ocr entry level english r393 specification - ocr.org.uk · 2 ocr 2016 entry level certificate in...

Oxford Cambridge and RSA

ENTRY LEVEL CERTIFICATESpecification

QualificationRegulated

Entry Level CertificateEnglish

ENGLISHR393For first assessment in 2017

Version 1.1 (May 2018)

DISCLAIMER

Specifications are updated over time. Whilst every effort is made to check all documents, there may be contradictions between published resources and the specification, therefore please use the infor-mation on the latest specification at all times. Where changes are made to specifications these will be indicated within the document, there will be a new version number indicated, and a summary of the changes. If you do notice a discrepancy between the specification and a resource please contact us at: [email protected]

We will inform centres about changes to specifications. We will also publish changes on our website. The latest version of our specifications will always be those on our website (ocr.org.uk) and these may differ from printed versions.

mailto:[email protected]

http://ocr.org.uk

1© OCR 2016 Entry Level Certificate in English

Contents

1 WhychooseanOCREntryLevelCertificateinEnglish? 21a. WhychooseanOCRqualification? 21b. WhychooseanOCREntryLevelCertificateinEnglish? 31c. Whatarethekeyfeaturesofthisspecification? 31d. WhatisnewinOCREntryLevelCertificateinEnglish? 41e. HowdoIfindoutmoreinformation? 4

2 Thespecificationoverview 52a. OCR’sEntryLevelCertificateinEnglish(R393) 52b. ContentofReading 62b. ContentofWriting 72b. ContentofSpokenlanguage 82c. Priorknowledge,learningandprogression 9

3 AssessmentofEntryLevelCertificateinEnglish 103a. Formsofassessment 103b. Assessmentobjectives(AO) 133c. Assessmentavailability 143d. Retakingthequalification 143e. Internalassessmenttasks 153f. Non-examassessment–markingcriteria 153g. Calculatingqualificationresults 19

4 Admin:whatyouneedtoknow 204a. Pre-assessment 204b. Accessarrangementsandspecialconsideration 214c. Adminofnon-examassessment 224d. Resultsandcertificates 254e. Post-resultsservices 254f. Malpractice 25

5 Appendices 265a. Awardingofgrades 265b. Overlapwithotherqualifications 265c. Keyskillssections 265d. Files 275e. Interimawards 28

Summaryofupdates 29

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Entry Level Certificate in English

1 ChooseOCRandyou’vegotthereassurancethatyou’reworkingwithoneoftheUK’sleadingexamboards.OurnewEntryLevelCertificateinEnglish hasbeenrefreshedtofitwithreformedGCSE(9–1)Englishqualificationstoprovidelearnerswithaqualificationthat’srelevanttothemandmeets their needs.

We’repartoftheCambridgeAssessmentGroup,Europe’slargestassessmentagencyandadepartmentoftheUniversityofCambridge.CambridgeAssessmentplaysaleadingroleindevelopinganddeliveringassessmentsthroughouttheworld,operatinginover150countries.

Weworkwitharangeofeducationproviders,includingschools,colleges,workplacesandotherinstitutionsinboththepublicandprivatesectors.Over13,000centreschooseourALevels,GCSEs andvocationalqualifications.

OurSpecifications

Webelieveindevelopingspecificationsthathelpyoubringthesubjecttolifeandinspireyourstudentstoachievemore.

We’vecreatedteacher-friendlyspecificationsthataredesignedtobestraightforwardandaccessiblesothatyou can tailor the delivery of the course to suit your needs.Weaimtoencouragestudentstobecome

responsiblefortheirownlearning,confidentindiscussingideas,innovativeandengaged.

OurEntryLevelCertificateinEnglishismade upof100%internallyassessedtasksandtests. Theflexibilityallowedthroughthisapproachtoassessmentwillallowyoutotakeanyissuesintoaccountinyourplanningthatmayaffectyourlearners’performance.

Weprovidearangeofsupportservicesdesignedtohelpyouateverystage,frompreparationthrough tothedeliveryofourspecifications.Thisincludes:

• Anextensivehighqualitytaskbook

• AccesstoSubjectAdvisorstosupportyouthroughthetransitionandthroughoutthelifetimeofthespecification

• Interimawardstosplitthecourseintomanageablestagesandhelpmotivatelearnersthroughearningteacher-managedawards– Section5e.

AllEntryLevelCertificatequalificationsofferedbyOCRareregulatedbyOfqual,theRegulatorforqualificationsofferedinEngland.TheaccreditationnumberforOCR’sEntryLevelCertificateinEnglishisQN603/0096/6.

1a. WhychooseanOCRqualification?

1 WhychooseanOCREntryLevelCertificate inEnglish?


1OCR’sEntryLevelCertificateinEnglishencourageslearnerstoreadfluentlyandwriteeffectively. AtEntryLevel,learnerswilldeveloptheskillstoreadandunderstandnon-fictionandliterarytexts.TheywilldeveloptheskillstobeabletodemonstrateanappropriatecontrolofStandardEnglishandtowritegrammaticallycorrectsentences.

Learnerswillalsodevelopconfidenceinusing spokenlanguagetocommunicateandtoeffectivelyparticipateingroupactivities.

Thisspecificationenableslearnerstoprogressattheirownpacesothattheycandeveloptheirknowledgeandskillsandbeputforwardfortheassessmentwhentheyareready.Itisdesignedtobeaccessibleandrelevant,andprovideslearnerswithrecognitionfortheirachievements.

1b. WhychooseanOCREntryLevelCertificateinEnglish?

