Last week’s announcement by the Education Minister about the way GCSE and A Level assessments will be graded for this year probably doesn’t look a lot different from those used in 2020. Grades will again be determined by lecturers and based on their assessment of students’ work – although this year it will be called Centre Determined Grades.

Centre Determined Grades
The general principles and guidance of how these Centre Determined Grades will work (assessment framework) is now under development by Qualifications Wales and the WJEC.

The Education Minister in Wales has recently (Wednesday 20 January) made an announcement about the grading of GCSEs, AS and A Level qualifications in 2021.

The announcement on Friday by the First Minister that colleges and schools will continue with online learning for at least the next three weeks (until 29 January and possibly longer if the number of positive cases do not reduce) was disappointing. But it is unquestionably the right approach to take at the current time in helping to reduce the numbers of transmissions across our communities.

But of course this announcement hasn’t come as any surprise and, as a College, we have been preparing for this very situation throughout the first term.

Welsh Government has recently agreed that all schools, colleges and independent schools will continue with remote learning until at least 29 January, when the situation will be reviewed.

Following a recent change to Welsh Government guidance, it will now be mandatory for all staff, students and visitors to wear a face covering outside as well as inside when on campus grounds. 

If you wear a face shield, please be reminded that a face covering must be worn in addition. 

The only instances where face coverings will not have to be worn are:

As the firebreak lockdown comes to a close, here is some important information for when you return to College next week.

From Monday 9 November

We will now resume our face to face method of teaching for all our full time students.

If you are a part time student or an apprentice, your course will resume in the same way as it did before the firebreak lockdown.

Following yesterday’s Welsh Government announcement of a firebreak lockdown across Wales, the College will close to all but essential staff at 6pm on Friday 23 October for half term.

From Monday 2 to Friday 6 November, the campuses will remain closed, but all teaching will be delivered online.