UK ENIC Special Report

The Effects of COVID-19 on International
Secondary Assessment

Summer 2021 Update
2nd September 2021

Foreword
Since March 2020, UK ENIC has been tracking the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on
education globally. At the peak, educational institutions were closed in 169 countries,
affecting 84% of total enrolled learners worldwide1.Throughout 2020, national examinations
for over 30 upper secondary qualifications were cancelled, and assessments for manyothers postponed or adapted. This year, school closures have continued to affect learners
across the world as countries have responded to increases in cases and the emergence of
new variants of the virus. National school closures were in place in 40 countries during thefirst six months of the year. In some cases, the ongoing disruption has led to changes toschool examinations and assessment for a second time.
We continue to provide a summary of ongoing changes to education delivery andannouncements regarding national examinations on our blog, Charting the impact of COVID19 on UK admissions and recruitment.It provides updates for over 90 countries and remains
an essential resource for those working in international education.
This report brings together the information compiled for the blog on examinations which were
due to be held between March and June 2021, but were affected by the pandemic. It
provides a useful overview of the changes and more in-depth information on the alternativemodes of assessment put in place where examinations were cancelled.
By publishing this update, UK ENIC aims to support both the work of those involved ininternational student recruitment and admissions, and fair recognition of qualifications
awarded during this period of disrupted learning.

Paul Norris
Head of UK ENIC

1 UNESCO, 2020

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Contents
Foreword............................................................................................................................... 2
1.

Introduction .................................................................................................................... 42.

Summary of secondary assessment changes for 2021 .................................................. 7

3.

Spotlight on selected countries and qualifications ........................................................ 11
France - Baccalauréat .................................................................................................. 11
India - Higher Secondary Certificate / Standard 12 ...................................................... 13
Ireland - Leaving Certificate ......................................................................................... 18
Italy - Esame di Stato ................................................................................................... 20
United Kingdom - A levels, AS levels and GCSEs........................................................ 22
United Kingdom - Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers and National 5 .................. 25
United Kingdom - other qualifications ........................................................................... 27
International A levels, AS levels and GCSEs ............................................................... 28
International Baccalaureate ......................................................................................... 29

4.

Looking ahead ............................................................................................................. 31

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1. Introduction
Since schools were first closed in Hubei province in China in January 2020, the COVID-19
pandemic has had a significant impact on education at all levels across the world. At thepeak of the disruption in 2020, schools were closed on a national level in the majority ofcountries.
Over one year later, education in most countries has not yet returned to the situation before
the pandemic. Many schools and universities continue to offer online or blended learning;
additional hygiene measures, regular testing, limited class sizes, reduced face-to-faceteaching hours and localised school closures remain features of everyday life in educational
institutions globally. Students have experienced a second academic year of disruption anduncertainty.
Disrupted learning
In the first six months of 2021, the number of countries with schools closed on a national
level was lower than in 2020. In response to concerns about learning loss and the wider
impact of school closures, many countries began to adopt a more localised approach
towards the end of 2020. Schools were only closed in areas where there were particularlyhigh numbers of cases, rather than nationwide. Despite this, there were national closures inplace in up to 40 countries in the first few months of the year.
Figure 1: Number of countries with national closures January – June 2021
45
40
35
30
25

