June 2022: What happens if a student is unable to sit a Cambridge National or Cambridge Technical exam?

What happens if a student is unable to sit a Cambridge National or Cambridge Technical exam in the June 2022 series?

• If a student completing their course in summer 2022 misses an exam in the June 2022 series due to self-isolation or illness such as Covid, injury or family bereavement at the time of the assessment, they may be eligible for a ‘special consideration absence' and receive an assessed grade for the unit.
• If a student who is completing their Cambridge Nationals or Cambridge Technicals course next academic year misses an exam in the June 2022 series for the same reasons as above, as we said in January 2022, standard JCQ regulations for students not completing the qualification will apply. They will have a choice of taking the exam in January 2023 or June 2023.

How do we calculate a grade if a student misses a Cambridge Nationals or Cambridge Technicals exam?

For students eligible for a special consideration absence, we will produce an assessed grade. Assessed grades allow us to estimate how a candidate would have performed on a missing unit by looking at their performance on other units they have completed. 

In summer 2022, we will be using a method known as the proportional method that calculates an average grade based on the other grades a candidate has achieved. We will estimate an examined unit grade based on other examined units where possible. This method allows us to simply and quickly produce an assessed grade for missing unit using grades. For more details on the proportional method, please see our article on assessed grades. 

How do we apply for a special consideration absence?

To apply for a special consideration absence, you can do this by using the special consideration online portal, which is accessed via Interchange.

Please contact us if you have any concerns or complex cases that you need more detailed guidance on.

Can we apply for a special consideration absence for centre assessed (moderated) units?

A special consideration absence cannot be applied to centre assessed units. The standard special consideration arrangements are still in place for centre assessed units to extend the mark submission date if a student is ill and unable to complete the work in time for marking by the teacher. 

If the student now needs to complete their moderated assessments next year, we want to remind you that all unit level adaptations , including completing work at home, will be removed at the end of this academic year. Reduction in assessment will also be removed at the end of this academic year.

Does an absence count as one of the permitted attempts at an examined unit?

An absence does not count as one of the permitted attempts for Cambridge Nationals or Cambridge Technicals examined units.