Immediate recommendations after GCSE grade review

Following its review into claims of low January English Language GCSE grades, the Welsh Government has made a number of immediate recommendations.

The review found 'no one single aspect' contributed and that there is 'no evidence to suggest that WJEC did not follow the correct procedures' - but said the recommendations would 'address the concerns of learners, parents and practitioners' and 'help to build confidence' across the system.

Immediate recommendations:

1 Copies or samples of papers must returned to schools as soon as possible so teachers can begin to look at how they have been marked in relation to the marking scheme.

2 WJEC is to extend registration deadline to allow schools to consider in more detail which pupils should be entered for re-sit in June.

3 Further materials should be produced before the Easter break to explain how the mark schemes will be applied to students' work, in order to increase transparency.

4 Training and new exemplar materials should be made available online before the Easter break, including sample papers. Schools should explain to teachers how marks are given and what they need to do to gain these marks.

5 Free additional sessions run by the WJEC before summer exams must ensure that advice given to schools is consistent with that provided in the examiner's report - and across the board.

6 January units need to be on the online review section of the website immediately.