Applying to UK Universities in 2021? Here are the main changes made to the GCSEs and A-levels

UK Education Secretary Gavin Williamson says exams are “the best way of giving young people the opportunity to show what they can do” — but thanks to major learning disruptions caused by the pandemic, some drastic changes have been made.

Students living in the UK are probably familiar with the buzz around last year’s examination cycle. To sum it up: after the algorithm-based system used in 2020 was found to be biased, the government was forced to resort to teacher-assessed grades which led to a grade inflation of 12.5 percentage points nationwide. In 2021, with England maintaining that students will still sit GCSE and A-level examinations, the government has proposed a few changes to make the exams fair for all students.

Students with plans to apply to UK universities in 2021, this one’s for you — we’ve rounded up everything you need to know to head into your exams with no surprises.

More generous grading

Rather than force results back to pre-pandemic levels, grades will be distributed in line with the results seen in 2020. This is largely due to the fact that the class of 2021 will directly compete with many students from 2020 who took a gap year or deferred their placement. Results, however, will not be identical as 2020 saw some subjects grade levels change very little while others, such as A-level Computer Science and Music, increased as much as 300% for the top A* grades. The DfE hopes to even the inflation out across subjects, which will result in subjects such as Computer Science and Music receiving much lower grades.

Back up measures in place for students who miss exams

In order to reduce reliance on teacher predictions and unofficial exams, students who miss an exam due to illness can still expect to sit a paper when possible. For subjects with multiple exam papers, a student who misses a portion of the papers will be graded on those they were able to take; while those who missed them all will be given the opportunity to sit them in the first half of July. Only if neither of these options is available will a “validated” teacher assessed grade be given. Particularly vulnerable students may also be given the option of “home invigilation” if COVID-19 is still prevalent in the spring.

Fewer content requirements and exam aids

With so much learning time lost from school closures and student illness, being tested on the full course could pose an unfair disadvantage. This is particularly true for students whose schools struggled to adapt to online learning, or who faced issues such as internet connectivity or study space in homes leaving them unable to take advantage of the few resources available. As a result, the DfE will announce at the end of January the specific topics students can expect to be tested on, allowing them to focus their studies in those areas. Another measure to reduce the content to be crammed before each exam is the provision of exam aids such as formula sheets, which students were previously expected to memorise.

An expert group

All these measures may help alleviate the obstacles faced by students last year, but they do not negate the fact that different areas of the country were affected to differing degrees. As such, an expert task force focused on “differential learning” will look into providing specific opportunities for the most disadvantaged students. This could include signalling to colleges, universities or employers that they should be given special consideration.

There is no denying that COVID-19 circumstances have posed challenges to students’ learning unlike anything we’ve seen in decades. While — like many policy decisions made in 2020 — nothing is set in stone, these measures aim to level the playing field for students whose university dreams reside in the UK. With cautious optimism, Chief Executive of Bedford College Ian Pryce says, “The Department and Ofqual have consulted genuinely, widely and seriously and I hope this will reassure students, parents and teachers.”

Still feeling uncertain about navigating UK admissions exams, or any other part of your college application? You’re in luck. From extracurriculars to personal statements to leadership projects and more, Crimson has the expertise and experience to help you put your best foot forward. To learn what Crimson can do to help you achieve your university dreams, click the link below and schedule a free one hour consultation with one of our Academic Advisors.