International Contingency Grading (ICG) is how Pearson graded International GCSE and International A Level students whose May/June 2026 exams were cancelled. Schools submitted portfolios of evidence, ideally full past papers sat under exam conditions, which Pearson’s examiners graded. Students with banked units usually got calculated grades instead. Reviews cost £88.
What is Pearson’s International Contingency Grading?
A contingency route for the May/June 2026 series in the affected Middle East countries. Pearson’s page for students names “Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar” as countries where exams were cancelled. Tes reported Pearson cancellations in Bahrain, the UAE, Kuwait and Lebanon in April 2026, so check your centre’s status with Pearson. Under ICG, “centres will need to submit evidence of student performance for review by our examiners, who will determine grades” (Pearson).
Two routes applied, depending on whether a student already had results:
| Route | Who | How the grade is set |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio of evidence (ICG) | Students with no banked results, or only resit entries for banked units | Pearson examiners grade submitted evidence; “we won’t use grade boundaries” |
| Calculated grade | Students with at least one banked unit, or a completed component | A statistical calculation “based on relative candidate performance across the whole cohort”, following the JCQ process for estimating a missing mark |
For IAL, “to be eligible for a calculated IAL grade, students must have completed at least one IA2 unit”. Students with only IAS units banked needed portfolios for the IA2 units. In modular qualifications, each ICG unit was “graded individually, with a mid-point UMS mark awarded”.
What evidence did Pearson require?
Full assessments, completed as close to exam conditions as possible. Pearson’s portfolio submission guidance (version 2.5, May 2026) required:
- Assessments for all components, for example Paper 1 and Paper 2. These could be past papers or a new paper, but not May/June 2026 papers.
- A blank version of each assessment used.
- A centre evidence confirmation form recording the conditions under which each piece was completed.
Optional supporting evidence included class assessments, essays and timed tests. “Full multiple choice tests are not acceptable.” Predicted grades were “supporting context rather than as grades to be awarded”. Portfolios were uploaded to Learner Work Transfer between 1 May and 9 June 2026, and the head of centre signed a declaration that the work was “their own authentic and unaided work”.
How do reviews and appeals work?
Through a review of grading, then an appeal. For portfolio grades, “a senior examiner will review the original grade along with the portfolio of evidence submitted”. This is requested on Edexcel Online as an EAR4. “The cost of an EAR4 service is £88,” and it “can take up to 20 calendar days” (Pearson).
| Stage | Deadline or timing |
|---|---|
| Review of grading (EAR4) | Via Edexcel Online; up to 20 calendar days |
| Preliminary appeal | Within 30 calendar days of the review outcome; up to 42 days to decide |
| Appeal hearing | Within 14 calendar days of the preliminary outcome; up to 70 days to decide |
| Calculated grade appeal | Within 14 calendar days of the grade being issued |
Pearson warns that “grades can go up, stay the same or go down at appeal”. Calculated grades have no EAR4. Centres can request a review of marking or moderation only for components actually taken in May/June 2026, and “we won’t be able to review banked units from previous sessions”.
Can ICG grades be used for university?
Yes. Pearson says “students can use their results to progress to their next steps, including applying to university”. It works with UK universities through UCAS but notes “we’ve not contacted every international university”. On results reports, portfolio and calculated grades carry a flag: “aegrotat” in the spreadsheet version and “spec con” in the PDF. Schools should explain the flag in UCAS references. See UCAS predicted grades for international schools.
Does ICG apply to later series?
Not as far as Pearson has announced. Every ICG item on Pearson’s pages refers to May/June 2026, and we found no contingency arrangement for October or November 2026 or January 2027. Schools should not assume a route will exist next time. They should keep the kind of evidence ICG required as standard practice.
What should Edexcel schools prepare now?
Evidence that would already meet ICG’s standard:
- Full-paper mocks for every component, under exam conditions, with blank papers kept.
- A record of conditions for each assessment: date, supervision and timing.
- No reliance on multiple-choice tests as evidence.
- Banked unit results tracked for IAL students, since they determine the route.
- Secure, retrievable storage, ready to upload within weeks.
See how to build a defensible assessment evidence base and what the 2026 Gulf exam cancellations taught schools.
How schools do this with AI Buddy
AI Buddy keeps a dated record of every mock and practice paper by student and paper, with marks and topics, which makes an evidence file faster to assemble. Supervised full-paper mocks, marked against the official mark scheme, remain the evidence Pearson wants. AI Buddy’s online practice supports preparation for them, not replaces them.
Frequently asked questions
What is Pearson’s International Contingency Grading?
Pearson’s route for grading International GCSE and IAL students whose May/June 2026 exams were cancelled, using portfolios of evidence graded by Pearson examiners.
What is Edexcel enhanced grading for banked units?
Students with banked units were generally not given portfolio grading. Pearson awarded calculated grades using existing results and a statistical method, reviewed through special consideration.
How much does a Pearson review of grading cost?
An EAR4 review of grading costs £88 and can take up to 20 calendar days.
Can students use ICG grades for university applications?
Yes. Pearson says students can use them to apply to university; results carry a special-consideration flag that schools may need to explain.
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Sources
- Pearson, Support for centres affected by the conflict in the Middle East and Arrangements for International GCSE and International A Level exams
- Pearson, Support for students affected by the conflict in the Middle East
- Pearson, International Contingency Grading: centre portfolio submission guidance v2.5 (19 May 2026)
- Tes, A level and IGCSE exams cancelled across Middle East (2 April 2026)