Examinations and assessments

In September 2023, we announced the grading policy for summer 2024 for outcomes at a national level to be broadly similar to pre-pandemic outcomes. This was the final step in our gradual return to pre-2019 arrangements.

We understood that performance in some subjects could still be affected, so put in place arrangements for statistical protection to be used, if necessary, at subject level, to prevent outcomes falling substantially below 2019 outcomes.

We worked closely with WJEC to explore options for achieving this broadly similar policy as effectively and fairly as possible.

The approach to grading was similar to that applied in pre-pandemic years, but recognised that outcomes may be slightly different to pre-pandemic outcomes because:

  • there were changes in the cohort of learners taking qualifications in some subjects, both in terms of size, age and ability

  • the impact of learners sitting units in the same subject in an earlier series given our ‘broadly midway’ policy from the last academic year was slightly more generous than in 2024, and would have some small effect on outcomes

  • there could be unpredictable performance in some subjects due to ongoing impacts of the pandemic

WJEC awarding committees recommend grade boundaries for each exam or non-exam assessment that are then implemented following review by senior staff at the awarding body.

Awarding committees use a combination of statistical information and judgements, drawn from reviewing examples of learners’ work, to establish the boundaries. Statistics were used to support committees by suggesting a range of potential grade boundary marks to guide their scrutiny of learner work. If committees saw that the evidence supported a grade boundary that was further from the starting point, then there  was flexibility to change. In a few subjects, grade boundaries needed to be very low to achieve the policy aim. However, statistical protection was not needed.

Awarding bodies are responsible and accountable for their awarding decisions.  We reviewed outcomes to be satisfied that the policy position was being met.

In reviewing outcomes, we were mindful of the following principles:

  • fairness for learners

  • public confidence in the results being issued

  • views of the awarding committees on acceptable standards of performance in the context of the 2023-24 series

We announced our policy position early, so stakeholders could understand the differences between 2023 and 2024 as soon as possible. We made it clear that national results in 2024 were likely to be lower than those in summer 2023, as the previous broadly midway policy was removed.

This was a message that was communicated regularly throughout the academic year. We were careful to engage with higher education institutions, so that they were aware of the grading policy and to ensure that Welsh learners would not be disadvantaged relative to their peers outside of Wales in relation to admissions processes for university places.

Our approach to standards was similar to approaches put in place by other regulators this summer. We maintained regular discussions with our fellow regulators across the UK throughout the academic year, so that the small differences and any potential impacts were fully understood.

The return to pre-pandemic approaches was important in maintaining and protecting the value of grades achieved by learners in made-for-Wales qualifications.

Communicating results

As in any year, it has been a priority to deliver effective communications regarding exams and assessments to learners, parents, carers, schools and colleges, and the wider public.

In response to the final step in transitioning back towards pre-pandemic arrangements, we developed and tested our communications approach with stakeholder insight and feedback. We used our channels to provide information, updates and to share resources.

We collaborated with partners including Welsh Government, WJEC, Careers Wales, and e-sgol to support learners taking qualifications through our shared Power Up information campaign.

This included a central content hub where learners could access information about assessment arrangements, revision guides, online revision sessions, wellbeing support, and more.

Leading up to summer 2024 qualification results, we:

  • published a dedicated summer 2024 results webpage — which we updated throughout the results period

  • held a media briefing to provide additional context for journalists and support their results day reporting

  • produced media releases that were issued to journalists on the morning of results days

  • signposted where learners and parents and carers could find additional support on our social media channels

  • developed videos congratulating learners on their results, with a personal message from our Chief Executive and Chair

We promoted our learner guide to exams and assessments throughout the  academic year, with over 400 downloads of this resource.

On GCSE and AS and A level results days, we published:

These publications provided a detailed view of national results, explained our work throughout the year to oversee all aspects of the qualifications system, and indicated future considerations and areas of focus.

