making the grade, hmc slides
DESCRIPTION
Kathleen Tattersall's presentation slides at the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) on 6 October 2009.TRANSCRIPT
Making the Grade: Protecting standards in examinations
Kathleen TattersallOctober 6 2009
Making the grade: an introduction to Ofqual
Ofqual – the new regulator of exams, tests and assessments
Ofqual is set to be fully independent in 2010
Ofqual will maintain confidence in qualifications
Ofqual will promote awareness of benefits of qualifications
Ofqual will make sure qualifications are efficient and effective.
AS 2009
March 2009: Ofqual described how awarding bodies will approach grading of AS levels
Efforts made to ensure that all parties act with parity and on the same basis
No direction from Ofqual to set higher hurdle
GCE AS outcomes 2008/2009
2008 2009 Difference
A 18.7 per cent 19.5 per cent Up 0.8 perc pts
A-C 58.5 per cent 58.7 per cent Up 0.2 perc pts
A-E 88.2 per cent 88.1 per cent Down 0.1 perc pts
Making the leap: new ways of maintaining standards
A* grade at A level to be awarded for the first time in 2010
A* rewards exceptional candidates
A* given to candidates who achieve A grades and 90 per cent of UMS of A2 units
A* introduced to help universities select the most suitable candidates.
Making a difference: what will Ofqual do?
Make recommendations – such as piloting new qualifications
Review subjects, e.g GCSE physics
Defend standards, e.g GCSE science.
Making headway: what has Ofqual done?
Asked QCA for a review of GCSE science criteria
Asked for greater conformity
Asked for challenging questions and tasks in assessments
Asked awarding bodies to take into account relevant information in setting grade boundaries.
Making waves? The reliability of results
Humans mark exam papers – and humans are fallible
Ofqual’s Reliability Programme looks at factors affecting consistency of results
Researchers working on first projects now and will report back at the end of the year
Results are taken from school to university to the workplace – learners must rely on them
Making connections: working with stakeholders
Ofqual’s stakeholders include universities
Ofqual has no remit for universities but will work with them
University places are filled while exam appeals take place
Ofqual will raise this issue with universities to protect learners
A flexible qualification system is required.
Thank you.
Any questions?