Glengormley High to discuss results with CCEA

Glengormley High School Year 14 pupils enjoyed the fruit of their hard labour when they arrived to collect their GCE results this morning.
Freya Lewis.Freya Lewis.
Freya Lewis.

The Covid-19 experience did not dampen their socially distant results collection.

Commenting on the results, Principal Ricky Massey said: “Once again, our students have performed so well and are deserving of the fantastic quality of grades awarded.

“Our tracking process in January and March indicated that the percentage of pupils who achieved three A*-C grades at A Level would double this year - this is exactly what has happened.

Sarah Martin.Sarah Martin.
Sarah Martin.

“Despite this huge success, we are concerned for a small number of pupils who have been awarded grades which fall short of our assessments and indeed their AS grades - of course we will investigate this further with CCEA.

“Congratulations to our class of 2020 and best wishes for the journey ahead.”

Meanwhile, Education Minister Peter Weir has congratulated A level and AS level students across Northern Ireland who received results today and acknowledged the exceptional circumstances in which they have been awarded.

At A level 86.4 per cent of entries were awarded the highest grades of A*-C, a 1.6 percentage point increase on 2019 outcomes. At AS level, 79.3 per cent were awarded grades A-C, a 2.2 percentage point increase on last year.

Rebecca Brown.Rebecca Brown.
Rebecca Brown.

Following the cancellation of exams in March, the Department of Education said it commissioned CCEA to provide advice on a broad range of options that would ensure students were awarded grades that were fair and robust, and would allow them to progress to the next stage of their education or career.

Grades, the department added, have been awarded this year based on a combination of teacher professional judgement, prior pupil achievement and a statistical standardisation process. A level grades are entirely based on individual performance data without adjustments according to school attended.

Mr Weir said: “A range of experts and stakeholders, including representatives of head teachers, teaching unions, employing authorities and the Education and Training Inspectorate were consulted before decisions on the alternative awarding arrangements were finalised.

“CCEA and the Department also worked closely with counterparts in England and Wales to ensure comparability of qualifications.”

Kacey Butler.Kacey Butler.
Kacey Butler.

The Minister continued: “It was important that this year’s awards were comparable to those awarded in past years and recognised as equally valid to avoid any long-term detrimental impact on the future prospects of this cohort of young people.

“Full credit must go to teachers and school leaders who very quickly produced the professional judgements required and submitted these to CCEA within the very tight deadlines set.

“However, for those not happy with the outcome I would emphasise that the results today are provisional, and there is an appeals process available.”

Details of the appeals process can be found on the CCEA website.

Lauren Gilmore.Lauren Gilmore.
Lauren Gilmore.

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