Regulation

November 2024 and January 2025 data exchange procedures

Published 25 November 2024

Applies to England

The following procedures outline the data that must be provided during the data exchange for GCSE and Project qualifications in relation to the assessment series held during November 2024 and January 2025.

The requirements in this document apply to GCSE qualifications in English language and mathematics and to Project Qualifications at Level 3.

This is a Regulatory Document under Condition B7 of the General Conditions of Recognition: Compliance with Regulatory Documents.

In addition –

1. a. in relation to GCSE qualifications, this document sets requirements under Condition GCSE3.1 and GCSE9.1 of the GCSE Qualification Level Conditions;

2. b. in relation to extended project qualifications, this document sets requirements under Condition Project3.1.

GCSE English language and mathematics

The aim of awarding GCSE English language and mathematics in the November 2024 series is to maintain the performance standard from summer 2024.

GCSE predictions

In respect of each GCSE qualification in English language and mathematics which it makes available in November 2024, each exam board must create its own cohort-specific prediction for 17-year-old matched learners, following the subject-specific requirements listed below.

GCSE English language

Each awarding organisation must create its own predictions for its specific cohort of 17-year-old matched learners. Predictions must be based on the national relationship between GCSE outcomes in English language for 17-year-old learners in November 2023 and mean GCSE attainment for those learners in June 2023.

Each awarding organisation must report outcomes against predictions based on the GCSE and mean GCSE relationship described above.

Note: The November 2024 GCSE English language results must be compared with GCSE English language results of the same learners in June 2024, where those learners have taken the assessments in both June and November 2024. Comparisons must be undertaken separately for 17-year-old learners and all learners.

GCSE mathematics 

Each awarding organisation must create its own predictions for its specific cohort of 17-year-old matched learners. Predictions must be based on the national relationship between GCSE outcomes in mathematics for 17-year-old learners in November 2023 and mean GCSE attainment for those learners in June 2023.

Each awarding organisation must report outcomes against predictions based on the GCSE and mean GCSE relationship described above.

Each awarding organisation must use the outcomes of test equating (chained equi-percentile or nominal weights method) to support comparability between tiers at grades 4 and 5, where there are sufficient entries on each tier. The chained equi-percentile method should be used where there are more than 250 candidates at each tier. Where there are 250 or fewer candidates at one or both tiers, the nominal weights method could be used. For specifications with very small entries, it may not be possible to use test equating.

Note: The November 2024 GCSE mathematics results must be compared with GCSE mathematics results of the same learners in June 2024, where those learners have taken the assessments in both June and November 2024. Comparisons must be undertaken separately for 17-year-old learners and all learners.

Level 3 Project

The aim of awarding Level 3 Project qualifications in the November 2024 and January 2025 series is to maintain the performance standard from summer 2024.

Reporting

Reporting requirements

Each awarding organisation must provide the information specified below to Ofqual. Submission should be no later than 5 working days after completion of the award or no later than the final deadline specified by Ofqual, whichever is earlier.

If there is to be a delay in submission – for example, because an awarding organisation needs to carry out further analyses post-award in order to establish the security of the outcomes – an awarding organisation must notify Ofqual via the data exchange mailbox dataexchange@ofqual.gov.uk as soon as possible and in any event before the expected submission date.

GCSE reporting

Each awarding organisation must report all of its GCSE English language outcomes at grades 9, 7, 5, 4 and 1, using Template November G1_English and according to Ofqual’s reporting requirements. The all Learner outcomes must include partial absentees.

Each awarding organisation must report all of its GCSE mathematics outcomes at grades 9, 7, 5, 4 and 1, using Template November G1_maths and according to Ofqual’s reporting requirements. The all Learner outcomes must include partial absentees.

For each qualification and optional entry code, each awarding organisation must report the recommended qualification level grade boundaries at grades 9, 7, 4 and 1, and the maximum mark for that specification, using Template November_G2 and according to Ofqual’s reporting requirements.

The final deadline for reporting all GCSE outcomes and grade boundaries, using Templates G1 and G2, is 5pm, Wednesday 18 December 2024.

Each awarding organisation must report information on the key areas detailed below in the above templates:

1. GCSE outcomes data. Data must be reported on matched learners, excluding partial absences (EPA), against predicted outcomes. Data must also be reported on all learners, including partial absences (IPA).

2. Grade boundaries. Data must be reported on the qualification level grade boundaries at grades 9, 7, 4 and 1 for each specification.

3. Evidence used. Awarding organisations must describe how evidence was used to support the award, covering each category on the template.

4. Awarding grade 9. Awarding organisations must describe their approach to awarding grade 9 and the evidence used.

5. Maintaining standards. Awarding organisations must report any issues or concerns in the context of maintaining standards.

For GCSE mathematics, each awarding organisation must also report:

6. Test equating. Awarding organisations must report the technical details of how test equating has been used to support comparability between the foundation and higher tiers, where there are sufficient entries on each tier.

For each qualification, each awarding organisation must report all of its November 2024 GCSE results compared with GCSE results for the same Learners in summer 2024, using Template November G4_English and Template November G4_maths and according to Ofqual’s reporting requirements. The final deadline for reporting all comparisons, using Templates November G4_English and November G4_maths, is 5pm, Wednesday 18 December 2024. Comparisons must be undertaken separately for 17-year-old Learners and all Learners. The grade comparisons with summer 2024 must exclude partial absentees.

Extended project qualification reporting

For each qualification, each awarding organisation must report all Learner outcomes, using Template Autumn_E1 and according to Ofqual’s reporting requirements.

For each qualification, each awarding organisation must report the recommended qualification level grade boundaries at grades A* and E, and the maximum mark for that qualification, using Template_E2 and according to Ofqual’s reporting requirements.

Sending data

Each awarding organisation must confirm its data exchange contacts with Ofqual before the process begins. All data is to be uploaded to the secure Teams group.

All returns are subject to the final ratification of the awards by the awarding organisation.

On receipt of the information required by this document, Ofqual:

1. will review the data submitted as part of the data exchange

2. may contact awarding organisations to ask for additional information or clarification, and will aim to do this within 24 hours of receipt

3. will hold teleconferences throughout the awarding period with awarding organisation technical colleagues, as necessary, to review data and explore any implications

4. will discuss outcomes with awarding organisations at the Maintenance of Standards meetings on:

1. 19 December 2024 (GCSE English language and maths)

Principles for using the secure Teams group

1. A secure Teams group is to be used for sensitive data relating to the data exchange.

2. Email should be used as usual where no sensitive data is included or attached. All email correspondence should be sent to dataexchange@ofqual.gov.uk.

3. Where appropriate, notification alerts should be set up by individual users to notify them when folders or documents are added or changed.

4. In terms of version control, all templates must be uploaded using the date as a prefix, for example 01072024-WJEC-Template 1. Therefore, whenever a revised data template is uploaded, please create this as a new document using the date as a prefix and the time as a suffix where necessary, for example 01072024-WJEC-Template 1-8.30.

5. Old versions of templates must not be deleted from the Teams group.

6. Awarding organisation users must not create extra folders within the data exchange library of the Teams group without consulting Ofqual first.