The A level results day on Thursday the 13th August and GCSE results day on Thursday the 20th August saw grades released to students for what they have achieved at this important stage of their academic career. Initially, many students’ grades were moderated downward through the use of an algorithm by the exam regulator Ofqual to bring based on data of previous years. However, this approach was changed with student grades now being purely based on teacher assessment.

If any students are unhappy with their awarded grades, they have the option to sit their GCSE or A level exams in the new academic year. Dates for examinations were confirmed for Autumn 2020 by the joint council of examinations which includes the exam boards AQA, OCR, Edexcel and WJEC:

• A-level examinations will take place between Monday the 5th October and Friday the 23rd October.

• GCSE examinations will take place between Monday the 2nd November and Monday the 23rd November.

This provides students who are unhappy with their grades a chance to take their examinations and attain a better grade for any of their subjects. However, students must act quickly to take advantage of this. Deadlines for entry into these examinations are:

• Friday the 4th of September for A-level examinations

• Thursday the 17th of September for all GCSE examinations

  • Except for GCSE English Language and GCSE maths, for which the deadline is Sunday the 4th of October.

The University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge have been the first universities to decline government calls to ensure places for A-level students appealing their grades. Instead, students will have to defer a year if their college has filled up. Other members of the G5 universities are expected to follow the same approach with University College London stating they will not be able to hold places open and students will have to defer until September 2021. Imperial College London has stated they will only admit students with appealed grades if spaces are available within the department.