Aimsandlearningoutcomes

Thisspecificationenableslearnersto:

• readarangeoftextswithsomeunderstanding• useknowledgegainedfromreadingtoinform

theirownwriting• writeusingStandardEnglishappropriately

• usegrammarcorrectly,punctuateandspellaccurately

• acquireanappropriatevocabularyinreading,writingandspokenlanguage

• understandandrespondtospokenlanguageandusespokenStandardEnglishwhereappropriate.

1c. Whatarethekeyfeaturesofthisspecification?

OCR’sEntryLevelCertificateinEnglishhasbeendesignedtobeco-teachablewithanyGCSE(9–1)EnglishLanguagequalificationtoofferacoherentpackageforyouandyourlearners.

We understand that learners for this Entry Level qualificationmaycomefromadiverserangeoflearningenvironments.Withthisinmind,ourEntryLevelCertificateinEnglishisdesignedtobeas flexibleaspossible.Therearethreeareasofassessment:Reading,WritingandSpokenlanguage.TheReadingtasksaresetbyOCRandtheWriting andSpokenlanguagetasksaresetbycentres,withdetailedguidancefromOCR.Allthreeassessmentsaremarkedbyteachers.

OurEntryLevelCertificateinEnglishbuildsconfidenceinreading,writingandspokenlanguage

skills,andcanbethegatewaytofurtherqualifications.ItisdirectlylinkedtoGCSE(9–1)inEnglishLanguageandwouldallowforanaturalprogressiontoahigherlevelofstudy.

Thisspecificationwillenablelearnerstodevelop:

• knowledgeandunderstandingofengagingnon-fictionandliterarytexts.

• informativeandimaginativewritingstylesandtheabilitytoproducetextsfordifferentpurposes.

• confidenceinusingspokenlanguageskillstocommunicateclearlyandeffectively.

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1d. WhatisnewinOCREntryLevelCertificateinEnglish?

ThissectionisintendedforteachersusingOCR’sEntryLevelCertificateinEnglish.

IthighlightsthedifferencesbetweenthecurrentEntryLevelCertificateinEnglish(R392)andthe newversionforfirstteachingfromSeptember2016:

Whatstaysthesame? What’schanging?

• Therearestillthreeareasofassessment:Reading,WritingandSpokenlanguage(previouslySpeakingandListening)

• Allthreeassessmentsareinternallyassessedandmarkedbycentres

• TheReadingtasksaresetbyOCR

• TheWritingandSpokenlanguagetasksaresetby centres

• TherearetwoWritingtasks–oneinformativeandoneimaginative

• Thetasksaresimilarinstyleandformat

• Therearefivetasksintotal.

• TheSpeakingandListeningcomponentisnowcalledSpokenlanguage

• TheReadingandWritingassessmentsarenowequallyweighted(eachworth40%oftheEntryLevelCertificate)

• TherearetwoReadingtasks–understandinganon-fictiontextandunderstandingaliterarytext.

• ThereisoneSpokenlanguagetask–eitheradiscussionoraroleplayactivity

• Learners’handwritingisnolongeranassessedelementoftheWritingcomponent.

1e. HowdoIfindoutmoreinformation?

IfyouarealreadyusingOCRspecificationsyoucancontactusat:www.ocr.org.uk

IfyouarenotalreadyaregisteredOCRcentrethenyoucanfindoutmoreinformationonthebenefitsofbecomingoneat:www.ocr.org.uk

If you are not yet an approved centre and would like tobecomeonegoto:www.ocr.org.uk

Wanttofindoutmore?

AskaSubjectAdvisor:

CustomerContactCentre:01223553998

Email:[email protected]

Twitter:@OCR_English

Teachersupport:www.ocr.org.uk/english

http://www.ocr.org.uk




https://twitter.com/ocr_english?lang=en

http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/by-subject/english/

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2 Thespecificationoverview

2a. OCR’sEntryLevelCertificateinEnglish(R393)

Learnersmustcompleteallthreepartswhichmakeup100%oftheassessment.

ContentOverview AssessmentOverview

• Understandinganon-fictiontext

• Understandingaliterarytext

• Informativewriting

• Imaginativewriting

• Discussion or role play

Reading(01)

40Marks

2tasks:

20markspertask

35minutespertask(suggestedtime)

Set by OCR

Internallyassessed/externallymoderated

40%of total

Entry Level Certificate

Writing(02)

40Marks

2tasks:

20markspertask

35minutespertask (suggestedtimeforproductionofthe finalwrittenwork)

Set by centres


40%of total


Spokenlanguage(03)

20Marks

One task

10minutes (suggestedtime)

Set by centres


20%of total


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Learnerscompletetwotasks:

• Understandinganon-fictiontext• Understandingaliterarytext.

Inonetasklearnersreadandrespondtoanon-fictiontext.Intheothertasklearnersreadandrespondto aliterarytext.ThetasksaretakenfromthebankofOCRsettaskswhichremainsliveforthelifetime ofthespecificationandcanbeaccessedviaOCRInterchange:https://interchange.ocr.org.uk.

Duringthecourse,learnersshouldreadarange ofnon-fictionandliterarytextstodevelopsomeunderstandingoftheinformationandideaspresentedindifferenttexts.Thesetextscouldbe

takenfromthebankofOCRsettasks(excludingthoseusedforassessment),orcouldbeofthecentre’sownchoosing.

Learnerswilldeveloptheabilitytoidentifyandunderstandexplicitmeaningsinthesetexts,andtoinfermeanings.

Theywilldeveloptheskillstosummariseinformationinatextandbegintocommentonthelanguagethatisusedinatext.

ThefollowingtablesetsoutthecontentoftheReadingtasks.Itprovidesdetailsontherequiredknowledge,understandingandskillsforeachtask.

2b. ContentofReading

ContentofReading

Task Content Learnersshouldbeableto:

Understandinganon-fictiontext

Learnersreadarangeofnon-fictiontexttypes,suchas:

• newspaper/magazinearticles• letters• information/advicebooklets• persuasivetexts(e.g.

advertisements,charityappeals)• reviews.

