Summer 2021 Awarding Update – Progressing to the final stage of the 5-step process

Every step of the five-step process was designed to support the awarding process this year. Step 4, the quality review, as detailed in CCEA’s Process for Heads of Centre for Summer 2021 arrangements (published 5 March) involved sampling evidence from every school and college in Northern Ireland. Earlier in the year, the Education Minister’s statement and instruction asked CCEA to ensure schools and colleges had completed a centre determined grades policy and sample each centre for one qualification subject. This was to ensure that the grades awarded by the school or college were reasonable in relation to the evidence submitted.

Plans are also well underway for the final step of the process, the issue of results and Post-Results service. Much work has been carried out to date to prepare for this final stage and students should have confidence that they will receive their grades on time and that the appeals service, should they need to engage with it, will be robust.

Ahead of this year’s Summer 2021 results CCEA has released some key facts and figures which highlight the huge effort the wider education community has put into the delivery of results and in particular the collaboration between CCEA, schools and teachers to ensure students can progress this year as planned.

The process in 2021 resulted in:

• over 230,000 Centre Determined Grades submitted by schools and colleges to CCEA;
• the training of 225 school examination officers for the post-results service;
• the successful collation of evidence by schools and colleges,
• and continued engagement with a range of stakeholders including Principals, the Teaching Unions, higher education and student representative groups.

A snapshot of the key facts and figures can be viewed here.

Referring to the difficulties faced by schools, students and parents, Interim Chief Executive at CCEA, Margaret Farragher said:

The Covid-19 pandemic presented considerable challenges to teachers, students and parents. However, given the commitment and hard work of teachers, students will receive GCSE, AS, A Level and Vocational results in August, allowing them to take the next steps on their journey as planned.

CCEA understands that schools and colleges have worked tremendously hard to deliver Centre Determined Grades for all students and on behalf of the organisation, I would like to express my deep appreciation and gratitude for the valuable role they have played throughout the process.

As we approach the issue of results in August, I would also like to pay tribute to this group of students and commend them for their resilience and adaptability as they dealt with these extraordinary circumstances and an atypical school or college year.

AS/A level and CoPE results will be issued on Tuesday 10 August, with GCSE, Occupational Studies, Entry Level, Vocational and Online Language Assessment (OLA) results available on Thursday 12 August. For more information about results or what to do next visit the Summer 2021 section of the CCEA website where you will also find detail on all aspects of the 5-step awarding process.