Dear Parent/ Carer,
We truly appreciate what an inconsistent time this has been in your child’s education since March 2020 and we are doing everything we can to diminish the gaps in their learning. For example, students have already received a number of revision guides free of charge for their GCSEs in English Language and Literature. Year 11 are an incredible year group and have shown tremendous resilience and an excellent attitude towards their studies.
The Department for Education (DfE) and The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) have made some changes to the GCSE examinations taking place in 2022 to take into account the time students have had away from education. Please find a summary of this information below which relates to your child’s GCSEs:
- GCSE English Language: Exams stay the same. However, the spoken language element does not need to be recorded.
- GCSE English Literature: Pupils will be examined on Romeo and Juliet, A Christmas Carol, Pigeon English and unseen poetry. They will not be examined on the 15 Power and Conflict poems.
- Mathematics and Combined Science: Students will be given a formulae sheet in GCSE Maths and a revised equations sheet in GCSE Combined Science covering all the equations required in the subject content. As well as being provided to students in exams, exam boards will make these sheets available to schools beforehand for use in teaching, so students can familiarise themselves with them.
- GCSE Art and Design: Students will only be assessed on their portfolio.
- GCSE Media Studies: Submissions of a prototype/mock-up with supporting evidence will be allowed in the Non-Exam Assessment.
- GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition: The food investigation task is no longer required.
Ofqual and the DfE have stated that exam boards will publish advance information on examinations by 7th February 2022 with the exception of AQA English Literature and AQA Art and Design. In addition, Ofqual is considering how best to grade qualifications next summer in a way that is as fair as possible to next year’s cohort of students.
If you require any further information, please feel free to email me at [email protected]
Yours sincerely,
Mrs Claire Fairburn
Assistant Principal (Quality of Education)