Learnersrespondtoquestionsonnon-fictiontextsandshowsomeunderstandingoftheinformationandideaspresentedinthem.

• identifydifferenttypesofnon-fictionandliterarytexts

• identifythepurposeofdifferenttexts

• identifyexplicitinformationandideasintexts

• identifyfactsandopinions

• infermeaningsfromtexts

• summariseinformationintexts

• usecontexttohelpestablishsense

• commentonsomelanguagechoices.

Understandinga literarytext

Learnersreadarangeofliterarytexts,suchas:

• shortstories/narratives• descriptivetexts• autobiography.

Learnersrespondtoquestionsonliterarytextsandshowsomeunderstandingoftheinformationandideaspresentedinthem.

https://interchange.ocr.org.uk

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Learnerscompletetwowritingtasks:

• Informativewriting• Imaginativewriting.

Inonetask,learnersproduceapieceofinformativewritingsuchasaletter,aleafletoranopinionpiece.Intheothertask,theyproduceapieceofimaginativewritingsuchasanarrativeoradescriptivepiece.

Learnersshouldbeencouragedtousetheknowledgetheyhavegainedfromreadingdifferenttextstoinformtheirownwriting.

Learnerswilldeveloptheskillstoadapttheirwritingaccordingtotheform,audienceandpurposeofthetask.

Learners will develop the ability to produce grammaticallycorrectsentences,usingStandardEnglishasappropriate,andtopunctuateandspellaccurately.

Learnersshouldbeencouragedtodeveloptheirhandwritingskillswhereverpossiblebutthiswillnotformpartoftheassessment.

ThefollowingtablesetsoutthecontentoftheWritingtasks.Itprovidesdetailsontherequiredknowledge,understandingandskillsforeachtask.

2b. ContentofWriting

ContentofWriting


Informativewriting Learnersproduceaninformativepieceofwriting.Thiscouldtakeavarietyofformsincluding:

• aletter• anadvertisement• apersonalstatement• aspeech• aninformationleaflet• anarticle• anopinionpiece• areview.

• organiseinformationandideasclearlyandlogically

• selectlanguageappropriatefortheform,audienceandpurpose of the task

• writesimple,grammaticallycorrect sentences

• usebasicpunctuation,includingfullstops,capitallettersandquestionmarks,accurately and consistently

• spellsimplewordsaccurately.Imaginativewriting Learnersproduceanimaginativepieceof

writing.Thiscouldtakeavarietyofformsincluding:

• ashortstory/narrative• theopeningofastory• introducingacharacter• adescriptivepiece.

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LearnerscompleteonetaskforSpokenlanguage:

• Discussionor Role play

Learnerswillparticipateineitheradiscussionactivityoraroleplayactivity.

Learnerswillactivelycommunicatewithatleast oneotherperson.Theydevelopconfidencein usingspokenlanguagetocommunicateeffectively

withothers,andtheskillstolistenandrespondtoothers.

Learners will develop the skills to use spoken StandardEnglishwhereappropriate,accordingto theaudienceandsituation.

ThefollowingtablesetsoutthecontentoftheSpokenlanguagetask.Itprovidesdetailsontherequiredknowledge,understandingandskillsforthetask.

2b. ContentofSpokenlanguage

ContentofSpokenlanguage


Discussion

or

Role play

Learnersparticipateineitheradiscussionoraroleplayactivity.

Discussionscouldtakeavarietyofformssuchasaplanningexercise,adiscussionofanissueoflocalornationalinterestoroftheparticularinterestsofagroupoflearners.Itcouldderivefromatextthatlearnershavebeenstudying.

Roleplaycouldincludeapracticalscenario such as a telephone conversationrequestingorcomplainingaboutaserviceorarrangingtoavisitarelative,oritcouldbebasedonanimaginaryscenariosuchasinterviewinga favourite celebrity.

• speakaudiblyandcomprehensibly

• makeanattempttostructuretheir talk so that it is understandable

• selectlanguagethatisappropriateforthesituationand task

• understandtheconventionsofdiscussionandconversation

• listencarefullytoothers

• understandandrespondappropriately to the ideas of others

• usespokenStandardEnglishwhere appropriate.

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• Nopriorlearningofthesubjectisrequired.

• Progression–thisEntryLevelCertificateisageneralqualificationdesignedtoenablelearnerstoprogresseitherdirectlytoemploymentortofoundationlevelcourses.Theprogressofsomelearnersduringthe

coursemightbesufficienttoallowtheirtransfertoanyGCSE(9–1)EnglishLanguagecourse.

ThereareanumberofEnglishqualificationsatOCR.Findoutmoreatwww.ocr.org.uk

2c. Priorknowledge,learningandprogression


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3 AssessmentofEntryLevelCertificateinEnglish

3a. Forms of assessment

OCR’sEntryLevelCertificateinEnglishconsistsofthreeassessmentsthatareassessedbythecentreandexternally-moderatedbyOCR.

Readingtasks

40%oftotalmarks40marks

Learners respond to twoReadingtasks,onenon-fictionandoneliterary,takenfromthebankofOCR set tasks which remainsliveforthelifetimeofthespecificationandcanbe accessed via OCR Interchange.

TherearetwotaskstocompletefromthebankoftaskssetbyOCR:Understandinganon-fictiontextandUnderstandingaliterarytext.

Eachtaskconsistsofonetextofapproximately250wordsfollowedbyaseriesofshortanswerquestions.Learnersgivewrittenresponsestothequestionsinthespacesprovidedonthequestionpaper.Thequestionstestlearners’understanding ofthetext:theirabilitytounderstandexplicitmeanings,toinfermeanings,tosummariseinformationandtocommentontheuseoflanguage.