20
15
10
5
0
04/01/2021

04/02/2021

04/03/2021

04/04/2021

04/05/2021

04/06/2021

Source: UNESCO Global monitoring of school closures

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Changes to exams and assessment
As might be expected, there have been fewer cancellations and postponements to national
exams in 2021 than in 2020. Last year, exams scheduled between April and June wereparticularly badly affected, as many countries introduced national lockdowns and school
closures in March 2020, only a short time before the exams were due to take place. This
year, although disruption has continued, governments and awarding bodies had more time
to put procedures, processes and contingency plans in place. Since the start of thepandemic, additional hygiene measures, vaccination programmes and testing have enabledmany activities to go ahead that were not possible in the early months of the response in
2020. A combination of these factors meant that more exams went ahead this year.
However, students sitting exams in 2021 experienced disruption and learning loss over an
extended period of time. According to UNESCO data, by July 2021, there were six countries
where schools had been closed on a national level for over 50 weeks in total: Panama,
Mexico, Myanmar, Kuwait, Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia. Students in many other countries
had also experienced prolonged disruption to their studies over the period of more than a
year.
Many countries made some changes to the syllabus or scope of the exams to mitigate forthis so students would not be disadvantaged. For example, the Federal Board ofIntermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) in Pakistan reduced the syllabus for theHigher Secondary Certificate and the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg reduced thecontent covered in final exams by 15%. Assessment for the Hong Kong Diploma of
Secondary Education (HKDSE) was streamlined. For some subjects, school-based
assessment was cancelled, and the duration and number of questions required for someexams was reduced.
In some cases, the timing of exams was changed to allow for more preparation time. HKDSE
exams were pushed back by around a month; the West African Senior Secondary Certificate
Examination (WASSCE) was delayed until August. An increase in the infection rate led to A
level exams in Sri Lanka being postponed from August until October.
In a small number of countries, the decision was taken to cancel exams and use analternative means of assessment. Among these countries were the UK and India. Other
countries, such as France and Italy, opted to reduce the number of exams. In France, somesubjects were assessed through continuous assessment rather than a final written exam. In
Italy, students were only required to take an oral exam; all written exams were cancelled fora second year.
Impact of changes to assessment
Changing the way a qualification is assessed can affect students’ results and grading. For
example, replacing exams with continuous or teacher assessment typically results in higher
grades for students. The differences between how grades were determined during the
pandemic and in previous years have resulted in significant changes to grade distributions
for some qualifications, meaning that it is difficult to make meaningful comparisons about
student attainment.
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In 2020, where external examinations were cancelled and replaced by teacher
assessment, or final grades were based solely on internal assessment, pass rates werehigher and a larger proportion of students achieved top grades compared to previous years.
This outcome was seen for a number of qualifications, for which final exams were cancelled,
including UK A levels, Scottish Highers, the Irish Leaving Certificate and the French
Baccalauréat. More top grades were also awarded for the Italian Esame di Stato, where
increased weighting was given continuous assessment, in place of final written exams.
Assessment for all these qualifications was adapted for a second time this year, with exams
cancelled or reduced. With the exception of the Leaving Certificate, 2021 results have now
been released and show a continuation of the trends which emerged last year. Pass rates
remained higher than before the pandemic and were generally similar to 2020. The
proportion of top grades awarded were also in line with 2020, and in some cases, increased
further.
Similarly, results for many national and state boards in India indicate that the pass rate forStandard 12 has increased this year compared to previous years. The majority of Standard
12 exams were cancelled in July, due to an increase in infections following the emergence ofthe delta variant. Grades were based on a combination of teacher assessment and past
exam performance.
Tracking the latest developments
Since early 2020, UK ENIC has been tracking school closures and monitoring the impact on
exams and assessment on our blog: Charting the impact of COVID-19 on UK admissions
and recruitment.
In May 2020, we released a briefing paper, The Effects of COVID-19 on International
Secondary Assessment, which looked at global approaches to assessment at upper
secondary level during the early months of the response to the pandemic.
Early in 2021, we published COVID-19: Guide to International Secondary Assessment in
2020, which provided an overview of assessment for over 120 qualifications worldwide,
analysis of the different approaches adopted globally, and examines the effects on student
performance and grading.
This report provides an update to these resources, focussing on the ongoing disruption toassessment in the 2021 summer exam season.
Section 2 provides an overview of qualifications for which there were changes toassessment for 2021, including exam cancellations and postponements.
Section 3 examines some of the arrangements for some of these qualifications in moredetail, focussing on those for which exams were cancelled, or there were other significant
changes to the format of assessment.
Section 4 looks ahead to the potential considerations and challenges for assessment at
secondary level going forward.
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2. Summary of secondary assessment changes for 2021
Key:
Exams were postponed or delayed*
The format of the exams was adapted
Exams were cancelled
Other*compared to dates originally announced, or compared to the usual timetable

Country

Examination

Awarding body

StatusSummary of changes for 2021

Bangladesh

Higher School Certificate

Boards of intermediate and secondary
education

Exams have been postponed until November /December.

Denmark

Bevis for Højere
Forberedelseseksamen(Higher Preparatory
Examination Certificate)

Schools

The number of exams was reduced.

FranceBaccalauréat general /technologique /professionel

Ministère de l’Éducation nationale

Students only took an oral exam and a written
exam in philosophy; other exams were cancelled.

GambiaWest African Senior
School Certificate
Examination

West African Examinations Council (WAEC)

Exams have been postponed until August /September.

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GhanaWest African Senior
School Certificate
Examination

West African Examinations Council (WAEC)

Exams have been postponed until August /September.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong Diploma of
Secondary Education(HKDSE)

Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment
Authority (HKEAA)

Assessment was streamlined. Exams were heldin April.

All India Senior School
Certificate Examination /Delhi Senior School
Certificate Examination

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)

Exams were cancelled.

