Rejected petition Replace 2022 WJEC grades with teacher assessments/predicted grades, if higher, to ensure fairness.
Many students were shocked by the WJEC exams - posts on social media from worried parents and angry students. A2 U3 maths was totally unlike all the past papers; Chemistry A2 U3 had AS content.
How do we reassure our sons and daughters, who feel utterly demoralised? They are scared that the grades needed for university are unachievable and they won't compare well with other UK applicants. WJEC states that grade boundaries may be adjusted, but will this make them second-rate qualifications?
More details
Students in Years 11-13 sat their first external examinations this month, after two years of disruption to their learning. Despite assurances, the WJEC examination papers this summer are perceived as being unlike past papers, testing content that the students had not expected and were not prepared for by their schools. This has had a detrimental effect on their mental health.
AQA have stated that they will award full marks for unexpected content. WJEC have offered only to review grade boundaries. Students now have a long wait to discover whether grade boundaries will be adjusted sufficiently to mitigate these issues.
But lowering grade boundaries is not the answer. If grade boundaries are substantially lowered, a WJEC A-Level becomes a lesser qualification. Students in Wales have to sit WJEC, and will be compared unfavourably with students in the other UK nations. Our students will be disadvantaged in securing university places. Teacher assessments would be fairer.
Why was this petition rejected?
It did not collect enough signatures to be referred to the Petitions Committee.
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