Tomorrow morning between 8.00 and 8.30 will see Taunton School A-Level and BTEC students receive their long-awaited results via email. As for other schools, and in light of the cancellation of public exams this summer, our 2020 results are unique. Under direction from the regulator Ofqual, exam boards have awarded results based on centre-assessed grades and rank orders which were subjected to statistical analysis based on historical performance.
Regardless of what happens tomorrow, this is an advance message to say well done to all our students on your fine achievements in such challenging circumstances. As with any year’s results, some students will do better than expected, while others will be disappointed. Options for individuals to appeal against their results will be limited, but A-Level and BTEC students of all stripes can take succour from the fact that they finished their GCE courses remotely before summer half term, opted into university preparation courses in June, and are therefore fully prepared for their next step in life, whether it takes them on to higher education, employment, an apprenticeship or a GAP year.
Year 13 also deserve thanks for their contribution as role models during remote learning. Through their engagement with lessons, tutorials and the co-curricular side of school, these older students were an inspiration for younger years who showed an impressive rate of progress throughout the summer term. In hindsight it was an amazing job all round by our peer leaders and mentors – thank you and well done.
Thank you also to the fantastic TS teaching staff who showed supreme professionalism and diligence to arrive at the most accurate CAGs and rankings they could, in line with Ofqual guidelines and based on the evidence provided by students across their two-year sixth form course. Our gratitude goes next to Heads of Department, who led lengthy moderation meetings in June to ensure fairness and consistency. The final process was at school level whereby senior leaders assessed the data in the round to see that it was solid and fair, and that no student was disadvantaged by the methodology. We are very confident that the TS teams carried out these tasks correctly as required. Last but not least, the positive input of parents and guardians needs to be acknowledged – having children sitting public exams is a heart-jarring experience in any year and the support given to students and the school this summer was superb. Thank you, parents and guardians.
Details of results issue have been sent out by email and there will be lots of support available both tomorrow and for the rest of August to advise our leavers on their onward journey. We are proud of you all!
Damian Henderson,
Deputy Academic Head