Indian School Certificate

Council for the Indian School Certificate
Examinations (CISCE)

Exams were cancelled.

Senior Secondary School
Examination

National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)

Exams were cancelled.

Higher Secondary
Certificate / Standard 12

State boards

Most boards cancelled exams.

Ireland

Leaving Certificate

State Examinations Commission

Exams went ahead but students could choose
whether to sit them or receive grades accreditedby the State Examinations Commission (SEC).

Italy

Esame di Stato

Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della
RicercaWritten exams were cancelled. Grades are basedon oral exam and performance across the three
years of upper secondary.

LatviaAtestāts par vispārējo
vidējo izglītību (Certificateof General Secondary
Education)

Valsts Izglītības Satura Centrs (National
Centre for Education)

The format of the exams was adapted so there
was no mandatory fourth exam.

LiberiaWest African Senior
School Certificate
Examination

West African Examinations Council (WAEC)

Exams have been postponed until August /September.

Luxembourg

Diplôme de fin d'études
secondaires

Ministère de l’Éducation nationale et de laFormation professionelle

Content was reduced by 15%.

India

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NepalSchool Leaving Certificate
Examination

National Examinations Board

Exams have been postponed until further notice.

NigeriaWest African Senior
School Certificate
Examination

West African Examinations Council (WAEC)

Exams have been postponed until August /September.

North
MacedoniaДиплома за положен
завршен испит
(Secondary School
Leaving Diploma)

National Examinations Centre

The format of the exams was adapted so there
were two external exams, two internal exams anda project task.

NorwayVitnemål for videregående
opplæring (Leaving
Certificate from Upper
Secondary School)

Utdanningsdirektoratet (Norwegian Directorate
for Education and Training)

Written exams were cancelled.

PakistanIntermediate / Higher
Secondary School
Certificate

Boards of intermediate and secondary
education

Exams were postponed until July and thesyllabus was reduced.

PolandŚwiadectwo Dojrzałości
(Certificate of Maturity)

Central Examination Board / regional
examination boards

Students sat written exams only; oral exams
were cancelled.

Portugal

Diploma Nível Secundário
de Educação / Certificado
Nível Secundário de
Educação

Ministério da Educação

Exams were only taken by those intending to go
on to higher education.

Sierra Leone

West African Senior
School Certificate
Examination

West African Examinations Council (WAEC)

Exams have been postponed until August /September.

Slovakia

Vysvedčenie o maturitnej
skúške (Secondary
School Leaving
Certificate)

Národný ústav certifikovaných meranívzdelávania (NÚCEM) (National Institute for
Certified Educational Assessments)

External exams were cancelled.

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Sri Lankan General
Certificate of Education(Advanced level)

Department of Examinations

Exams have been postponed from August until
October.

General Certificate of
Education (GCE)
Advanced Levels (Alevels)

AQA; Council for the Curriculum, Examinations
and Assessments (CCEA): OCR; Pearson
Edexcel; Welsh Joint Education Committee(WJEC)

Exams were cancelled. Results will be based on
grades submitted to exam boards by teachers.

Highers / Advanced
Highers

Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)

Exams were cancelled. An alternativecertification model has been put in place, withresults based on grades submitted by schools.

International

International
Baccalaureate

International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO)

Two assessment routes (an examination routeand a non-examination route) were offered,depending on whether schools in different
countries were able to administer exams safely.

International

International General
Certificate of Education(GCE) Advanced Levels(A levels)

Cambridge Assessment International
Education

Exams went ahead where possible. Schoolassessed grades were used in countries /regions where government directives meant thatexams could not take place.

International

International General
Certificate of Education(GCE) Advanced Levels(A levels)

Oxford International AQA Examinations

Exams were cancelled and students wereawarded teacher-assessed grades.

International

International General
Certificate of Education(GCE) Advanced Levels(A levels)

PearsonExams were cancelled and students wereawarded teacher-assessed grades.

Sri Lanka

UnitedKingdom

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3. Spotlight on selected countries andqualifications
This section focusses in on the assessment changes in a few select countries, where theexaminations have been cancelled or significantly adapted from their typical format andalternative approaches to assessment and calculating grades were used.

France - Baccalauréat
The Bac in brief
Entry to higher education in France is typically based on the Diplôme du baccalauréat, athree-year upper secondary qualification finishing after 12 years of schooling.
The academic stream leads to the title of the Diplôme du baccalauréat general. An
international option (the Option internationale du baccalauréat) is also available, which ismostly followed by students with foreign language proficiency. They will take somesubjects through the medium of French, and others through a foreign language.
Technical (Diplôme du baccalauréat technologique) and professional (Diplôme dubaccalauréat professionnel) streams of the Baccalauréat are also available.
All students achieving a mark of 10/20 in the Baccalauréat are able to access university
studies.

