@chopc I don't know how other colleges assess I can only go off Ds's. They end of topic test about every 3 weeks so before the first lockdown they had several sets of these grades for each subject.
Ds also sat an AS maths past paper in December of year 12 as they do the whole of A level maths in just 1 year. This is because their timetable says "maths" and then "further maths" but in both lessons they are taught A level maths. In year 13 it is again timetabled the same way but it is all of further maths in 1 year.
So again he has his grade from that. With that result came your grade, the grade boundaries and how many students had achieved each grade. It also listed how many students were above target, on target or below target as someone getting a C may be their target grade. It did give Ds a very good idea for the class as a whole and where he ranked.
They have had more mocks in December and one set of end of topic tests. All this is to be summed up on the usual annual report which is due out to us shortly.
I think if someone is coming out with grades all over the place it makes it difficult to assess a student. If they consistently come out with Bs then it is easier but I still think it is difficult to assess them when they are not even in the physical classroom and can't put their hand up so to speak. Lots of them don't have a camera or have it turned on if they do.
I do agree about the whole can perform better in the actual exams and maybe if they are in a sixth form attached to the school they will have that information on there. I think Ds was lucky that all his offers came out before the exams were cancelled. I do believe unis are waiting to see what GW says later this week.