Teachersshouldintroduceeachtextbyreadingoutthetitleandthelinesprintedinitalics.Teachersmayalsoreadoutanypropernamesthatmaynotreadilyberecognised.

Teachersshoulddrawlearners’attentiontotheallocationofmarksforeachquestion,andtherelationshipbetweentheanswerspaceprovidedandtheexpectedlengthoftheirresponses.

TherearethreebroadlevelsofsupportwhichteacherscanofferlearnerstoenablethemtocompletetheReadingtasksindependently.Seesection4c,‘Levelsofsupport’,fordetails.

Bothtasksshouldbetakeninaclassroomandconductedbythelearners’ownteacher.Theteachermaybeassistedbyotherteachersorbyclassroomassistantswhomustfollowthisguidance.

Eachtaskwillnormallybecompletedin35minutes,butteachersmayusetheirdiscretionastothetiming,dependingontheneedsofindividuallearners.

Writingtasks


Learners respond to twoWritingtasks,oneinformativeandoneimaginative.Both tasks are set by centres.

Therearetwotaskstocomplete:oneInformativewritingtaskandoneImaginativewritingtask.BothtasksaresetbycentresfollowingguidancefromOCR.

Teachersshouldsettaskswhichofferchallengesappropriatetotheirlearners’abilities.Appropriatetasksshouldbebasedonpersonalinterestsandcontextsfamiliartothelearner.

TherequirementsfortheWritingtasksareassuchthatthetopicscanbelinkedtovocationalqualificationsandcentresareencouragedtodothisifitisappropriatefortheir learners.

Teachersshouldensurethatthetypesoftextswhichlearnersproduce,particularlyfortheinformativewritingtask,givelearnerstheopportunitytoproducesufficientlysubstantialtexttoenablethemtoaccessthemarkingcriteria.Forexample,aleafletforaneventwouldneedtoincludemorethanheadings,images,andbasictime/dateinformation.Itcouldincludeadescriptionoftheeventandreasonswhypeoplemightwanttoattendetc.

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Learnersmaybegivenasmuchresearchandpreparationtimeastheyneed.Thistimewillbeorganisedbytheteacher.Learnersmayplantheirwritingincollaborationwitheachotherandwiththeteacherwhomaydiscusstopics,themesandideas;considertheform,audienceandpurposeofthewriting;suggestappropriatewaysoforganisinglearners’writingandhelplearnerswithplanningtheirwriting.Inaddition,theteachermayremindlearnersaboutrelevantfeaturesoftheirwritingandofferreassurance as necessary.

Thetwowritingtaskscaneitherbehandwrittenortyped.Teachersshouldensurethatlearnersusingawordprocesserhavethespellingandgrammarchecksdisabled.

Writtenwork(handwrittenortyped)shouldnotbecorrectedaslearnerswrite.Teachersshould,however,indicateonthescriptwordswithwhichtheyhavegivenassistance.

TherearethreebroadlevelsofsupportwhichteacherscanofferlearnerstoenablethemtocompletetheWritingtasksindependently.ItispossibleforteacherstoofferadifferentlevelofsupportforeachWritingtask.Thelevelofsupportwhichalearnerreceivesmayimpactonthemaximummarkthatcanbeawardedforthetask.Seesection4c,‘Levelsofsupport’,fordetails.

Bothtasksshouldbetakeninaclassroomandconductedbythelearners’ownteacher.Theteachermaybeassistedbyotherteachersorbyclassroomassistantswhomustfollowthisguidance.

Theproductionofthefinalwrittenworkforeachtaskwillnormallybecompletedin35minutes,butteachersmayusetheirdiscretionastothetiming,dependingontheneeds of individual learners.

SpokenLanguagetask


Learnersparticipatein one Spoken languagetask,either a discussion or a role play. The task is set by centres.

ThereisoneSpokenlanguagetask:eitheradiscussionor a role play. The task is set by centresfollowingguidancefromOCR.

Teachersshouldsettaskswhichofferchallengesappropriatetotheirlearners’abilities.Appropriatetasksshouldbebasedonpersonalinterestsandcontextsfamiliartothelearner.

TherequirementsfortheSpokenlanguagetaskareassuchthatthetopiccanbelinkedtovocationalqualificationsandcentresareencouragedtodothisifitisappropriate for their learners.

Teachersshoulddiscussthetaskoptionswithlearners.Thetopic(forthediscussiontask)orsituation(fortheroleplaytask)shouldbedecidedinadvance,indiscussionwith the learner. Teachers should ensure that the task enables learners to access the markingcriteria.

Learnersmaybegivenasmuchresearchandpreparationtimeastheyneed.Thistimewillbeorganisedbytheteacher.LearnersmayplantheirSpokenlanguageactivityincollaborationwitheachotherandwiththeteacherwhomaydiscusstopics,themesand ideas for the discussion or role play.

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Eithertaskrequireslearnerstoactivelycommunicatewithatleastoneotherperson.Learnersshouldbepreparedforthetasksothattheyarecomfortablewiththeotherparticipant(s)andhaveaclearunderstandingofwhattheyarebeingaskedtodo.

Duringthetasktheteachershouldinterveneaslittleaspossible.

TherearethreebroadlevelsofsupportwhichteacherscanofferlearnerstoenablethemtocompletetheSpokenlanguagetaskindependently.Thelevelofsupportwhichalearnerreceivesmayimpactonthemaximummarkthatcanbeawardedforthetask.Seesection4c,‘Levelsofsupport’,fordetails.

Thetaskshouldbetakeninaclassroomandconductedbythelearners’ownteacher.Theteachermaybeassistedbyotherteachersorbyclassroomassistantswhomustfollowthisguidance.

