Arrangements for candidates completing GCSEs and A levels in Summer 2021

Summer 2021 assessments in Wales: Kirsty Williams announcement

Today, the Minister for Education, Kirsty Williams, has announced the approach for the awarding of GCSEs and AS/A levels in summer 2021. The Minister has decided that there will be no end of year exams for learners taking GCSEs, AS levels or A levels.

In her statement, the Minister proposed the following:

  • that in place of exams, the Welsh Government intends to work with schools and colleges to take forward teacher-managed assessments,
  • that this should include assessments that will be externally set and marked but delivered within a classroom environment under teacher supervision,
  • her expectation is that this work will form the basis for centre-based outcomes which will be linked to an agreed national approach to provide consistency across Wales.

At WJEC, we understand the unparalleled challenges facing teachers in Wales and recognise the considerable impact the current situation continues to have on learners due to complete qualifications next summer.

Our role will be to work closely with school and college leaders, supported by Welsh Government and advised by Qualifications Wales to ensure that qualification grades continue to be valid, accurate, and fair to learners.

It’s essential that our learners are awarded with qualifications that enable them to progress to the next level and are of equal value to GCSEs and A levels being taken by learners in England and Northern Ireland.

Committed to maintaining the highest standards, we will continue to work closely with Qualifications Wales to ensure that the qualifications we award next summer are fully aligned to their regulatory requirements.

Once the final decision has been confirmed, our teams will be on hand over the coming weeks to provide teachers with a comprehensive package of training and resources to support them during the busy year ahead.

PLEASE NOTE: This announcement does not apply to GCE and GCSE qualifications accredited by Ofqual. It also does not apply to vocational qualifications being taken in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

We appreciate your continued patience during this time and will keep you updated as soon as information becomes available to us. Please subscribe to our mailing list and follow us on social media for all the latest news, information, and support.

Please note that discussions are currently ongoing with regards any potential effect on those centres outside of Wales and England.