Update for Cambridge schools on the June 2020 series – 4 September 2020

04 Sep 2020

Following our announcement on 17 August about the change in our awarding process for June 2020, this week we are providing more guidance on some of the main questions we have received.

We also have some further information on the process and deadlines for appeals, and on the November 2020 and June 2021 exam series.

We are very grateful to you for working patiently with us through this challenging period. We encourage you to keep in touch with us if you have questions or would like advice.

We will update schools again on 9 September 2020.

June 2020 series

On 17 August we issued an update on how we are awarding grades for the June 2020 series. This update was sent to all schools.

Reminder of advice provided on submitting predicted grades

We are aware that some schools want to provide more information to families and stakeholders on the process for providing predicted grades for the June 2020 series. To help answer these questions, we have prepared the following text:

Following the decision by Cambridge International not to hold exams anywhere in the world, issued on 23 March 2020, we asked schools to work collaboratively with us to offer grades to their learners. We provided guidance to schools on submitting predicted grades on 8 April.

This included the detailed advice contained in this factsheet on determining these predicted grades. In the guidance we asked schools to determine candidates’ predicted grades on the basis of evidence, such as classwork, coursework, assignments and mock exams, to ensure the judgements would be as objective and accurate as possible.

Moreover, we stipulated that: “The predicted grade should be the grade that, in the professional opinion of the teacher, the candidate would have been most likely to achieve if the June 2020 exam series had taken place... After submission, the predicted grades must also have been authenticated by the Head of centre.”

We also asked that where more than one teacher had taught the syllabus at the centre, then where possible, the teachers should work together to make sure that their judgements were applied consistently across classes and to private candidates.

You can view all the guidance we issued to schools on submitting predicted grades and rank orders on this page, which includes a video, a specific guidance document and an infographic here.

Although using schools’ predicted grades was not our initial choice, we do believe that where schools followed our detailed instructions, the predicted grades issued are valid. This is because the instructions we provided were clear on how to assess the evidence available. Moreover, we also provided guidance around avoiding unconscious bias, to ensure that the predicted grades submitted were as accurate as possible.

Appeals

Further information about correction of clerical errors

In last week’s update we provided some guidance on appeals for June 2020. This guidance included information about correcting clerical errors in the data provided to us by schools. Since issuing that guidance, a small number of schools have asked us for more information about the process which we have published on our appeals page.

Reminder on deadline for appeals

For the June 2020 series, you can request three types of Stage 1 appeal. Appeals can be requested for individual candidates, or for a group of candidates. Please note the deadlines below:

If you work with us through a Cambridge Associate, such as the British Council, you should send your completed forms to them, and they will send them to us.

Further information on appeals and a full guidance document can be found here: https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/covid/results-day/appeals/

November 2020 series

Confirmation of November exam 2020 series

Some schools have asked for a letter they can share that confirms the running of the November 2020 exam series. You can find this letter here.

November 2020 entry deadlines

Given the challenges of sending question papers to schools during the pandemic, we would kindly request that you submit your entries to us by the deadlines below, or earlier wherever possible:

First-time entries:

• 21 September (UK centres only – the deadline of 16 August for schools outside the UK has now passed)

Retake entries:

• 21 September (international and UK centres)

Discount for retakes in the November series

We are offering a discount for retake entries in the November series. To receive this discount, please make sure you tick the 'Retake' box when you make your entry. You cannot tick this after you have submitted your entries.

All other fees for November 2020 remain as stated in your fees list.

Withdrawing November entries due to national or local restrictions that relate to Covid-19

For schools outside the UK, our final entry deadline for the November 2020 series was 16 August and fees for late entries will be charged as normal. However, you will receive credit for any withdrawals made by 30 August. This is to support schools who may be uncertain about making entries because of the ongoing impact of the pandemic.

We understand that there may be circumstances when you need to withdraw all your entries after 30 August as a consequence of national or local restrictions that relate to Covid-19. Under these specific circumstances and with supporting evidence, such as a link to a local or national government website to validate the reason for the withdrawal, a credit will be applied to withdrawals made after 30 August and until 30 September 2020. You must first tell us of the need to withdraw entries but keep the entry on our system until you receive instructions from us.

June 2021 series

Adjustments to components for March and June 2021

We know that schools are facing different challenges in managing teaching, learning and assessment for the March 2021 (schools in India) and June 2021 exam series.

We are considering any adjustments we can make to components of some of our syllabuses to make it easier for teachers and students to meet the syllabus requirements while maintaining the standard of the qualification.

On Monday 7 September we will publish the adjustments and guidance for March and June 2021 exams, which will build substantially on the information for the November 2020 series.

For the components included, we will provide general guidance to help teachers and students adapt to the current circumstances, and for some there will be details of specific adjustments to the requirements of the component. Where specific adjustments are available, schools will need to apply for permission to use them before the exam or before submitting work. Information about this process will be published on Monday 7 September.

The information will be available in the June 2021 Covid information section of our website.

Staying in touch

You can find all our advice on our website

If you have any questions, you can review our frequently asked questions, or contact us via our Help website.

We wish everyone in the Cambridge International community well at this time.