Thetaskwillnormallybecompletedin10minutes,butteachersmayusetheirdiscretionastothetiming,dependingontheneedsofindividuallearners.

TheSpokenlanguagetaskwillneedtobeaudiorecordedin*.mp3audioformat.Seesection5dfordetails.

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TherearethreeAssessmentObjectivesinOCR’sEntryLevelCertificateinEnglish.Thesearedetailedinthetablebelow.

AssessmentObjective

AO1 Reading

Learnersshowthattheycanreadandunderstandnon-fictionandliterarytextsby:

• Identifyingexplicitinformationandideas• Recognisingfactsandopinions• Inferringmeanings• Summarisinginformation• Usingcontexttoestablishsense• Commentingonsomelanguagechoices.

AO2 Writing

Learnersshowthattheycanproduceinformativeandimaginativepiecesofwritingby:

• Organisinginformationandideasaccordingtothepurposeofthetask• Selectinglanguagewhichisappropriatetotheform,audienceandpurposeof

the task• UsingthegrammaticalstructuresofsimpleStandardEnglish• Usingbasicpunctuationaccuratelyandconsistently• Accuratelyspellingcommonlyoccurring,simplewords.

AO3 Spokenlanguage

Learnersshowthattheycanunderstandandparticipateinaspokenlanguage activityby:

• Speakingaudiblyandcomprehensibly• Engaginginadiscussionorconversation• Attemptingtostructuretheirtalksothatitisunderstandable• Selectinglanguagethatisappropriateforthesituationandaudience• Listeningtootherswithattentionandconcentration• Understandingandrespondingtotheideasofothers• UsingandrespondingtospokenStandardEnglishwhereappropriate.

3b. Assessmentobjectives(AO)

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TherelationshipbetweentheAssessmentObjectivesandtheassessmentsareshowninthefollowingtable:

Assessments%ofoverallEntryLevelCertificateinEnglish(R393)

TotalAO1 AO2 AO3

Reading 40 0 0 40%

Writing 0 40 0 40%

Spokenlanguage 0 0 20 20%

Total 40 40 20 100%

AOweightingsforOCREntryLevelCertificateinEnglish

3c. Assessmentavailability

TherewillbeoneexaminationseriesavailableeachyearinMay/Junetoall learners.

ThisspecificationwillbecertificatedfromtheJune2017examinationseriesonwards.

3d. Retakingthequalification

Learnerscanretakethequalificationasmanytimesasthey wish.

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AllinternalassessmenttasksaresetbyOCRorbythecentre.

Assessment SetbyCentre SetbyOCR

Readingtasks ü

Writingtasks ü

Spokenlanguagetask ü

ThebankofReadingtaskscanbefoundonOCRInterchange:https://interchange.ocr.org.uk

GuidanceforsettingtheWritingandSpokenlanguagetaskscanbefoundontheOCRwebsite: www.ocr.org.uk/english

3e. Internalassessmenttasks

3f. Non-examassessment–markingcriteria

WorksubmittedfortheEntryLevelassessmentsshouldreflectthestandardexpectedforalearnerafterafullEntryLevelcourseofstudy.

AllassessmentsforOCR’sEntryLevelinEnglishareinternallyassessedandexternallymoderated.

EachReadingtaskisworth20marks,givingatotalof40marksforReadingassessment.BothReadingtasksassessAO1:Reading.

EachWritingtaskisworth20marks,givingatotalof40marksforWritingassessment.BothWritingtasksassessAO2:Writing.

TheSpokenlanguagetaskisworth20marks,givingatotalof20marksforSpokenlanguageassessment.TheSpokenlanguagetaskassessesAO3:Spokenlanguage

Learners’workshouldbemarkedbythecentreassessortothemarkingcriteriaintherelevanttable,usinga‘best-fit’approach.

Markingshouldbepositive,rewardingachievementratherthanpenalisingfailureoromissions.The

awardingofmarksmustbedirectlyrelatedtothemarkingcriteria.

TheReadingmarkschemescanbefoundwitheachindividualReadingtaskonOCRInterchange.ForthetwoReadingtasksteachersshouldonlyawardmarksaccordingtothemarkschemeforeachindividualtask.Thisistoensurethatallteachersmarktothesamestandard.Learnersarenotexpectedtouseexactlythesamewordsasthosegiveninthemarkschemeandteachersshouldmakejudgementsastowhetherlearnershavegraspedthegistoftheanswersufficientlyforamarktobegiven.

ForthetwoWritingtasksandtheSpokenlanguagetask,teachersshouldusetheirprofessionaljudgementinselectingtheleveldescriptorthat bestdescribestheworkofthelearnertoplacethemintheappropriatelevelforeachassessment.

Toselectthemostappropriatemarkintheleveldescriptor,teachersshouldusethefollowingguidance:

• wherethelearner’sworkconvincinglymeetsthestatement,thehighestmarkshouldbeawarded


http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/by-subject/english/

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• wherethelearner’sworkadequatelymeetsthestatement,themostappropriatemarkinthemiddleoftherangeshouldbeawarded

• wherethelearner’sworkjustmeetsthestatement,thelowestmarkshouldbeawarded.

Teachersshouldusethefullrangeofmarksavailabletothemandawardfullmarksinanylevelforworkwhichfullymeetsthatdescriptor.

Thelevelofsupportwhichalearnerreceivesmayimpactonthemaximummarkthatcanbeawarded.

Teachersshouldrefertotheguidancegiveninsection4c,‘Levelsofsupport’,beforetheybeginmarkingtheassessments.