What was changed for 2021?
Assessment for the Baccalauréat changed this year as part of planned reforms, but was also
disrupted by the continued impact of the pandemic. As part of the planned changes, final
grades are based on both final exams (60%) and continuous assessment (40%) andstudents sit fewer exams than in the past.
In a normal year under the new system, students in terminale (final year) will sit written
exams in philosophy and their two chosen subjects of specialisation and take a final oral
exam. Students in première (penultimate year) sit an exam in French.
This year, specialisation subjects were assessed through continuous assessment, after theexams, which were originally scheduled to take place in March, were cancelled. The final
philosophy exam and oral exam for students in terminale went ahead in June. The French
exam for students in première was also held in June.

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Is that the same as in 2020?
This is different to last year. In 2020, all exams were cancelled. Grades were based oncontinuous assessment throughout the 2019-2020 academic year.
Have the changes affected results?
The overall pass rate in 2021 was 93.8%. This is slightly lower than the 95.7% of candidates
who passed in 2020. However, it is higher than all other years prior to that.
64.2% of students achieved a mention, compared to 63.5% in 2020 and 47% in 2019.

Baccalauréat grade distributions 2019-2021

2021

2020

2019

0

Très bien

20

Bien

40
60
Percentage of candidates (%)

Assez bien

80

Passable / sans mention

100

Refusé (fail)Source: Direction de’l’évaluation, de la prospective et de la performance (DEPP)

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India - Higher Secondary Certificate / Standard 12
Standard 12 in brief
In India, there are two principal exit qualifications in school, one taken on completion of
10 years of schooling (Standard 10), and another on completion of 12 years (Standard
12). Entry to higher education in India is based on the Standard 12.
The titles vary according to the awarding body, which could be a state education board
or one of three national boards:• The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)• The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE)• The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).
Students are usually examined in five or six subjects. Grading systems differ amongboards, so university admission requirements are usually based on the percentage
scores achieved in the best five subjects.

What was changed for 2021?
Students usually sit internal exams in Grade 11 and external exams in Grade 12. In 2021,
the majority of exam boards cancelled external exams due to the pandemic.
Which boards cancelled exams?
Board
Central Board of Secondary
Education (CBSE)

Status

Details
Exams cancelled.

Council for the Indian School
Certificate Examinations (CISCE)

Exams cancelled.

National Board of Open Schooling(NIOS)

Exams cancelled.

Board of Intermediate Education
Andhra Pradesh

Exams cancelled.

Assam Higher Secondary Education
CouncilExams cancelled.

Bihar School Examination Board

Exams were completed in February.

Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary
Education

Students sat exams in an adapted
format at home in June.

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Goa Board of Secondary and Higher
Secondary Education

Exams cancelled.

Gujarat Secondary and Higher
Secondary Education Board

Exams cancelled.

Board of School Education Haryana

Exams cancelled.

Jharkhand Academic Council

Exams cancelled.

Government of Karnataka
Department of Pre-University
Education
Government of Kerala Board ofHigher Secondary Examinations

Exams cancelled.

Board of Secondary Education,
Madhya Pradesh

Exams cancelled.

Maharashtra State Board of
Secondary and Higher Secondary
EducationCouncil of Higher Secondary
Education, Odisha

Exams cancelled.

Punjab School Education Board

Exams cancelled.

Board of Secondary Education,
RajasthanExams cancelled.

State Board of School Examinations,Tamil Nadu

Exams cancelled.

Telangana State Board ofIntermediate Education: Hyderabad

Exams cancelled.

Board of High School andIntermediate Education, Uttar
PradeshBoard of School Education
Uttarakhand

Exams cancelled.

West Bengal Council of Higher
Secondary Education

Exams cancelled.

Exams were held in April.

Exams cancelled.

Exams cancelled.

