GovWire

GCSE 91 grades to uni places: What you need to know about 2024 exam results

Very soon more than 7 million results will be issued to students in England, including over 800,000 results for vocational and technical qualifications.

This blog explains some important things to know about marking, grading and results.

Grading continues as normal this summer in England

One of Ofquals key responsibilities is ensuring that qualification standards are set and maintained appropriately. This means that students can be confident in their qualifications. The grades they achieve have currency and can be trusted, both now and in the future.

Grades should reflect what students know, understand and can do. They provideevidence that students have the knowledge and skills to enable them to progress to the next stage of theirlives.

This report explains how and why marking and grading are happening as normal this summer, which will continue in future years.

Removal of Technical Qualification accreditation requirement

Following the commencement of the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022, in January 2024 Ofqual wrote to awarding organisations with notification of the removal of the accreditation requirement that had been in place for the Level 3 Technical Qualifications (TQs) that form part of T Levels.

This means that Ofqual will not make any further accreditation decisions in relation to TQs. This includes both new accreditation decisions for newly-developed TQs and further accreditation decisions where amendments are made to existing TQs.

Although Ofqual will no longer make accreditation decisions in relation to TQs, we will continue to review materials through the development process managed by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE).

This update is to notify that the associated amendments to Ofqual webpages and publications, including the Accreditation criterion document and TQ Qualification Level Conditions, have now been made.

Summer 2024 exams start

Students across the country are getting ready to take their exams and assessments, making sure theyre ready to show the knowledge, skills and understanding that they have gained over the course of their studies.

We all have an important part to play in making sure that the summer exam series runs smoothly and Deputy Chief Regulator Michael Hanton has written a blog highlighting some things to remember.

Students advised to play it safe this exam season

As the 2024 exam season starts, Ofqual is reminding everyone involved in exams and assessments of the risks of malpractice.

Students taking exams should comply with all malpractice rules. This includes keeping mobile devices out of the exam room and not searching for exam papers on social media.

Preparing for summer exams and assessments

Chief Regulator Sir Ian Bauckham has written a letter to school and college heads about the 2024 summer exam series, highlighting the resources available to support students and reiterating the approach to grading in 2024.

VTQ information hub 2023 to 2024: key dates and deadlines

Ofqual has worked with awarding organisations to compile information on key dates and deadlines for vocational and technical qualifications (VTQ) in 2024.

The VTQ Information Hub is most relevant to school and college staff working in the administration or delivery of Level 3, Level 1/2 and Level 2 vocational and technical qualifications used for progression. It will help you prepare for the awarding organisation key dates and deadlines ahead of awarding in summer 2024.

Information is arranged by awarding organisation and then by qualification. You can download the combined data for all awarding organisations, or for each individual organisation.

Ofqual student guide 2024

Ofqual has published a detailed guide for students due to be taking exams in 2024.

The guide is for students taking any of the following Ofqual-regulated qualifications in the academic year 2023 to 2024, and GCSEs in November 2024:

• GCSEs
• AS or A levels
• other general qualifications, including International Baccalaureate, core mathematics and Pre-U
• Technical Qualifications within a T Level (the Core Assessment and Occupational Specialism)
• Vocational and Technical Qualifications taken alongside GCSEs and A levels in subjects such as engineering, health & social care and digital media

It also explains what support is in place when taking exams and assessments.

Ofqual guide for schools and colleges 2024

Ofqual has published guidance for schools, colleges and other exam or assessment centres on qualifications arrangements for 2024.

This guide is for schools, colleges and other exam or assessment centres and explains what they can expect from awarding organisations regulated by Ofqual. It also explains how qualifications will be regulated in 2023 to 2024.

This guide covers qualifications typically taken in an academic year, including GCSEs, AS and A levels, Technical Qualifications within a T Level and vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs).

Replacement certificates

Ofqual does not hold copies of your certificates we cant tell you your grade or provide replacements. Certificates are held by the exam board you sat your qualification with. If you dont know which exam board you took your qualification with, ask your school. If your school dont know you will need to ask each exam board to do a search for you they will charge you for this.

Contact your exam board

• AQA
• Pearson
• OCR
• WJEC Eduqas