Grading Resources, Apprenticeship Framework Updates

Guidance

Latest updates from Ofqual

Recent news and key messages from Ofqual on regulated qualifications, examinations and assessments.

From: Ofqual Published 8 July 2021 Last updated 1 April 2026
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Applies to England

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Understanding grading: classroom and assembly resources

We have created classroom and assembly resources to help teachers, headteachers and their senior leadership teams explain GCSE and A level marking and grading to their students.

Regulatory framework for Apprenticeship Assessment - Conditions, requirements and guidance

Following consultation, Ofqual has decided to implement the regulatory framework for Apprenticeship Assessment largely as proposed. You can find out more information about the outcome of the consultation and access the Apprenticeship Assessment Qualification Level Guidance and Apprenticeship Assessment Qualification Level Conditions​ and requirements.

Proposed changes to the assessment of mathematics, physics and combined science GCSEs

We have held a consultation on proposed adaptations to the assessment of GCSEs in mathematics, physics and combined science for students in England taking exams from 2028, for the lifetime of the current GCSE specifications.

We’ll be publishing an analysis of the responses and announcing our decisions shortly.

Ofqual student guide to exams and assessments in 2026

Ofqual’s student guide provides information about arrangements for qualifications and assessments in 2026. It explains what students need to know before, during and after exams and assessments.

Ofqual guide for schools and colleges 2026

This guide explains what schools, colleges and other exam or assessment centres can expect from awarding organisations regulated by Ofqual and the arrangements for qualifications in 2026. It covers qualifications typically taken in an academic year, in schools or colleges, and reported in the Department for Education’s performance tables, including GCSEs, AS and A levels, Technical Qualifications within a T Level and vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs).

VTQ information hub 2025 to 2026: key dates and deadlines

You can find information for Level 3, Level 1/2 and Level 2 vocational and technical qualifications used for progression and taken alongside or in place of A-levels and GCSEs on the VTQ information hub.

When are this year’s exams and assessments?

GCSE, AS and A level exam dates

GCSE, AS and A level exams will be held between 7 May and 23 June 2026. Students must be available for the whole of the exam period. Key dates for the 2026 summer exam series of GCSEs, AS and A levels are available on the Joint Council for Qualifications website.

The exam timetable contains a contingency day on 24 June 2026. Students must be available at this time. This session would be used in the unlikely event that an exam had to be moved nationally because it could not take place when planned. This session cannot be used to reschedule an exam that has been missed.

VTQ exams and assessments

Assessment dates for vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs) and T Levels vary depending on the qualification, with assessments throughout the year. Dates will be available on awarding organisations’ websites. Your school or college will tell you when your exams or assessments are scheduled.

When is results day?

You will receive A level, AS and T Level results on Thursday 13 August 2026.

If you are studying a Level 3 VTQ and are planning to use your results to progress to higher education, you will receive your results on or before Thursday 13 August 2026.

You will receive GCSE results on Thursday 20 August 2026.

If you are studying a Level 2 or Level 1/2 VTQ and are planning to use your results to progress to further education, you will receive your results on or before Thursday 20 August 2026.

Some VTQs are taken on-demand and results for these will be available at different times throughout the year. You can find the date you will receive your qualification results on the website of the relevant awarding organisation, or you can ask your school or college.

Ofqual delivery report 2025

Our 2025 delivery report covers general, vocational and technical, and apprenticeship end-point assessments regulated by Ofqual.

Qualification results in England: summer 2025

Our statistical release detailing results issued in summer 2025 includes data for GCSEs, AS and A levels, vocational and technical qualifications included in performance tables (applied generals, tech levels, technical awards and technical certificates), and the technical qualification (TQ) components of T Level qualifications.

Understanding grading: toolkit for schools and colleges

Our Understanding grading toolkit is designed to explain how qualifications are graded. It has been produced with headteachers and teachers in mind but will help anyone with an interest in finding out more.