There should be clear evidence that work has been attemptedandsomeworkproduced.Ifalearnersubmitsnoworkforanassessmentthenthelearnershouldbeindicatedasbeingabsentfromthatassessment.Ifalearnercompletesanyworkatallfortheassessmentthentheworkshouldbeassessedaccordingtothemarkingcriteriaandtheappropriatemarkawarded,whichmaybezero.Amarkofzeroshould be awarded where there is no response for an itemortask,ornoresponseworthyofcredit.

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ThemarkschemesforeachoftheReadingtaskscanbefoundwiththeindividualtasksonOCRInterchange:https://interchange.ocr.org.uk.

Markingcriteriaforinternalassessments:Reading

Markingcriteriaforinternalassessments:Writing

AO2

Writing

Level3:

[14–20]marks

Learners’writingshowsaclearattempttoorganiseinformationandideastosuitthepurposeofthetaskandtheworkisexpressedwithclarity.Themainfeaturesofnon-fictionandnarrativeformsareusedappropriatelyandthereissomeawarenessofthereader.

Thereisclearevidenceofsustainedwriting.Informativewritingisreasonablycompleteandorderly,andvocabulary,thoughitmaybestraightforward,issuitableforthetask.Statementsofopinionareclearandhavesomeexplanation.Inimaginativewriting,narrativesaresimplewithalogicalseriesofeventsandwithsomedetail.

Sentencesareusuallyarrangedinalogicalsequenceandtheirbasicgrammaticalstructureisusuallycorrect.

Learnersusebasicpunctuation,suchasfullstops,capitallettersandquestionmarks,accuratelyandgenerallyconsistently.Simple,commonlyoccurring,monosyllabicandpolysyllabicwordsarespeltcorrectly

AO2

Writing

Level2:

[7–13]marks

Learners’writingshowssomeattempttoorganiseinformationandideas.Mostoftheworkisexpressedwithclarity.Thewritingcommunicatesoverallmeaninginbothnon-fictionandnarrativeformsandbeginstoshowsomeawareness of the reader.

Thereissomeevidenceofsustainedwriting.Ininformativewriting,informationispresentedinalogicalsequence.Statementsofopinionarebriefandgivesomeexplanationonverysimpleissues.Inimaginativewriting,narrativesaresimple,withsomelogicalseriesofevents.

Somesentencesarearrangedtoshowconnectionsofideas.Sentencesaregenerallysimplewithsomegrammaticalaccuracy.

Learners’useofbasicpunctuation,suchasfullstops,capitallettersandquestionmarks,isgenerallyaccuratebutmaynotbeconsistent.Simple,commonlyoccurringmonosyllabic,andsomepolysyllabic,wordsarespeltcorrectly.


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AO2

Writing

Level1:

[1–6]marks

Learners’writingshowsalimitedattempttoorganiseinformationand ideas.Innon-fictionandnarrativeforms,verysimplemeaningsarecomprehensible.

Learners’writingisbrief.Ininformativewriting,factualworkisusuallypresentedaslistsandopinionpiecesareunelaborated.Inimaginativewriting,storiesandnarrativesaresimpleandmaypresentarandomseriesof events.

Learners’writingcommunicatesthroughsimplewordsandphraseswhichmaynotbecoherentorgrammaticallycorrect.

Basicpunctuation,suchasfullstopsandcapitalletters,aresometimesusedaccurately.Commonlyoccurringmonosyllabicwordsaregenerallyspeltcorrectly.

0marks=noresponseornoresponseworthyofcredit.

Markingcriteriaforinternalassessments:Spokenlanguage

AO3

Spokenlanguage

Level3:

[14–20]marks

Learnersmakedevelopedcontributionstothediscussionorroleplayandwillattemptexplanationsandusedetailindescriptions.Theyspeakaudiblyandarecomprehensiblethroughout.Learnerslistentoothersandrespondappropriately,withsomedetail.TheyusespokenStandardEnglishwhereappropriate.

Learnersfollowandbegintoexplainorexpandonthemainpointsinadiscussionorroleplay.Theycanconveymeaningusingsomedevelopedvocabularytosuitthesituationandaudience.

AO3

Spokenlanguage

Level2:

[7–13]marks

Learnersmakesomecontributionstothediscussionorroleplayandusesomedetail.Learnersspeakaudiblyandarecomprehensible.Theyshowanabilitytolistentoothersandtorespondappropriately,sometimeswithalittledetail.TheybegintousespokenStandardEnglishwhereappropriate.

Learnersfollowthemainpointsinadiscussionorroleplayandshowthattheyhavedonesointheirresponses.Theyconveymeaningusingsimplevocabularytogenerallysuitthesituationandaudience.

AO3

Spokenlanguage

Level1:

[1–6]marks

Learnersspeakbrieflyandmakebasic,undevelopedcontributionstothediscussionorroleplay.Theyspeakaudiblyandaremostlycomprehensible.Theyshowsomeevidenceoflisteningtoothersandofrespondingappropriately.

Theyfollowthemaindriftofatleastpartofadiscussionorroleplayandconvey,insimplevocabulary,simplemeaningsthatarerelevanttothesituationandaudience.

0marks=noresponseornoresponseworthyofcredit.

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Alearner’soverallqualificationgradeforOCREntryLevelCertificateinEnglishwillbecalculatedbyaddingtogethertheirmarksfromthetaskstakentogivetheirtotalmark.

Thismarkwillthenbecomparedtothequalificationlevelgradeboundariesfortherelevantexamseriestodeterminethelearner’soverallqualificationgrade.

3g. Calculatingqualificationresults

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Theinformationinthissectionisdesignedtogiveanoverviewoftheprocessesinvolvedinadministeringthisqualificationsothatyoucanspeaktoyourexamsofficer.AllofthefollowingprocessesrequireyoutosubmitsomethingtoOCRbyaspecificdeadline.

