08 Apr 2022
In this update, you will find reminders and updated guidance about our June 2022 series - for running exams and for our portfolio of evidence route. We are sharing information about both routes so you are prepared if the situation in your country or region changes.
Guidance and reminders about running exams
Guidance on running exams in the June 2022 series
We know that many of you have questions about running exams in June 2022. To help answer your questions, we have produced this guide. Make sure you use this alongside the Cambridge Handbook when planning the exam series in your centre. You can find our latest guidance on the June 2022 exams.
We expect exams will go ahead in most cases. However, where directives from national or local authorities mean exams cannot go ahead, we will switch schools to our contingency route using portfolios of candidate evidence. If your country or region is using portfolio of evidence, you will have already received a direct communication from us. Schools do not make the decision to move to portfolio of evidence themselves.
We recommend that schools have a portfolio in place for their students, in electronic form, by the start of the exam series - even if they feel confident that exams will go ahead. Feedback from our webinars last week suggests most schools have been gathering this evidence.
Reminder: Component adjustments – deadline approaching
The deadline for applying for component adjustments is 17 April 2022 (at 23:59 UTC+1). There is more information about the available adjustments, and how to apply.
Reminder: Component exemptions – deadline approaching
If you are not able to prepare candidates because of Covid-19 disruption, you can apply for component exemptions until 17 April 2022 (at 23:59 UTC+1). If you work through a Cambridge Associate, you may have an earlier deadline.
How do I apply?
For details of what exemptions are available and how to apply, see information on component exemptions.
Submit candidates’ details for Covid-19 exemptions by 1 May 2022
If you have approved component exemptions then you must tell us which candidates you would like to exempt from which component(s). You can do this from 18 April until 1 May 2022 (at 23:59 UTC+1) via the 'Covid-19 Exemptions' area on Cambridge International Direct.
It is extremely important you complete this step, otherwise your candidates cannot use their exemptions.
How do I submit my candidate details?
- Log in to Cambridge International Direct
- Select the ‘Covid-19 Exemptions’ tab
- Submit your candidates’ details for Covid-19 exemptions. A step-by-step guide and list of frequently asked questions will be available on our website from 18 April
- Make sure you submit your candidates' details by 1 May 2022.
Reminder: Submit for Assessment
In the June 2022 exam series schools will upload digital work samples for some internally assessed and/or externally assessed components using the Submit for Assessment service, instead of sending them to us on CD or USB, or using Secure Exchange.
Submit for Assessment is only available for some syllabus components, you can find them on the Submit for Assessment page.
You can view our guide on setting up additional user accounts.
Where exams cannot take place - portfolio of evidence
Carry forwards – an important update about Cambridge International AS & A Level Mathematics (9709) and Further Mathematics (9231)
If we move you to the portfolio of evidence route then we will automatically move ‘best of both’ candidates to the staged entry option. If you have any candidates entered for Cambridge International AS & A Level Mathematics (9709) and/or Further Mathematics (9231) there may be more than one possible staged entry option which is suitable for your candidate(s). We have added information about this, and the steps you may need to take, on pages 4–5 of the Carry forward within the portfolio of evidence route guide.
Submit for Assessment admin guide - updated
We have updated the Submitting portfolios of evidence using Submit for Assessment administrative guide with more details about how to upload a single file and then link it with multiple candidates. This means you can upload a single task or Rationale Document file, and then link it to multiple candidates, you do not need to upload the same file more than once.
Post-results services and appeals
We know that many of you have questions about the post-results services that will be available for the portfolio of evidence route. We will share more information about this in May 2022.
Switching to portfolio of evidence
We aim to switch schools to the portfolio of evidence route by 17 April 2022. It may be more challenging to switch schools after this date, but we will make every effort to do so if circumstances change in your country or region after 17 April.
New: Frequently asked questions
What counts as evidence?
The types of work that can be included in a candidate’s portfolio of evidence can include one or more of any of the following:
- complete past papers from the syllabus with a duration of an hour or more
- completed coursework prepared according to syllabus requirements
- work made up of questions selected from various past papers
- papers used as mock exams
- extended project work set by the centre during the course of study
- tasks set by the centre, such as essays, assignments, problems and practical tasks.
You can find more information about the types of evidence that you can use in our guide on Collecting a portfolio of evidence for the June 2022 series.
Can a school choose between portfolio of evidence and exams?
Schools do not make the decision to move to portfolio of evidence themselves. Where directives from national or local authorities mean exams cannot go ahead, we will switch schools to our contingency route using portfolios of candidate evidence. If your country or region is using portfolio of evidence, you will have already received a direct communication from us.
Do we submit portfolio of evidence and exams?
No, once a school has been switched to our portfolio of evidence route they will not run exams.
You will not be able to switch back to running exams if we switch you to the portfolio of evidence route. This is why we will switch schools only as a last resort, when it is clear that exams will not be able to go ahead.
June 2022 standards
Some schools have asked us to clarify our approach to standards in 2022. We will align the standard of our qualifications to the standard of similar qualifications in England. For Cambridge International qualifications, we will aim for our exam standard to return to the pre-pandemic standard in June 2023. For June/November 2022 and March 2023, we will set standards at a midpoint between 2019 and 2021.
This means our June 2022 grades will be generous compared to our June 2019 grades, and less generous than our June 2021 grades.
We have created a factsheet to help you explain this to parents and students.
Stay in touch
View our latest updates on our Covid-19 information pages.
If you have any questions, you can review our frequently asked questions or contact us via the Help website.
For British Council Partner Schools or Cambridge Associate schools, please contact your local British Council representative or Cambridge Associate.