GCE A-level and GCSE: Assessments

(asked on 4th March 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether qualified teachers who are not currently employed by a school, but operating as a private tutor, can submit teacher assessments for private candidates in lieu of cancelled GCSE and A level exams.


Answered by
Nick Gibb Portrait
Nick Gibb
This question was answered on 12th March 2021

There is a clear and accessible route for private candidates to receive a grade this year, at the same time as other candidates. Private candidates will be expected to work with a centre to be assessed on a range of evidence, as other candidates will be. Ofqual and the exam boards will issue guidance to support centres assessing private candidates. This evidence could include evidence created with another established education provider.

Regarding evidence gathered externally, subject to consultation, Ofqual’s head of centre guidance states: Centres should bear in mind when making judgements… authentic evidence from other centres or established educational providers where a student might have studied during the course or such evidence from where a student has studied with the support of a specialist teacher or tutor. Exam boards will provide further guidance to support centres in how they can determine whether evidence is likely to be authentic, including where they may normally rely on evidence that has been produced with certain types of provider without the need for detailed checks.” Further guidance will be provided by exam boards shortly. Further information regarding Ofqual’s head of centre guidance can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/965648/6749-3_Summer_2021_GQs_-_Info_for_Heads_of_Centre.pdf.

Centres will be expected to provide to private candidates a description of the main elements of their approach to assessment before they register with them. This means that private candidates have the opportunity to choose a centre and approach that is suitable for the evidence they are able to provide.

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