The toolkit answers some common questions about such topics as:

• how exam papers are marked
• how grade boundaries are set
• how the quality of a student’s work in their exams determines the grade they get

Replacement certificates

Ofqual does not hold copies of your certificates – we can’t tell you your grade or provide replacements. Certificates are held by the exam board you sat your qualification with. If you don’t know which exam board you took your qualification with, ask your school. If your school don’t know you will need to ask each exam board to do a search for you – they will charge you for this.

Contact your exam board to get a replacement certificate. If your exam board no longer exists, your certificates will have moved to an existing board. Find out who now holds your certificates.

Contact your exam board

• AQA
• Pearson
• OCR
• WJEC Eduqas Ofqual’s find a regulated awarding organisation service contains information and website links for all regulated awarding organisations.

Updates to this page

Published 8 July 2021 Last updated 1 April 2026 show all updates
1.
1 April 2026

Added information about the following publications: Understanding grading: classroom and assembly resources and Regulatory framework for Apprenticeship Assessment - Conditions, requirements and guidance.
2.
2 March 2026

Added the consultation 'Proposed changes to the assessment of mathematics, physics and combined science GCSEs' to the page.
3.
15 January 2026

Information added about the Ofqual student guide to exams and assessments in 2026, Ofqual guide for schools and colleges 2026, our research into the use of AI in marking, and exam, assessment and results dates for 2026. Some older content removed.
4.
11 December 2025

Added information about on-screen assessment publications and the 2025 delivery report.
5.
13 November 2025

Added information about the VTQ information hub and rules for GCSE qualifications in British Sign Language.
6.
21 August 2025

Updated the page to include links to publications related to GCSE and level 1 and 2 results day.
7.
14 August 2025

Added links to the statistical release, infographics, press release and blog post published by Ofqual today,
8.
9 July 2025

Title of the page has been updated. Details explaining grading and a consultation on the regulatory framework for apprenticeship assessment have been added.
9.
7 April 2025

Added information about the publication 'Understanding grading: toolkit for schools and colleges'.
10.
21 January 2025

Added details of VTQ Information Hub 2024 to 2025
11.
20 November 2024

Added information about, and links to, the Ofqual Student Guide to Exams and Assessments in 2025 and the Ofqual guide for schools and colleges 2025. Also added details about exam, assessment and results scheduled for 2025.
12.
13 November 2024

Updated to reflect the outcome of the consultation on provision of formulae and equation sheets for GCSE mathematics, physics and combined science exams in 2025, 2026 and 2027, and to remove references to the guides to the 2024 exam series.
13.
8 October 2024

Added the proposed changes to the assessment of mathematics, physics and combined science GCSEs in 2025, 2026 and 2027 to the rolling update.
14.
22 August 2024

Added information about GCSE results 2024, and Level 1, Level 1/2 and Level 2 qualification results for vocational and technical qualifications 2024.
15.
15 August 2024

Added information about A level results 2024 and Level 3 vocational and technical qualifications 2024.
16.
7 August 2024

Added GCSE 9–1 grades to uni places: What you need to know about 2024 exam results and Grading continues as normal this summer in England. Removed links to older articles.
17.
10 July 2024

Updated with details of the removal of the technical qualification accreditation requirement.
18.
9 May 2024

Added links to an Ofqual blog about the start of the summer 2024 exam series and a reminder about the risks of malpractice. Removed links to articles abouts summer 2023 results.
19.
19 April 2024

Added a link to a letter from the chief regulator to schools and colleges about the summer 2024 assessment series.
20.
25 January 2024

Added details of Ofqual's VTQ information hub 2023 to 2024: key dates and deadlines
21.
27 November 2023

Information has been added about the 2024 guides for students and for schools and colleges.
22.
12 October 2023

Section added pointing users to new information about arrangements for vocational and technical qualification results delivery from 2024 onwards.
23.
24 August 2023

Updated to remove information predating summer 2023 results.
24.
24 August 2023

New section highlighting publication of guides and infographics about summer 2023 GCSE and Level 1, Level 1/2 and Level 2 VTQ results.
25.
17 August 2023

