Schools advised not to predict boundary mark following new style of exams

An Ofqual blog has warned schools to be cautious of GCSE grade predictions to avoid disappointment.

The blog from the exams watchdog, which is published on its website, states that schools should steer clear of predicting GCSE boundary marks following a change-up with exam papers.

The blog, which was written by Cath Jadhav, the associate director of standards and comparability at Ofqual, has stated that because of changes to maths and English exam papers it’s “almost impossible to predict precisely how much easier or more difficult students will find a paper compared to previous years”.

As a result of this, Jadhav has urged schools “to not rely on any predictions of grade boundary marks for new GCSEs next summer”.

She continued: “If the boundaries in the summer turn out to be different, which is quite likely for all the reasons set out above, you and you students might be disappointed."

Exam boards will wait until the exam has been taken by pupils and will then compare their performance with previous tests before setting the grade boundaries.

The blog also states that statistics will play a “key role in making sure this year’s students are not disadvantaged by being the first to sit these new GCSEs”.