Details of how next summer's exams in Wales will be run and graded have been released. Regulator Qualifications Wales said grade boundaries would be set midway between pre-pandemic 2019 and this summer's overall higher grades. This is despite England planning to largely return to pre-pandemic grading levels next year.
The decision means students and schools can expect results to be lower in 2023 than this year - when sat exams returned - and lower than the two pandemic years under teacher assessed grades, but higher than 2019.
Students and teachers will be given some advance information of the topics, themes, texts or other content to expect in summer 2023 exams.
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Record results were posted during the pandemic and critics have argued that grades were inflated when exams were cancelled and results awarded on teacher assessment in 2020 and 2021. The aim now is to steady the system back but also take account of Covid disruption to learning.
Qualifications Wales said: "The intention is for this year’s results to fall broadly midway between the 2019 and 2022 results. This approach takes into account the disruption experienced by learners during the pandemic and the fact that AS qualifications and some GCSE units were awarded this year – using a different grading approach - and these will have an impact on next summer’s grading."
"The move signals the next step on the Welsh qualification system's journey back to pre-pandemic assessment arrangements, whilst also maintaining support for learners, schools and colleges with advance information and a supportive approach to grading."
The regulator said providing some advance information of what to expect in exam papers would help learners focus their revision for exams and assessments.
"Qualifications Wales believes that this is the fairest approach for learners this year. The current trajectory means that there will be a return to pre-pandemic standards in 2024. "
Philip Blaker, Chief Executive of Qualifications Wales, said: “After a challenging couple of years for the education system, everyone’s effort and support for learners means we are moving back towards pre-pandemic approaches.
"As we continue on that journey, there will continue to be support into 2023 since we know the pandemic has had a long-term impact on learners. Most qualifications are delivered over two years, which means that some learners have already experienced disruption as they prepare for qualifications that will be completed this year.
"We continue to work closely with awarding bodies, other UK regulators, higher education institutions and other stakeholders to make sure that Welsh learners are not disadvantaged. It remains our priority that the grades learners achieve support their progression on to the next stage of their learning or employment.”
Headteachers representatives welcomed the move, but had this warning:
The move was welcomed by the Association of School and College Leaders Cymru, but it cautioned communication of the changes was vital.
Director Eithne Hughes said: "We certainly see the logic of working more slowly back to the pre-pandemic arrangements given that AS grades and some GCSE modules were awarded on a different system. There will, however, need to be excellent communication with parents, schools and universities to ensure that this position is very clearly explained."
This is how England's exams will be graded and run in 2023
Candidates sitting exams in England, or English exam board exams in Wales, won't get advance information of content. The approach across the border is different.
For England GCSE, AS, and A level exams will largely return to pre-pandemic arrangements next summer, the Department for Education has announced. But prior attainment and grades achieved by previous exam years will be considered when grading there.
"To protect students against the disruption of recent years, and in case students’ performance is slightly lower than before the pandemic, senior examiners will use the grades achieved by previous cohorts of pupils, along with prior attainment data, to inform their decisions about where to set grade boundaries," the DofE said.
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