We, the undersigned students and parents, formally raise our concern regarding the sudden withdrawal of the contingency grading option for candidates registered for Remote Invigilation examinations with Pearson Edexcel.

On April 13, we were officially informed that students in affected regions, including those registered for Remote Invigilation, would be eligible for contingency grading provided they withdrew from the exam series and submitted the required request by April 17. Acting in good faith and in reliance on this communication, many of us completed the withdrawal process within the stated deadline.

Following this, students were informed that their applications for contingency grading had been accepted. In preparation, we undertook supplementary assessments and completed additional work to support our portfolios, as required for contingency grading.

However, approximately one week prior to the commencement of examinations, we were informed that this option had been withdrawn. We were instead given the following alternatives:

• Sit the examinations as originally scheduled
• Defer to a later exam series
• Request a refund

We believe this decision is both unfair and unreasonable for the following reasons:

1. Reliance on Official Communication
   Students made academic and logistical decisions based on Pearson Edexcel’s written confirmation. Reversing this decision after acceptance undermines trust and places students at a significant disadvantage.
2. Insufficient Time to Prepare
   With examinations beginning imminently, students who had shifted focus to contingency assessment are now expected to revert to full exam preparation within an extremely limited timeframe.
3. Limited Deferral Options
   Not all subjects are available in the October/November series, making deferral an impractical or impossible option for many students.
4. Academic and Emotional Impact
   This sudden change has caused significant stress and disruption, particularly for students already affected by external circumstances.
5. Equity and Fairness
   Students who followed the official process and met all deadlines should not be penalized due to a late policy reversal beyond their control.

Our Request

We respectfully request that Pearson Edexcel:

• Reinstate the contingency grading option for all students who applied and were accepted before the stated deadline;
• Provide an equivalent, fair alternative that does not disadvantage affected students academically or logistically.