Colleges in England are calling for a review of an “exceptional and unfair” increase in the grade boundary for the English language GCSE exam designed for resit students.
They argue that the 11-mark rise in the passing threshold this summer will force more students to retake the exam, adding financial strain on colleges. In a letter to exam board Pearson, 30 college leaders requested a reduction in the grade boundary for the GCSE English Language 2.0 exam.
Pearson has expressed confidence in the grades issued, but the colleges claim to represent nearly 48,000 students adversely affected by the unexpected and late change in grade boundaries this year.
The grading for GCSEs in England was anticipated to be similar to 2023 levels, with only minor adjustments expected. The 11-mark increase has left many students a full grade lower than if they had taken the exam in 2023.
The college leaders warned that this year’s grading approach could lead to more students needing to resit their GCSE English, potentially resulting in university rejections, students abandoning further education, and significant financial pressure on colleges.
The letter highlights that only 20.7% of students achieved a grade 4 or above in the GCSE English Language 2.0 exam this summer, down from 37.4% last summer.
They are urging Pearson to review and lower the grade boundary increase, offer free re-marks and resits, and refund exam entry fees for those affected.
Pearson stated that grade boundaries can sometimes “vary more than anticipated” due to changes in exam design or detailed reviews of subject quality. The organization emphasized that it has conducted thorough work to ensure the standards for GCSE English 2.0 align with national standards and expressed confidence in the grades issued. Pearson also assured that it will continue to offer full support to schools and colleges.
Ofqual, England’s exams regulator, emphasized the importance of fair grades that reflect consistent standards. It acknowledged the concerns raised by the colleges and is closely monitoring Pearson’s actions.
In England, students need GCSEs in maths and English at grade 4 or above to qualify for further study, though they can resit these exams alongside new subject choices. Colleges have already faced challenges expanding class sizes and hiring exam halls to accommodate the growing number of resit students due to population increases and changes in grading standards last year.
This year, colleges anticipate even more resit students, with data indicating:
- 182,000 16-year-olds will need to resit English language.
- 176,000 will need to resit maths.
Colin Booth, CEO of Luminate Education Group, criticized the grade boundary increase for the GCSE English Language 2.0 exam, stating it undermines the resit policy. He noted that students worked hard and improved their marks significantly, yet still received a grade 3, and now must retake the exam in November.