How were grades awarded without exams?
A number of boards have released details of how grades were determined this year.
Students are assessed in Class 11 by schools and sit a number of internal tests and exams
throughout the academic year in Class 11 and Class 12. Most boards opted to use these,
along with the results of the external exams taken in Class 10, as a basis for awarding
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grades. In some cases, the overall performance of the school in previous years was also
taken into account.
Further details of the approaches taken by specific boards can be found below.
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
Grades are based on theory (assessed through external exams) and practical / internal
assessment (assessed by schools), in different weightings, depending on the subject.
This year, external exams were cancelled due to Covid-19. Grades for the theory component
were awarded based on the following three components:
Unit tests / mid-terms / pre-board exams conducted by schools during Class 12Class 11 final written exam (taken in 2020)
Marks from the three main subjects in which the student performed best in theClass 10 written exams (taken in 2019)

40%
30%
30%

Source: CBSE Tabulation Policy for Class XII (June 2021)

Marks awarded for practical work, projects and internal assessments, which usually form
part of the overall grade, were submitted by schools and also contributed towards final
grades this year. Where these assessments were not completed by students in-person while
schools were open, online assessments were permitted.
The marks awarded for the Class 12 and Class 11 components were moderated by schools
to ensure that they were in line with the school’s performance in previous years.
Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE)As external written exams were cancelled, grades were based on the following components:•••

Marks obtained in the Class 10 examination
Marks obtained for practical / project work in Class 12
Performance in school exams in Class 11 and Class 12.

The school’s previous performance in CISCE exams was also used in grade calculations toensure results were in line with previous years. Full details of the algorithm used areprovided in the CISCE Scheme for the ISCE (Class X) and ISC (Class XII) Year 2021
Examinations.
Gujarat
The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board also announced that grades
would be based performance in Class 10 exams (50%) and internal school exams and test
taken and Class 11 (25%) and Class 12 (25%).
Karnataka
The Department of Pre-University Education considered performance in the Secondary
School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) taken in Class 10 and the Pre-University Certificate I
exams taken in Class 11.

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PunjabThe Punjab School Education Board followed the same approach as CBSE.
West Bengal
Class 12 results were based on the following:
Results of best 4 subjects in Class 10 exams
Class 11 exam results + Class 12 assessments and practical exam results

40%
60%

How did exams go ahead in Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Kerala?
Exams in Bihar were held in February, in the usual format, with social distancing measuresin place. The state government in Kerala allowed exams to go ahead in April, after they were
postponed from the original dates in March.
The Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education was the only board which opted to change
the format of the exams to enable to students to sit them at home. Students collected exam
papers and then had five days to complete them and return them in-person. The papers
were open-book format.

How does this compare to last year?
In 2020, the three national boards cancelled exams, but many state boards were able toproceed as planned or with short delays. Some boards cancelled exams for some subjects
after holding exams in others, as the exam sessions in some states were in progress when
India introduced a national lockdown in March 2020.
Have the changes affected results?
Most boards released results at the end of July.
Pass rates for boards which cancelled exams and used alternative means of assessment
were higher than previous years.
The table below shows the overall pass rates for a number of boards which cancelled exams
in 2021:
Board

Pass rate in 2021

Pass rate in 2020

CBSE

99.37%

88.78%*

CISCE

99.7%

96.8%*

Karnataka

100%

69.2%

Maharashtra

99.63%

90.66%

Punjab

96.48%

90.98%

West Bengal

97.69%

90.13%*exams were also cancelled in 2020

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Pass rates were also higher than 2020 for two of the boards which went ahead with exams
in 2021. The open-book exams held in Chhattisgarh had a higher pass rate than previous
years.
Board

Pass rate in 2021

Pass rate in 2020

Kerala87.94%

85.13%

Bihar

78.04%

80.44%

Chhattisgarh

97.43%

70.69%

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Ireland - Leaving Certificate
The Leaving Cert in brief
The Leaving Certificate grants access to higher education in Ireland. Subjects areoffered at Higher and Ordinary level, with a Foundation level also available in Irish andmathematics. There are three streams: Leaving Certificate Established, Leaving
Certificate Applied and Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme.
The Leaving Certificate is usually assessed through final written examinations, withadditional oral and practical examinations in some subjects. Students are required to sita minimum of five subjects, though most take six or seven. Examinations areadministered by the State Examinations Commission (SEC).

What was changed for 2021?
Leaving Certificate exams were held in June 2021, but for each subject, students were able
to choose whether to sit the exams or receive an accredited grade from the State
Examinations Commission (SEC). Students could also opt to both take the exam andreceive an accredited grade; the higher grade will be recorded in the Leaving Certificate
results. Oral and coursework components count towards final grades where exams weretaken, but do not count towards accredited grades.
How are accredited grades calculated?
Accredited grades are based on:• An estimated percentage mark for a student’s expected performance in the exam,
provided by the school• National data on students’ performance in previous exams2.
Accredited grades are subject to an alignment process within individual schools and national
standardisation.
How does this compare to last year?
In 2020, all exams for the Leaving Certificate were cancelled. Students were awarded
calculated grades based on their expected performance, which were subject to a national
standardisation process.
How many students opted to take the exams?
In most subjects, 65-80% of students entered for the exams3. However, attendance may
have been lower in some cases. Accredited grades are calculated for all students, as long as
sufficient evidence is available.

