GCSE's England 2021

[rylisal]

So I've just had an email from my Son's school confirming that the GCSE exams will now finish on 3rd July 2021...

We have been planning to fly out on 5th July for the past 18 months so that would work fine.😎

However, they've mentioned a "Contingency Date" is yet TBC for the following week! 😳

I can't recall my older Son even having Contingency day but I'm now thinking we might have to alter our plans?!

That's of course if anything happens at all with everything being so uncertain re travel! 🤷🏻

Anyone know more than me re this Contingency date?

[nth09]

A contingency date (which is normally the day after the official end of exams) has always existed. In that sense it’s nothing new it’s just much more likely that this day (or days) may need to be used in 2021. That’s almost certainly why school is making you aware of it.

[mrsdjh]

It’s a date scheduled in case theres a national or local emergency meaning an exam can’t be taken on the scheduled date or rearranged during the normal schedule. I’m not sure when it started but it was definitely part of this years exam timetable and was scheduled for June 24th 2020, and was in 2019s schedule. Looks like it’s usually a week after GSCEs normal schedule but who knows this year!

[Orlando 2004]

It was originally meant to be 29th June about a week after my daughters last exam. Now her last exam appears to be 2nd july so could be anytime the following week?
New provisional exam dates are on AQA and Edexcel but I'm not sure I saw mention of the contingency day.

[123]

Originally Posted by nth09

A contingency date (which is normally the day after the official end of exams) has always existed. In that sense it’s nothing new it’s just much more likely that this day (or days) may need to be used in 2021. That’s almost certainly why school is making you aware of it.

See more...

If it did exist prior to 2018 then it became more relevant in the year after Grenfell/Manchester.

When Grenfell/Arena happened there were GCSEs straight after and obviously some kids where involved or affected this meant they couldn't take exams.

Contingency days are there to allow for whole movements of exams in case of national disasters like these

Given the entire series has been moved back 3 weeks as contingency against the current issues I can see the day being used next year (it currently never has been on a national scale)

[123]

Originally Posted by Orlando 2004

It was originally meant to be 29th June about a week after my daughters last exam. Now her last exam appears to be 2nd july so could be anytime the following week?
New provisional exam dates are on AQA and Edexcel but I'm not sure I saw mention of the contingency day.

See more...

It is usually at least 3 days (calendar not school) after the exam boards last exam of that series.

So if GCSE Classics was the last exam in the exam boards calendar on say 4th July the contingency day would be approx 3 days after allowing for weekends

Regardless of your last exam it is the end date of the series that matters

[400ixl]

Contingency date has always existed (at least for a long time).

It is usually set for 1 week after the final exam.

There is probably more chance of it being needed next year than there has been for years.

I certainly would not be looking to go anywhere for at least 8 days after the last exam day (not the last exam for a student, but all exams).

[Kat11]

For reference my daughter did GCSEs last year. Last formal exam for all exams was Thursday 20th June 2019

The contingency date for all levels was Wednesday 26th June 2019.

Kat

[Jakey Neverland]

I think there will have to be some plans for kids who have to isolate too. Just the thought of getting a positive covid test during GCSE exams would be awful.

[rylisal]

Thanks for all your replies, I can't recall a Contingency date for my eldest's gcse dates but then his were 10 years ago now (there's 11 years between our boys!)

I guess we will just wait see what that date will be 🤷🏻