To ensure stakeholders had access to the necessary information, we shared both the reports and related infographics directly with centres and other key stakeholders with links to the reports, and shared infographics and the reports themselves. 

These were also heavily promoted on our social media channels and via our regular stakeholder engagement meetings and centre visits.

In our results days messaging, we emphasised that receiving results is an important milestone for learners, that will  equip them for their next steps. We also emphasised that, regardless of whether learners achieved their desired results, there are always next steps to take.

This positive messaging was crucial in empowering all learners to continue progressing in their educational or career journeys and to feel confident about their futures.

 

Supporting exams and assessments

“This is my third year as an exams officer and I know I wouldn’t feel as confident or well informed if it wasn’t for the resources, meetings and advice provided by colleagues at Qualifications Wales. The online sessions in particular have been invaluable and as being an exams officer can be quite a lonely role.

It is so helpful to be able to use these engagement sessions to refresh and reinforce everything that needs to be done during the academic year and to be able to give and receive advice from other exams staff in the area. The resources on the Qualifications Wales website are very useful and have helped with so much, from training invigilators, to setting up a timetable of events to use as a tool to remember all the stages of the exams cycle.

I am very grateful for the service and will continue to use it for as long as I am in the role.” 

Carole Burrows, St Richard Gwyn High School, Barry

Recognition and compliance

This year we received three full applications from organisations wanting to become a recognised awarding body. Following assessment against our recognition criteria, both Focus Awards and RLSS UK Qualifications are now recognised awarding bodies in Wales. The other application is currently under review.

We have also received two preliminary applications from organisations wishing to become recognised. One application was withdrawn and has yet to be resubmitted. The second preliminary application was returned to the applicant requesting additional documentation.

Our regulatory work is focused on the compliance and ongoing viability of awarding bodies that offer qualifications to learners in Wales. This helps to make sure that awarding bodies award valid qualifications that support learners to progress in their learning journey, through life and into work.

Each year recognised awarding bodies provide us with an annual self-assessment of their compliance with our standard conditions of recognition.

In order to reduce the regulatory burden on awarding bodies, the 2023 statement of compliance was run as a joint exercise in collaboration with Ofqual and CCEA Regulation, our counterparts in England and Northern Ireland.

There were three key lines of enquiry:

  • organisational stability

  • preventing and dealing with malpractice and maladministration

  • capability and capacity to develop and maintain qualifications

This year we received 90 statements of compliance. One awarding body surrendered their recognition during the process and 14 others declared current or future non-compliance.

Two awarding bodies made non-compliance declarations specifically applicable to Wales only. One was related to awarding activity in Wales and the other to compliance with our updated requirements for awarding bodies to publish a Welsh-medium qualifications policy statement.

There were three awarding bodies that surrendered their recognised status during the year - Chartered Institute of Building, Institute of Accountants and Bookkeepers and IQL UK Limited.

We have continued to monitor the financial viability of awarding bodies to seek assurances about their sustainability and that learners will not be disadvantaged.

Number of recognised Awarding Bodies

Monitoring

Our monitoring of this year’s GCSE, AS and A levels, the Skills Challenge Certificate qualifications and the new Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales began in 2022, when we monitored a small sample of WJEC’s exam paper production processes.

We focused our summer monitoring on the standardisation processes, in subjects with large entries, or in newer subjects, such as digital technology.

We ran a survey on our Have Your Say engagement platform to gather feedback from learners and teachers and lecturers during the summer exams series. Overall engagement increased by around 25% on last year, however there were no major issues or problems highlighted to cause this increase.

We monitored WJEC’s summer GCSE, AS and A level awarding meetings. Our monitoring of vocational qualifications saw a full return to pre-pandemic assessment arrangements, with the limited number of adaptations that remained in place for 2022-23 being removed.

We have continued to closely monitor the suites of new vocational qualifications in health and social care, and childcare, alongside construction and building services. Our monitoring was focused on any new units, or those that had significant changes in approach, and qualifications that were made available for first teaching from 2022 onwards. We did not identify any significant concerns with the processes in place to support the effective assessment and award of these qualifications.