2 A Guide to State Examinations and Accredited Grades for Leaving Certificate 2021
3 https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/education/exams/leaving-cert-2021-attendance-

unpredictable-with-covid-options-but-many-students-taking-traditional-route-40518095.html
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When will results be available?
Results will be released on 3rd September 2021.

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Italy - Esame di StatoThe Esame di Stato in brief
The Esame di Stato is taken by students at the age of 19, after a total of 13 years ofeducation and is required for admission to university in Italy. Assessment consists ofthree written examinations (prove scritte) and one oral examination (colloquio).

What was changed for 2021?
In 2021, the written exams were cancelled. Students were only required to take an oral
exam. The oral exam was multidisciplinary and covered the subjects studied in the final year.
Students’ performance throughout upper secondary education also contributed to their final
grade.
Overall grades are expressed out of a maximum of 100, broken down as follows:
PointsComponent
Written exams
Oral exam
Internal schoolassessment
Total

2021
40
60

2020
40
60

Other years
45
35
20

100

100

100

The same approach was adopted in 2020.
How were results affected?
Results were released in July. The overall pass rate was 99.8%, which is very similar toprevious years.

Esame di Stato grade distributions 20192021
2021
2020
2019
0

100 e lode

20

40
60
Percentage of candidates (%)

100

91-99

81-90

71-80

80

100

61-70

60

Source: Ministero dell’Istruzione
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The percentage of students achieving the highest grades was higher than in 2020; 52.9%
achieved a grade of 80 or higher compared to 48.9% last year. This compares to 32.8% in2019.

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United Kingdom - A levels, AS levels and GCSEs
A levels and AS levels in brief
A levels and AS levels are taken by students in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.
They are offered by a number of different examination boards and overseen by threedifferent regulators: The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual)(England); the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) (NI);and Qualifications Wales.
AS level courses last one year and A level courses are taken over two years. AS Levels
contribute towards the full A Level for qualifications in Wales and Northern Ireland, but
not in England. In England, AS levels exist as a one-year stand-alone award.
Ofqual-regulated A levels are all linear, where exams are taken at the end of the course,
whereas qualifications regulated by Qualifications Wales and CCEA may be linear or
modular.
Students typically take three subjects at A level.

GCSEs in brief
GCSE subjects are offered by different examination boards and are also regulated byOfqual, CCEA and Qualifications Wales.
All students sit GCSE examinations in English, mathematics and science. Welsh is also
compulsory in Wales. A wide range of other subjects are also offered; students typicallytake 8 to 10 subjects.
Ofqual-regulated GCSEs are linear, with all exams at the end of the course. GCSEs
offered and regulated in Northern Ireland and Wales may be linear or modular.
GCSEs regulated by Ofqual are graded 9-1, whilst those regulated by Qualifications
Wales and CCEA are graded A*-G.

What was changed for 2021?
All exams for A levels, AS levels and GCSEs were cancelled in 2021. Results were basedon grades submitted to exam boards by teachers. These grades drew upon a range ofevidence, such as non-exam assessment, work completed in class, class tests and mockexams, and were subject to quality assurance processes.
Detailed guidance was issued by the three regulatory bodies and by the Joint Council for
Qualifications (JCQ). Examination boards have also published details of their processes forawarding qualifications.
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How does this compare to 2020?
In 2020, schools and colleges were asked to provide centre assessment grades (CAGs) for
each subject. This grade was intended to reflect the grade that the student would most likely
have achieved if they had sat the exams. Schools and colleges were also asked to submit
the rank order of students within each grade for each subject, which was used for statisticalstandardisation and not shared with students.
Initially, students were issued the results calculated following the standardisation process.
However, after the algorithm used for the original standardisation process was judged to be
unfair, students were awarded the CAGs submitted by their schools if they were higher thantheir standardised grades.
In 2021, the process is different. Students will be awarded grades based on teacher
judgement, which draw upon a range of evidence. Ranking of students is not required andan algorithm will not be used to standardise results nationally.
How has this affected results?
AS and A level results were released on 10th August 2021 and GCSE results on 12th August
2021.
For A levels, there was a significant increase in the proportion of entries awarded the top
grades. 44.3% of entries received an A* or A grade, compared to 38.1% in 2020 and 25.1%
in 2019. There was also a small increase in the percentage of entries awarded grades A*-C
from 75.5% in 2019 and 87.5% in 2020 to 88.2% this year.