MoreinformationabouttheprocessesanddeadlinesinvolvedateachstageoftheassessmentcyclecanbefoundintheAdministrationareaoftheOCRwebsite.

OCR’s Admin overview is available on the OCR website at www.ocr.org.uk/administration.

4 Admin:whatyouneedtoknow

4a. Pre-assessment

Estimatedentries

Estimatedentriesareyourbestprojectionofthenumberoflearnerswhowillbeenteredforaqualificationinaparticularseries.Estimatedentries

shouldbesubmittedtoOCRbythespecifieddeadline.Theyarefreeanddonotcommityourcentre in any way.

Finalentries

FinalentriesprovideOCRwithdetaileddatafor eachlearner,showingeachassessmenttobetaken. Itisessentialthatyouusethecorrectentrycode,consideringtherelevantentryrules.

FinalentriesmustbesubmittedtoOCRbythepublished deadlines or late entry fees will apply.

AlllearnerstakingthisOCREntryLevelCertificateinEnglishmustbeenteredforR393.

Entryoption Components

Entry code Title Code Assessment type Submissionmethod

R393 English 01 Non-examassessment OCR Repository

02 Non-examassessment OCRPostalModeration

http://www.ocr.org.uk/administration

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Specialconsiderationisapost-assessmentadjustmenttomarksorgradestoreflecttemporaryinjury,illnessorotherindispositionatthetimetheassessmentwastaken.

DetailedinformationabouteligibilityforspecialconsiderationcanbefoundintheJCQpublication A guide to the special consideration process. Adjustmentstostandardassessmentarrangementsaremadeonthebasisoftheindividualneedsoflearners.Itisimportant,therefore,thatcentresidentifyasearlyaspossiblewhetherlearnershavedisabilitiesorparticulardifficultiesthatwillputthematadisadvantageintheassessmentsituationandselectanappropriatequalificationoradjustmentthatwillallowthemtodemonstrateattainment.

TheresponsibilityforprovidingadjustmentstoassessmentissharedbetweenyourcentreandOCR;forfurtherinformationpleasereadtheJointCouncilofQualifications’(JCQ)bookletAccess Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments.

Therearesectionsprovidingeligibilitycriteriaanddetailsrelatingtothedeliveryofeachaccessarrangement.Pleasepayparticularattentiontopages96–97inrelationtoEntryLevelCertificate.Subjecttoanyspecifiedqualificationrestrictions,ifacentrehasapprovalfromAccessArrangementsOnlineforaccessarrangementsforaGCSEorGCElearner,thisapprovalextendstoEntryLevelCertificatequalifications.

TheaccessarrangementspermissibleforuseintheEntryLevelCertificatequalificationsareasfollows:

4b. Accessarrangementsandspecialconsideration

AccessArrangementsforEntryLevelCertificateinEnglish

Thearrangementslistedontherightmaybegrantedbythecentreand do not need to be recorded.

Evidence of need is not required tobeheldonfile.

• Amplificationequipment,tapedquestionsandresponses• Bilingualdictionary• Braillers• Braillingofnon-secureassessmentmaterial• ClosedCircuitTelevision(CCTV)• Colournamingbytheinvigilatorforlearnerswhoarecolour

blind• Colouredoverlays• Lowvisionaid/magnifier• Prompter• ReadAloud• Separateinvigilation(withinthecentre)• Supervisedrestbreaks• Transcript• WordProcessor(withspellcheckandgrammarcheckdisabled)

Wherepermittedbythespecification,thearrangementslistedtotherightmaybegrantedby the centre without prior approvalfromOCR,buta Form11(JCQ/EL/NF)mustbecompletedandkeptonthecentre’sfiles.

Form11isavailablefrom www.jcq.org.uk.

• ComputerReader• Extratimeintimedcomponents• PracticalAssistant• Reader• Scribe/SpeechRecognitionTechnology• SignLanguageInterpreterforfrontpageinstructionsonly

TheForm11(JCQ/EL/NF)mustlistthenamesandnumbersoflearnerswhoweregrantedanyofthesearrangements.

https://www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration/regulations-and-guidance/


http://www.jcq.org.uk

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Theaccessarrangementsdetailedabovemaybeappropriateforlearnerswithdisabilities,specialeducationalneedsortemporaryinjuriesimpactingontheirabilitytoaccesstheassessment,butthisisnotanexhaustivelist.Reasonableadjustmentswhichmaybeappropriateforlearnerswithdisabilitieshavenotbeenlisted;applicationsshouldbemadeonanindividualbasistoOCR.Applicationsreceivedwillbeconsideredinthecontextofthestandardswhichmustbemetineachunitandtheevidenceofneed.

ApplicationsshouldbemadetotheSpecialRequirementsTeamatOCR([email protected]).

TheJCQdocumentA Guide to the Special Consideration Processdocumentshouldalsobereferredtoregardingpost-assessmentspecialconsiderationincasesoftemporaryillness,indispositionorinjury,atthetimeoftheassessment.EntryLevelCertificateapplicationsforspecialconsiderationshouldbesubmittedusingSpecialConsiderationOnline,accessedviaOCRInterchange

4c. Adminofnon-examassessment

Regulationsgoverningarrangementsfor internalassessmentsarecontainedinthe

JCQInstructions for conducting non-examination assessments.

Levelsofsupport

ForeachoftheEntryLevelassessments,theteachermayhelplearnerstounderstandthetasksbutmaynothelpthemwiththecontentoftheiranswers.There are three broad levels of support which teacherscanoffertoenablelearnerstocompletetasksindependently,fromHighlevel,substantialsupport,toLowlevel,minimalsupport.Teachers canofferadifferentlevelofsupportfordifferenttasks.Thelevelofsupportgiventoalearnermayimpacttosomeextentonthemaximummarkwhichcanbeawardedforatask.Thefollowingdescriptionsindicatethedegreeofsupportthatteacherscan givetoenablelearnerstocompletethetasksindependently.

