Getting your grades
What are Teacher Assessed Grades?
Back in January, the Government confirmed that GCSE, AS and A Levels exams would not be going ahead during the 2020/2021 academic year and that grades would be awarded based on an assessment by teachers. Exams for many vocational qualifications also did not take place this summer.
As a result, A Levels, GCSE and some vocational qualifications were awarded using a process called Teacher Assessed Grades (TAG).
For qualifications where Teacher Assessed Grades apply, a range of evidence was used to make a judgement of the grade and teachers used evidence from the full duration of your course to determine your grades.
Here’s the type of evidence your teachers used for your grade assessment for Teacher Assessed Grades:
- Your work produced in response to assessment materials provided by the exam board. This may have included questions, past papers or similar materials such as practice or sample papers
- Any coursework you completed
- Your work produced in response to work set by your teachers that are in-line with the specification for the qualification - this may have included class or homework (including those that took place during remote learning), internal tests and mock exams
- Where applicable, records of your capability and performance over the course of study in performance-based subjects such as music, drama and sport
- Records of your progress and performance over the course of study
Can I appeal my grade?
You’ll have the right to appeal your Teacher Assesses Grades if you wish to. You should only put in an appeal once you have formally received your final grades and if you believe that there has been an error.
Appeals must be submitted to Gateshead College using the process explained below. It’s really important that you appeal through the college and not the Awarding Bodies as they won’t accept any appeals directly from you or your parents.
The rules for appealing mean there are two stages you may need to go through and this will depend on the outcome of Stage 1:
- Stage 1 appeal - This relates to our administration and procedures and this appeal is carried out by the college.
- Stage 2 appeal - If you believe that an error persists, a Stage 2 appeal takes place. This relates to academic judgement, administration and procedures and this appeal is carried out by the Awarding Organisation.
A Stage 1 appeal must always take place before a Stage 2 appeal is allowed.
- Stage 1 appeal
- The deadline for submitting a Stage 1 appeal has now closed and anyone who has submitted a Stage 1 appeal to the college will receive a response by 13th September
- Stage 2 appeal
- By Wednesday 15th September
It’s important to remember that your grade can go down, up or stay the same through either stage of the appeal process.
What’s the process for appealing my Teacher Assessed Grade?
Stage 1 appeal
The deadline for submitting a Stage 1 appeal has now closed.
Stage 2 appeal
If you have received feedback from a Stage 1 appeal, and you believe that there is still an error with your grade, please click here and complete Stage 2 of the form.
Please submit the completed form to firstname.lastname@example.org by 15th September. Your Stage 2 appeal must be submitted to us through this email address and should not be sent direct to the Awarding Body. We then liaise with the Awarding Body on your behalf.
Our Teacher Assessed Grades process appeal follows the same process as recommended by JCQ and the Awarding Bodies. Important information for students completing appeal forms is here.
For further information on the appeals process click the links below for additional publications: