This Ofqual report looks at the use of centre assessed grades (CAGs) last year. It led to large rises in grades, with two-thirds of students having at least one of their A-level results upgraded. The regulator’s report look at the source data and which students were impacted.
Ofqual found last year’s GCSE and A-level CAGs were on average about half a grade higher than those in previous years. But reassuringly the majority of relationships between grades and other features studied – such as subject and school – had not “substantially changed”, the report stated.
So although teacher grades were higher than previous years, they mostly “did not introduce any substantial bias or different patterns of grading”.
However, at A-level, there was one statistically significant difference in the narrowing of the gap between male and female candidates.
Ofqual said the strongest predictor of grade outcomes by far was a student’s prior attainment, with this relationship slightly stronger in 2020 compared to previous years.