Page 10 - BACC Report

Draft Report on European Baccalaureate 2021
4.2. Calculation of the European Baccalaureate 2021 final mark

In October 2020, the Joint Teaching Committee mandated the Office of the Secretary-General
to set up the Task Force ‘Preparation of the 2021 Baccalaureate session’.

Among others, the Task Force worked on ‘Guidelines for the Baccalaureate session 2021’
(2020-10-D-74-en-1) which were approved by the Board of Governors at its meeting in
December 2020.
The Task Force is composed of the following representatives: Presidency of the 2021 session
of the EB, OSGES, BoI, TROIKA, WG Assessment Secondary Cycle, ES Directors and Deputy
Directors, AES Directors, ES and AES Teachers, ES and AES Pupils and ES and AES
Parents, European Commission.

With respect to the final marks and potential process of moderation, the following is stated in
the ‘Guidelines’:

“Moderation is an option, that will be further decided and fine-tuned if confirmed, in accordance
with statistical forecasts, real results (A-marks and pre-baccalaureate included). It allows to
intervene not only in case of a different calculation of the final mark, but also in case when
results are much lower than expected due to the different conditions during this school year.

The individual results of each candidate will be considered to define the specific formula of
moderation.

The experience from the last school year and the overall assessment of EB 2020 candidates
showed that Pre-Baccalaureate results reveal to be fundamental to be achieved, accompanied
by A-Marks and fine-tuned by written examinations, and if possible by oral examinations.

All formulas and moderation processes put forward are not fixed. They will in any way take real
accurate marks into consideration. Moderation could intervene downgrading or upgrading the
marks, depending on real results and the actual situation at the end of the school year. Any
potential new formula will take into consideration the missing elements from the available A,
B, W and/or O marks, and will seek the most equivalent fair substitution for them.

Any decision concerning the marks (subjects and final, potential moderation) will be taken by
the Board of Governors, upon proposal by the Chairman, after consultation of the Board of
Inspectors and the OSGES. The Chairman can seek advice from external consultancy or other
bodies of the European Schools system.”
Moreover, the ‘Guidelines’ clarify that “any considered sensitive decision related to

• the cancellation of a set of examinations (Written and / or Oral examinations)
• a potential moderation or
• alternative EB final mark calculation
1
will be subject to further consultation of the Board of Governors.”
th
On the 15 February 2021, following the decision of the Chairman of the European
Baccalaureate session, Prof. Marie-Danièle CAMPION, all the stakeholders were informed that
the 2021 session of the European Baccalaureate would consist of solely five written
examinations, the three oral examinations being cancelled.
As a result of this decision, the final mark for the 2021 European Baccalaureate would be
calculated as follows: marks 50%C (20%A + 30%B) + 35%W + 15%O, where O is a
replication of the A mark.

1 The proposed formula can be found in the TF report (2021-03-D-38)
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