

Good luck with your exams – we know you can do it!

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