Collecting a portfolio of evidence - Guidance for Cambridge assessment

Oct 23, 2026

Uploaded by Ezra

Guidance for centres preparing Cambridge portfolio of evidence for assessment routes in Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge O Level, and Cambridge International AS & A Level. Describes how to select three substantial pieces of evidence per candidate and syllabus, define “substantial” time requirements, and handle cases with staged A Level routes and specified exceptions. Explains what evidence types may be used, limits on past papers, rules for timing and retention, and procedures for submission, marking, weighting, security, authentication, teacher supervision, access arrangements, and related documentation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages40

Reading Time1 h 41 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Preparing the portfolio of evidence

Quantity of evidence

Cambridge International A Level candidates

Types of evidence

Evidence and levels of difficulty

Use of early question papers or pre-release materials

Using coursework as evidence

Evidence for new or revised syllabuses

Speaking test evidence

Using marked work as evidence

Format of candidates’ work

Access arrangements

Sending us the tasks used

Coverage of syllabus content and assessment objectives

Core and Extended syllabus content

Syllabuses with endorsed components

Carry forward components

When to collect the evidence

Keeping copies of the work

Security and authentication

Teacher supervision

Remote teacher supervision

Use of past papers and specimen papers

Selecting the pieces of evidence for each candidate

Special consideration

Candidates with a previous portfolio result

Informing the candidate of the pieces of evidence chosen

Private candidates

The Rationale Document

How the portfolio will be marked

Evidence will be equally weighted

Forecast grades

Cambridge concerns about your choice of evidence

Appendix A – Collecting evidence: general advice

Appendix B – Collecting evidence: syllabus-specific advice

Collecting a portfolio of evidence If you are in a country or region that has been moved to the portfolio of evidence route to assessment, you will need to prepare a portfolio of evidence for all entries for Cambridge IGCSE ™ , Cambridge O Level and Cambridge International AS & A Level. In this document | Page | | | --- | --- | | Introduction | 3 | | Preparing the portfolio of evidence | 4 | | Quantity of evidence | 4 | | Cambridge International A Level candidates | 4 | | Types of evidence | 6 | | Multiple-choice question papers and multiple-choice questions | 6 | | Current exam papers cannot be used | 7 | | Evidence and levels of difficulty | 7 | | Use of early question papers or pre-release materials | 7 | | Using coursework as evidence | 7 | | Evidence for new or revised syllabuses | 8 | | Speaking test evidence | 8 | | Using marked work as evidence | 8 | | Format of candidates’ work | 9 | | Access arrangements | 9 | | Sending us the tasks used | 9 | | Coverage of syllabus content and assessment objectives | 9 | | Core and Extended syllabus content | 10 | | Syllabuses with endorsed components | 10 | | Carry forward components | 11 | | When to collect the evidence | 11 | | Keeping copies of the work | 11 | | Security and authentication | 12 | | Teacher supervision | 12 | | Remote teacher supervision | 12 | | Use of past papers and specimen papers | 12 | | Selecting the pieces of evidence for each candidate | 13 | | Special consideration | 13 | | Candidates preparing for a portfolio of evidence and who have received a portfolio of evidence result in a previous series | 14 | | Informing the candidate of the pieces of evidence chosen | 14 | | Private candidates | 14 | | The Rationale Document | 15 | | How the portfolio will be marked | 15 | | Evidence will be equally weighted | 15 | | Forecast grades | 16 | | Cambridge concerns about your choice of evidence | 16 | | Appendix A – Collecting evidence: general advice | 19 | | Appendix B – Collecting evidence: syllabus-specific advice | 22 | | --- | --- | | Appendix C – Collecting evidence: syllabus-specific advice for Cambridge AS & A Level Mathematics and Further Mathematics | 36 | Introduction We recommend that all centres prepare a portfolio of evidence for each candidate in electronic form and have it ready by the start of the exam series. This means that if exams are cancelled at short notice, centres will not need to do any extra work to prepare a portfolio. In summary: • Centres select a portfolio of evidence for each candidate in each syllabus, made up of three substantial pieces of evidence completed at any time during the course of study. • Centres will not be required to mark or grade the portfolio of evidence. • Centres submit the portfolio digitally to us through Submit for Assessment. • Cambridge examiners mark the work submitted by the centre. • We use our examiners’ marks to calculate a final grade for each candidate for each syllabus they are entered for. Preparing the portfolio of evidence Quantity of evidence Centres should prepare a portfolio of three substantial pieces of work for each candidate in each syllabus. For most qualifications, candidates will submit one portfolio of evidence with a total of three substantial pieces of work. By ‘substantial’, we mean a piece of work that has taken the candidate at least one hour of concentrated work to complete. This means a grade produced using a portfolio of evidence will be based on a roughly similar amount of work to the amount used to determine an exam grade. If your lessons run for less than one hour, it is acceptable to split a one-hour task over two lessons. However, you cannot combine two tasks that are different and shorter to make one substantial piece of evidence. There are two exceptions to our rule that no candidate should have more than, or fewer than, three pieces of work for each portfolio of evidence. These exceptions are for the following syllabuses: • Cambr

FAQs

What is the minimum quantity of evidence centres must prepare per candidate and syllabus?

Centres must prepare a portfolio made up of three substantial pieces of evidence for each candidate in each syllabus. The guidance also notes exceptions for specific syllabuses.

How is “substantial” evidence defined?

“Substantial” means a piece of work that has taken the candidate at least one hour of concentrated work to complete. If lessons are shorter than one hour, a one-hour task may be split across lessons, but different tasks cannot be combined to form one substantial piece.

How do AS and A Level portfolio requirements differ?

For A Levels, the guidance states there can be two portfolios: an AS Level portfolio and an A2 portfolio. Which portfolio(s) a candidate prepares depends on whether they take the staged route with carry forward from an earlier AS result or the linear route where AS and A2 components are entered together.

Oct 23, 2026

Uploaded by Ezra