A-level Results Day 2021 is here, which means students will soon find out their grades.
Exams have been cancelled for a second time in a row due to the coronavirus pandemic, and this year exams regulator Ofqual won't use a grades standardisation algorithm to modify the results.
The grades will also be teacher assessed, which means teachers have assessed the standard at which the student is performing in the absence of the usual exams.
Exam boards will still be making sure schools are following the correct profess, and can ask for grades to be resubmitted.
But if you think there has been a mistake with your grade you can appeal to the exam board.
How to appeal your A-level results
According to The Department for Education, every student has the right to appeal their grade.
It said: "Before a grade is submitted, teachers should make students aware of the evidence they are using to assess them. Students will then have the opportunity to confirm the evidence is their own work and make their teachers aware of any mitigating circumstances they believe should be taken into account.
"If a student wishes to appeal, centres should undertake an initial process review to check all processes were followed correctly and no errors were made. If the school or college finds an error, they can submit a revised grade to the exam board."
The Department for Education continued: "If the student still wants to appeal, they will ask their school or college to submit a formal appeal to the exam board for them.
"The exam board will check the centre followed its own processes and exam board requirements as well as reviewing the evidence used to form their judgement and providing a view as to whether the grade awarded was a reasonable exercise of academic judgement.
"If the exam board finds the grade is not reasonable, they will determine the alternative grade and inform the centre."
If you believe an error has been made in calculating your grades, an appeal can be made to the exam board.
You should first speak to someone at your school or college – this could be a teacher, personal tutor or principal.
The first thing they will do is make sure all of the processes were followed correctly, and that no errors were made.
If your school finds an error they can submit a revised grade to the exam board.
However, they won't be able to assess whether your teacher's judgement of your grade was correct.
If, after this, you still want to appeal your grade, the exam board will check that your school or college followed its own process and exam board requirements.
If they decide your grade was unreasonable they will determine an alternative grade and inform your school.
However, you should be aware that this could result in your grade going up – or down.
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If, after both these processes, you still disagree will the decision, you can apply to have your case referred to Ofqual’s Exams Procedure Review Service (EPRS).
The EPRS will investigate to see whether the exam board has made a procedural error, but if they haven't the decision will still stand.
Each school or college will set their own deadlines by which students must ask them to review a grade.
In England, the deadline to send an appeal to the exam board is September 17.
There is also an earlier deadline of August 23 for priority appeals.