We have worked collaboratively with our English and Northern Irish counterparts to minimise the regulatory burden on awarding bodies. We met with Ofqual and CCEA Regulation fortnightly throughout the year to discuss and agree policy approaches, and to share risks and issues that may have affected vocational qualifications taken in the three nations.

Incidents

Awarding bodies must notify us of any incidents that may lead to adverse effects  for learners, or which threaten the integrity of regulated qualifications.

We monitored issues that may arise in any assessment series, such as errors in assessment materials and potential breaches of security in relation to assessment material.

This year we received a lower number of incidents than in the previous academic year. However, this year’s number was higher than in any year prior to 2022-23. Most incidents either related to minor issues or resulted in no significant impact to learners. Often incidents related to issues that occurred outside of Wales but could have had an impact on Welsh learners.

Where the impact of the incident resulted in learners experiencing an adverse effect, we monitored the awarding body to ensure that they took appropriate action to minimise the impact and protect the interests of learners.

Incidents

Complaints

We require awarding bodies to have effective complaints handling procedures to provide learners and centres with opportunities to raise their concerns.

If these concerns are not resolved, we may consider the concerns as the regulator.

This year we received 12 new complaints. Of these, we determined that only one was within the scope of our complaints about awarding bodies policy. The complaint was not upheld, as no evidence was found to support the complainant’s allegations.

The other 11 cases were either outside of our remit to investigate or had not yet been considered through the awarding body’s complaints process as required by our policy.

The accepted complaint we dealt with this year was not brought to our attention as a whistleblower disclosure.

Regulatory policy

Our regulatory policies outline how we carry out our regulatory roles and activities in accordance with our legislative powers.

Welsh-medium qualifications

In September 2023, we updated our standard conditions of recognition to include a new condition relating to Welsh[1]medium qualifications. Condition D9 requires all awarding bodies to publish a Welsh-medium qualifications policy statement and, for those awarding bodies with qualifications available in Welsh, to ensure that they promote their availability and facilitate access to them.

Awarding bodies were granted a 12-month period to become compliant with this new condition. A desktop review has confirmed that policy statements are being published and, in most cases, awarding bodies are providing clarity to centres and qualifications users on the availability of Welsh-medium qualifications. From September 2024, all regulated awarding bodies will be required to declare their compliance with Condition D9 in their annual statement of compliance submissions.

Designating qualifications for 14 to 16-year-olds

We continue to develop regulatory policy to support the successful implementation of the National Qualifications offer. Between February and May 2024, we ran a consultation on our proposed approach to designating qualifications for 14 to 16-year-olds on Have your Say. To secure an inclusive and bilingual range of qualifications, we want to exercise greater control over what qualifications are available to 14 to 16-year-olds. To help us achieve this we proposed that, from September 2027, the full new approved National Qualifications offer will be available and will replace the majority of other publicly funded pre-16 qualifications currently available.

Our policy intent is that we will only designate qualifications that meet all three of our guiding principles and do not undermine the National Qualifications. Where a qualification does not meet our guiding principles, and to reduce the risk of removing any qualifications that cater to the needs of a small minority of learners (for example, GCSEs in international languages where there is no approved National Qualification available), we will allow awarding bodies to apply for an exemption to our guiding principles on the basis that it is able to meet at least one of five possible criteria.

Meeting our policy intent will mean that we will only designate 14-16 qualifications in limited exceptional circumstances.

Our consultation sought views on the proposed exemption criteria and the matters and evidence we should consider when deciding whether to allow an exemption. We considered comments provided by respondents and assessed the impacts of our proposals on groups of stakeholders. You can read our decisions here.

Revised regulatory framework

During the year, we continued the review of our regulatory framework and approach and considered how it could better reflect our regulatory activity as well as provide our stakeholders with a more interactive and streamlined way to access our rules and regulatory requirements.