A level grade distributions 2019-2021
2019

2020

2021
0

20

A*

40
60
Percentage of entries (%)

A

B

C

D

E

80

100

U

Source: Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ)

AS level results saw a similar trend of an increase in top grades: 35.9% of entries wereawarded an A grade this year, compared to 30.6% in 2020 and 21.5% in 2019.

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Numbers of AS level entries in England have fallen significantly since AS levels were
decoupled from A levels in 2015 and became a standalone qualification. The AS level
contributes towards the final A level grade in Northern Ireland and Wales.
For GCSEs, there was a smaller increase in the percentage of top grades awarded on 2021
compared to 2020: there was an increase of 2.7 percentage points in entries awarded a
grade of 7 / A or above to 28.9%. The proportion of entries awarded a 4 / C or above wassimilar to last year.

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United Kingdom - Scottish Highers and Advanced
Highers and National 5
Highers and Advanced Highers in brief
In Scotland, students looking to access higher education take Highers and Advanced
Highers, awarded by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). Students can also opt
to take the Scottish Baccalaureate, which is a group qualification made up of one Higher,
two Advanced Highers and an interdisciplinary project.
Highers and Advanced Highers are graded A-D. Final grades are based on final
examinations and externally marked coursework.

National 5 in brief
Students usually sit either the National 5 in Secondary 3 or 4, before taking Highers and /or Advanced Highers in Secondary 5 or 6. A wide range of subjects are offered and there
is no fixed number that students should take.
National 5 subjects are graded A-D. Final grades are based on final examinations andexternally marked coursework.

What was changed for 2021?
Exams for Highers, Advanced Highers and National 5 were cancelled. The SQA developed
an alternative certification model to replace exam assessment in 2021. Under this model,
students will receive teacher-assessed grades. These grades will be based on students’performance in mock exams and coursework.
How does this compare to 2020?
In 2020, teachers and lecturers submitted estimated grades to SQA, based on student
performance throughout the course. Schools and colleges also submitted an estimated bandwithin the grade (upper, middle or lower) and rank order for students within each grade bandfor each subject. These grades were then moderated by SQA.
After concerns were expressed about the grades awarded, students whose results weredowngraded as a result of the SQA moderation process were re-issued with the grades
submitted by their teachers.
In 2021, a quality assurance process was used in place of moderation by SQA. Teacher
grades must be based on at least four different pieces of work for each student, ideallycompleted under exam conditions. Teachers within the same school checked colleagues’
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work and local authorities also sampled work. Some schools were checked by SQA as a
final stage in the quality assurance process.
How has this affected results?
Results were released on 10th August 2021.
87.3% of entries for Highers were awarded grades A to C, compared to 89.3% in 2020 and
74.8% in 2019. There was an increase in the proportion of entries awarded the top grade;
47.6% were awarded an A grade this year, compared to 40% in 2020 and 28.3% in 2019.

Higher grade distributions 2019-2021
2021

2020

2019
0

20

40
60
Percentage of entries

A

B

C

D

80

100

No award

Source: Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)
A similar pattern emerged in the results for Advanced Highers. The percentage of entries
awarded grades A-C was slightly down compared to 2020 but higher than previous years.
The proportion of A grades rose to 51%.
For National 5, the proportion of top grades also increased compared to previous years(2021: 46.7%; 2020: 42.3%; 2019: 35.1%). Mirroring the trends seen at Higher andAdvanced Higher level, the percentage of entries awarded grades A-C (85.8%) was slightly
lower than in 2020, but higher than previous years.

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United Kingdom - other qualifications
Which other qualifications have been affected?
There are a wide range of other qualifications studied by learners across the UK, many ofwhich can be used for progression onto higher education. Ofqual set out a contingency
regulatory framework which covers the awarding of vocational, technical and other general
qualifications in 2021.
There have been changes to the assessment for many of these qualifications as a result of
the pandemic.
Information on the awarding of specific qualifications can be found in the Summer
Qualification Explainer Tool compiled by Ofqual.
Other general qualifications
Exams were cancelled for qualifications that were most similar to GCSEs and A levels andprovide progression to further or higher education. These include:••••

International Baccalaureate (see the International Baccalaureate section for further
details)
Cambridge Pre-U
Advanced Extension Awards (AEA)
Extended Project Qualifications (EPQ).

BTEC qualifications
Learners completing BTEC qualifications in 2021 receive a Teacher Assessed Grade (TAG).
This grade is submitted by schools and colleges, based on a range of evidence of students’performance.
When will results be available?
Results for qualifications linked to progression to higher education were released on thesame date or before A level and GCSE results. Results for other qualifications may be
issued at other times.