Information added about summer 2023 Level 3 results day.
26.
5 April 2023

Updated to provide information on joint communications principles published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) and Federation of Awarding Bodies (FAB). Removed section on review of Level 2 and Level 3 results delays, as this has been superseded by another update.
27.
29 March 2023

Section added describing the new VTQ information hub for use by schools and colleges.
28.
16 March 2023

Update added drawing attention to the publication of Ofqual's statement announcing new deadlines and other measures intended to ensure that awarding organisations issue complete and correct level 3 vocational and technical qualifications (VTQ) results to students in summer 2023.
29.
16 January 2023

Updated to include guidance on industrial action
30.
8 December 2022

Updated to include outcomes of consultations regarding MFL, formulae and equation sheets and resilience.
31.
10 October 2022

Added information on 2023 grading and exam arrangements and updated information on 2022 Level 2 and Level 3 results. Removed information no longer immediately relevant to the rolling update including signposting to appeals information, guidance on producing accessible assessments.
32.
21 September 2022

Information about the 2022 summer exam series has been removed as it is no longer relevant. Details about assessment arrangements for GCSE, A level and AS levels in 2023 have been added to the "Subject content and assessment arrangements: 2022 to 2023" section.
33.
26 August 2022

Updated information regarding Level 3 BTEC and Cambridge Technicals results and Level 1/2 and Level 2 vocational and technical qualification results.
34.
24 August 2022

Updated information regarding Level 1/2 and Level 2 vocational and technical qualification results & BTEC and Cambridge Technicals results.
35.
22 August 2022

An updated statement on delayed BTEC and Cambridge Technicals results.
36.
19 August 2022

Details regarding the delayed BTEC and Cambridge Technical results have been added, along with contact details for the relevant awarding organisations.
37.
8 August 2022

Added information abour A level and GCSE results weeks in 2022.
38.
1 July 2022

Removal of content related to exams and contingency arrangements, now that the 2022 exam summer series has been completed.
39.
25 May 2022

Added update: "Checking exam papers"
40.
18 May 2022

Added an advice note for students on fake exam papers offered on social media.
41.
12 May 2022

Added information on plans for subject content and assessment arrangements next academic year, and on new guidance for awarding organisations on making their assessments accessible.
42.
25 March 2022

Updated with additional information for teachers on collecting evidence for use in contingency arrangements.
43.
15 March 2022

Added in links to this year's student guide to exams and assessments.
44.
28 February 2022

Taking out information regarding the autumn series results days for GCSEs and A levels, which have now passed.
45.
7 February 2022

Added information about the support measures available to students taking GCSEs, AS and A levels this year.
46.
3 February 2022

Added information on special consideration for Applied Generals, Tech Awards, Tech Certs and Tech Levels in England.
47.
19 January 2022

Update to the private candidate section which states that the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) has published a list of schools, colleges and other exam centres that will accept private candidate entries for GCSEs, AS and A levels in summer 2022.
48.
20 December 2021

Updated reference to autumn GCSE exams, which have finished.
49.
17 December 2021

Added information about January assessments for vocational and technical qualifications.
50.
16 December 2021

Updated to include a link through to our guidance for schools, colleges and training providers on awarding vocational and technical qualifications in the academic year 2021 to 2022.
51.
3 December 2021

Updated to include information on contingency measures should exams and assessments not go ahead in 2022.
52.
18 September 2021

Removing guidance on submitting appeals for GCSEs and A levels as the appeal deadline has passed.
53.
13 August 2021

Removed the table advising the dates of results days.
54.
11 August 2021

Added note about legal advice being unnecessary when appealing qualification results.
55.
9 August 2021

Added links to additional guides about appealing GCSE, AS and A level results and added information about consultations on arrangements for qualifications awarded in 2022.
56.
20 July 2021

Added details of 2 consultations for how exams should take place for the next academic year (2021 to 2022).
57.
8 July 2021

First published.

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