Normal grading arrangements will continue for GCSEs, AS and A Levels in 2024. Ofqual has confirmed that the two-year transition to pre-pandemic grading is now complete and expects national results in 2024 to be broadly similar to this year.

Given the different and exceptional approaches to grading during the pandemic, schools and colleges are warned against using grade boundaries from the autumn series of 2020 and 2021, as well as those from summer 2022, when providing indicative grades for students due to what Ofqual calls the “leniency” in grading on those occasions. Schools are advised to use past papers from and before 2019, and 2023 when considering standards. Ofqual says this is particularly important when predicting grades for higher Education applications via UCAS to avoid student disappointment.

Ofqual adds that precise outcomes may vary a little in 2024, for example if the cohort of students taking a qualification is stronger or weaker than in previous years. As such, overall national results may change slightly year on year, just as they did before the pandemic.

VTQ results

Ofqual has also confirmed that this year’s arrangements for the issue of VTQ Level 3 results will continue into 2024 through a term-time confirmation process and early release of results to schools and colleges. Further details of this will follow in October.