UCAS Grades for Upper Sixth students are made by Heads of Department following the internal examinations and after taking advice from relevant teaching staff.
These grades are largely based on performance in the internal examinations but also take into account the standard of a student's work over the course of the year. They are designed to be supportive of a student's HE aspirations whilst also being an honest indication of the likely outcome in the Upper Sixth. These grades are assuming another year’s maturity in terms of student development, that students will work very hard throughout their Upper Sixth year, that the A Level questions they are faced with will be favourable and that the students have a 'good' examination performance on the day. They are therefore a positive reflection of the student's best outcome at A Level. These grades are the professional judgements of the teachers concerned and are carefully and fully considered.
Please note, these UCAS grades are not open to negotiation.
Please remember that, where split grades have been awarded, it is always the higher of the two grades that is forwarded to UCAS and the student's selected universities. Although it is worth noting that where split grades exist, teaching staff obviously have doubts over whether the student will achieve this grade in the A level examination.
For students who are disappointed with the UCAS grades they have been awarded, there is always the PQA option, where students take a gap year and only submit an application to university once they already know their A Level results. This is often the most appropriate route for those students with a low set of UCAS grades.
September 2022