LVS Ascot principal warns new GCSE gradings will have more influence on students’ university hopes

August is a nerve-wracking month for Berkshire students with A level and GCSE results days looming. This year especially will be an anxious time for GCSE pupils with over 20 subjects using the 9–1 gradings instead of A*–G, and LVS Ascot Principal Christine Cunniffe is warning that they are set to play a bigger role than before in shaping students’ futures.

The head of independent, all-ability LVS Ascot, who has been an education voice of authority on ITV’s This Morning show a number of times, said: ‘The most contentious issue is the grade 4 and 5 C-grades. A grade 4 is a pass grade but it is more likely that for degree courses universities will be setting their entrance pass criteria at a grade 5.’

Christine also warned that changes to the A level system, whereby AS levels are now a standalone qualification and not progressive to A levels, mean that GCSE results will be under more scrutiny on UCAS application forms: ‘With the new linear A levels there are only terminal exams at the end of year two. Under the old system pupils could retake AS levels to count towards their final tally. Now when students submit their UCAS applications they don’t have AS grades from Year 12 to include, only their GCSE grades, so it is more important to get good GCSE grades now.’  She added: ‘It is very much a buyer’s market for university places, with more unconditional offers again this year, so good success at GCSE could reap great rewards later.’

With GCSE results day coming up on Thursday 23rd August, there will be a lot of uncertainty about what to expect amongst pupils, parents and teachers and Christine said: ‘Everyone is very much in the dark when it comes to this year’s results. We’ve been told that a grade 9 will be awarded very sparingly, much less frequently than A* grades, and indeed feedback from Year 11 pupils who sat GCSE exams this summer has shown that the upper-end questions in the exams were certainly very demanding.’

Christine is also urging sixth forms to be more flexible this year in response to the new GCSEs. Many students collecting GCSE results will be aiming to go on to sixth forms that have minimum entry requirements for their courses, for example a B under the old grading system at GCSE to study that same subject at A level, and Christine said: ‘There is a possibility that GCSE grades will be low this summer – we can’t predict the outcome – which could result in students missing out on the A level subjects they want. Schools may need to be sensitive to this and re-examine their A level entry requirements when the results come out.’