Cambridge Assessment International Education Exams 2021
Today, 19th February 2021, we have received notification that Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) Exams 2021 (May/June Series) have been cancelled in the UK. CAIE have said:
“For schools in the United Kingdom, this means that exams for Cambridge IGCSE, O Level, and International AS & A Level will no longer take place. We will say next week how we will enable private candidates to be assessed.”
Tutors & Exams has welcomed the clarity given by CAIE. The previous statements from CAIE had brought with it some confusion and doubt amongst candidates. This now brings CAIE in line with all of the other General Qualification awarding organisations across the UK.
The UK GCSE and A Levels were cancelled in January by the Department for Education. Early in February, Pearson Edexcel cancelled their International Qualifications across the globe. It should come as no surprise that Cambridge Assessment International Education have followed its contemporaries and cancelled their exams in the UK for Summer 2021.
What are the next steps?
The answer to that question is quite simple, and probably the most repeated answer of 2021 in the exams world, we will have to wait for the outcome of the joint DfE and Ofqual consultation which ended on the 29th January 2021. The outcome is due to be released week commencing 22nd February 2021.
In the meantime we ask you to continue with your studies as if exams had not been cancelled. Your learning is really important to ensuring you get the grades that you deserve regardless of how they will be assessed.
Tutors & Exams are working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that ALL PRIVATE CANDIDATES have the opportunity to enter into a robust process that can confidently allow them to receive the outcomes they deserve. We expect this process to be accessible to all centres regardless of their status or standing within the education sector. We actively encourage all stakeholders to get involved with us directly or indirectly, talk to each other, and work together to ensure we are all pushing in the same direction. Defragmentation and mis-information within the sector is what we all need to avoid.
Hopefully, we will have more information early nest week!
Claire Coleman
Operations Director
