Ofqual has published a consultation on how the autumn exam series for GCSEs, AS and A Levels should run in 2021.

The additional series will provide students who would like to improve on the teacher assessed grade issued to them in summer 2021, with the chance to take an exam.

Proposals outlined in the consultation include:

• The autumn series will be open to any student who entered or who had intended to enter to take exams this summer
• AS and A Level exams will be held in October and GCSE exams in November/early December
• Exams will be in their usual form and in their usual number for each subject
• Grades will be determined by exam performance only
• Non-exam assessments will not be taken into account (with the exception of art and design qualifications)
• Art and design qualifications for which there are not normally any exams, will be assessed through students completing an exam board’s set task only
• Students will be able to use the better of the summer or autumn grade
• Normal use of the arrangements for reviews of marking and appeals will apply
• Exam boards will be required to offer exams in all GCSE and A Level subjects unless there are no entries for that subject by the closing date. Ofqual is seeking views on whether exam boards should be required, permitted or prohibited from offering AS exams.

The consultation does not include any proposals on the approach to grading in the autumn 2021 series. Ofqual wants to reflect on the outcomes from summer 2021 and the likely approach to exams in summer 2022 before making any decisions on grading for autumn 2021.

The autumn series was announced as part of the measures outlined by the Department for Education/Ofqual in February following the cancellation of exams for summer 2021. The autumn consultation closes on 9 April 2021.

Decisions about whether exam boards should offer a different provision of autumn VTQ assessments, beyond those already provided, have not yet been announced following the recent Ofqual consultation on the regulatory arrangements for VTQs.