The process of reviewing and revising our regulatory framework is now reaching its conclusion, and work is underway to prepare for publication in early 2025.

We will run a series of stakeholder engagement events to enable stakeholders to familiarise themselves with the new framework document.

Policy and legislation

As a responsible regulator we have continued to influence policy and legislation. We contributed and provided responses to the following consultations and inquiries:

  • Welsh Government — the structure of the school year consultation

  • Welsh Government — health impact assessment regulations consultation

  • Welsh Government — modification of the specification of apprenticeship standards for Wales consultation

  • UCAS — assigning tariff points to apprenticeships engagement exercise

  • Senedd Cymru Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport and International Relations Committee — development of post-16 Welsh language provision inquiry

Through our regulatory policies that support qualification reform and updating our regulatory framework and approach, we are supporting regulated awarding bodies to develop sustainable qualifications. We work in collaboration with key stakeholders and align with relevant public policy and legislation to ensure the policies that we implement do not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Research and statistics

Our decisions are informed by evidence and data. Our research and statistics team produce much of this information and commission additional independent research.

We share information on qualifications in Wales with anyone interested in how the system works and how it’s performing, including:

  • policymakers
  • legislators
  • education and qualifications professionals
  • learners
  • parents and carers
  • media 

We are supported by our research advisory group of educational assessment experts, who act as a critical friend and share their knowledge and expertise.

Research publications

Across the year we published a number of research papers and reports. This included research carried out by us as well as studies commissioned from others.

Adaptations to GCSE and AS level assessments in summer 2022

This report captured the opinions of a sample of teachers on the adaptations that were made to GCSE and A level assessments for summer 2022 exams. These adaptations formed part of the approach to transitioning back to normal arrangements following the pandemic and were made with the aim of supporting learners by making the assessments more accessible.

Inclusivity in international assessment systems

This international comparison study looked at how inclusion is conceptualised and operationalised in assessment systems across the world and focused in on three jurisdictions to provide more detail. It was clear that inclusion is a complex, multi-faceted concept that is dynamic and evolving. Different assessment models or qualification structures are a common response to diversity in the population to achieve inclusion.

Standards in GCSEs in Wales: approaches to defining standards | Qualifications Wales

This research, from the Centre for Educational Assessment at the University of Oxford, was commissioned to help us describe and explain how GCSE grading standards work in current GCSEs in Wales. It provides a source of information to help us think about the challenges of transitioning standards in the new GCSEs being developed to support the Curriculum for Wales.

The researchers looked at how standards work in GCSEs in Wales and compared it to definitions in the international literature on standards.

Stakeholder public confidence research: Equality, equity, and inclusion

We commissioned this research as part of our ongoing commitment to engage with stakeholders on issues relating to public confidence in qualifications and the qualifications system. This report explores a specific topic — equality, equity, and inclusion — that will remain relevant to qualifications in the future. 

The main objectives for this work were to explore stakeholder views on equality, equity and inclusion when applied to the qualifications system.

Public confidence survey

Our latest public opinion survey, questioning 1000 Welsh adults, shows public confidence in and awareness of qualifications in Wales remains consistently high. This report provides results for the 2023 survey, following earlier surveys undertaken since 2017. Three quarters agreed that A levels and GCSEs were trusted qualifications and were good preparation for further study.

Statistical publications

Every year we publish a suite of statistics using data collected from awarding  bodies and Welsh Government. We continued to adapt our statistics  publications to take account of the transition back to normal grading arrangements.

In our release describing provisional entries for GCSEs and A levels in the summer 24 series, we introduced statistics that show, at subject level and overall, how many entries are made in English and Welsh-medium settings. All of our recent research reports and statistical releases can be read on our website.

Following the summer results, we published a more detailed equalities analysis of GCSE, AS and A level outcomes. This gave further insight on differences in this year’s qualification results by learner characteristics. 

Read the next section of the report

Reforming qualifications