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International A levels, AS levels and GCSEs
International A levels, AS levels and GCSEs in brief
International A levels, AS levels and GCSEs are offered by Cambridge Assessment
International Education, Oxford International AQA Examinations and Pearson for theinternational market. These qualifications are not regulated by Ofqual.
International AS levels follow a similar structure to those offered in Northern Ireland andWales; the AS level contributes towards the full A level.

What was changed for 2021?
Oxford International AQA Examinations and Pearson cancelled all exams for International A
levels, AS levels and GCSEs in summer 2021. Students were awarded teacher-assessed
grades. The approach adopted was based on and very similar to the process for regulated A
level and GCSE qualifications within the UK.
Cambridge Assessment International Education went ahead with exams, apart from incountries and regions where government directives meant that it was possible to holdexams. In these instances, students were awarded school-assessed grades. Countries
where exams were cancelled include India, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United
Arab Emirates.
How does this compare to 2020?
All exams for International A levels, AS levels and GCSEs were cancelled in 2020. The
process for awarding grades last year was very similar to the approach adopted in England.
When were results released?
Results for A levels and AS levels were released on 10th August and results for GCSEs on
12th August; the same days as the counterpart qualifications taken by students in the UK.

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International Baccalaureate
The IB in brief
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year programme which is
widely accepted for admission to higher education. Students study subjects from across
six subject groups; three or four at higher level and the rest at standard level. They mustalso complete theory of knowledge (TOK); creativity, activity, service (CAS); and an
extended essay. Subjects are assessed through internal and external assessment.
Students receive a grade on a scale of 7-1 (with 7 as the highest) for each course. The
final grade for the IB Diploma combines the grades awarded for each course. Up to three
additional points are awarded each for the extended essay and TOK. A minimum of 24
points is required for a student to be awarded the Diploma. CAS does not contributetowards the final grade, but is a requirement for the award of the Diploma.

What was changed for 2021?
A dual assessment route was offered. Written exams were held where they could be
conducted safely; an alternative route based on internal school assessment and coursework
was offered where it is not possible to hold exams.
How does this compare to 2020?
In May 2020, all exams were cancelled. The dual assessment approach was adopted for theNovember 2020 exam session.
How has this affected results?
Results were released on 6th July 2021.
The overall pass rate was 88.93%, compared to 85.16% in 2020 and 77.83% in 2019.

Grade distributions for the IB Diploma 2019-2021
2021

2020

2019
0%

20%

40%

40-45

35-39

60%

30-34

80%

100%

24-29

Source: IB Diploma Programme Statistical Bulletins
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The proportion of students awarded top grades was higher than previous years. The
percentage of students awarded 40 points or higher increased to 20.53%, compared to
12.92% in 2020 and 9.77% in 2019.

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4. Looking ahead
It is likely that in 2022 it will be possible for exams to be held in the vast majority of countries.
However, there are still challenges and many different factors for governments and awarding
bodies to consider when determining how to assess students next year and beyond.
Taking account of learning loss
The 2022 cohort have experienced considerable disruption to their studies over two
academic years, and it is possible that in some cases this will continue into their final year.
To mitigate for this, it is likely that assessment will be adapted for some qualifications foranother year, for example, through reductions to the syllabus or changes to the format ofsome exams. A key consideration for exam boards will be ensuring fairness to all
candidates.
The Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) has announced thatassessment for the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) will be
streamlined in 20224, as face-to-face classes have been suspended for an extended periodof time. Written exams for a number of subjects will have their duration reduced and / orinclude a number of optional questions in place of compulsory questions. Some schoolbased assessment components and practical exams have also been cancelled or
streamlined.
The Scottish Government and the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) have confirmedthat exams will be held in 2022 if it is safe to do so, but that course content has been
reduced.
Grading and grade distributions
In countries where exams have been cancelled or increased weighting has been given toteacher assessment, such as France, India, Italy and the UK, the distribution of grades
awarded has been quite different to prior to the pandemic. Pass rates have increased, andhigher grades have been awarded. This has affected higher education admissions in a
number of countries, where higher numbers of students have been eligible for entry onto
degree courses, leading to extra places being created. Returning to the previous
assessment and grading practices is likely to lead to lower pass rates and lower grades
overall compared to 2020 and 2021. A key consideration for government and exam boards
will be ensuring both fairness across different cohorts of students and ongoing validity of
results.

4 https://www.hkeaa.edu.hk/DocLibrary/Media/PR/PR_2022DSE_public_exam_streamlining_eng.pdf

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