Readingtasks

Teachersshouldintroducethetextbyreadingout thetitleandthelinesprintedinitalics.Theymay alsoreadoutanypropernamesthatmaynotreadilyberecognised.Teachersmayreadoutanyquestion to any learner. Teachers are free to write down answersatthelearner’sdictation.Whereawordinalearner’sresponseisillegible,teachersshouldsupplyareadableversion.Ifnecessary,alearnermaybeaskedtoidentifytheword.

High:LearnersworkingwithhighlevelsupportwillcompletetheReadingtasksincollaborationwiththeteacher.Theteacherwillhelpthemtounderstand thesituationandthetasks.Theteacherwillexpect toreadthetextswiththelearnerandtohelpthemunderstandthemeaningsofwords.Theteachermayfinditappropriatetogetlearnerstoreadthetextaloud.

Medium:Learnersworkingwithmediumlevelsupportwillshowprogresswithindependentreadingandwillreceiveoccasionalhelpwithunderstandingthemeaningsofthetasksandwithunderstandingoccasionalindividualwordsandmeaningsinthetexts.Theteachermayadviselearnerstoreadthetextaloud.

Low:LearnersworkingwithlowlevelsupportwillreadquietlyandworkindependentlyontheReadingtasks.Theteachermayoccasionallyanswerquestionsaboutthewordingsoftasks.

Writingtasks

Theteachermayremindlearnersaboutallrelevantfeaturesoftheirwritingandofferreassuranceas




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necessary. Work should not be corrected as learners write,butteachersshouldindicateonthescriptanywordswithwhichtheyhavegivenassistance.

High:Learnersworkingwithhighlevelsupportwillmakepositiveachievementsincollaborationwith the teacher. The teacher can help learners with individualwordsandphrasesintheirwritingandofferguidancewhereitisneeded.LearnersworkingwithhighlevelsupportwillusuallyfinditdifficulttowritemorethanabriefresponseandwillthereforeusuallybeexpectedtobeworkingatLevel1standard.

Medium:Learnersworkingwithmediumlevelsupportwillshowprogresswithindependentwritingbuttheteachermayhelpthemwithindividualwordsintheirwriting.LearnersworkingwithmediumlevelsupportshouldgivesomeevidenceoftheirabilitytosustainwritingandwillusuallybeexpectedtobeworkingatLevel2standard.

Low:Learnersworkingwithlowlevelsupportwillcompletetheirworkundernormalinternalassessmentconditions.Learnersworkingwithlowlevel support should be able to plan and write independentlyandshouldgiveevidenceoftheirabilitytosustainwritingatareasonablelength.LearnersworkingwithlowlevelsupportwillusuallybeexpectedtobeworkingatLevel3standard.

Spokenlanguage

Teachers should ensure that learners understand whattheyhavetodobeforethebeginningofthetask.Duringthetasktheteachershouldinterveneaslittleaspossible.

High:Learnersworkingwithhighlevelsupportwillmakepositivecontributionstotheactivityincollaborationwiththeteacher.Theteachermayencouragelearnersandpromptthemtocommunicateinformationortorespondtoquestions.Theteachercanremindlearnersofthesituationandaudienceforthe task. The discussion or role play will be led by the teacher.LearnersworkingwithhighlevelsupportwillusuallybeexpectedtobeworkingatLevel1standard.

Medium: Learnersworkingwithmediumlevelsupportwillshowprogresswithindependentparticipationintheactivity.Theteachermayencouragelearnersandpromptthemtoexpandoncomments.Theycanremindlearnersofthesituationandaudienceforthetask.LearnersworkingwithmediumlevelsupportwillusuallybeexpectedtobeworkingatLevel2standard.

Low: Learnersworkingwithlowlevelsupportwillindependentlyparticipateintheactivity.Theteachermayoccasionallyencouragelearnersandpromptthemtoexpandoncomments.LearnersworkingwithlowlevelsupportwillusuallybeexpectedtobeworkingatLevel3standard.

Authenticationoflearner’swork

Centresmustdeclarethattheworksubmittedforassessmentisthelearner’sownbycompletingacentreauthenticationform(CCS160).ThisinformationmustberetainedatthecentreandbeavailableonrequesttoeitherOCRortheJCQcentre

inspectionservice.ItmustbekeptuntilthedeadlinehaspassedforcentrestosubmitanEnquiryAboutResults(EAR).OncethisdeadlinehaspassedandcentreshavenotrequestedanEAR,thisevidencecanbe destroyed.

HeadofCentreAnnualDeclaration

The Head of Centre is required to provide a declarationtotheJCQaspartoftheannualNCNupdate,conductedintheautumnterm,toconfirmthatthecentreismeetingalloftherequirementsdetailedinthespecification.

AnyfailurebyacentretoprovidetheHeadofCentreAnnualDeclarationwillresultinyourcentrestatusbeingsuspendedandcouldleadtothewithdrawalofour approval for you to operate as a centre.

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Privatecandidates

PrivatecandidatesmayenterforOCRassessments.

Aprivatecandidateissomeonewhopursuesacourseofstudyindependentlybuttakesanexaminationorassessmentatanapprovedexaminationcentre.Aprivatecandidatemaybeapart-timestudent,someonetakingadistancelearningcourse,orsomeonebeingtutoredprivately.TheymustbebasedintheUK.

TheEntryLevelCertificateinEnglishrequireslearnerstocompleteatotaloffivetasks:twoReadingtasks,twoWritingtasksandoneSpokenLanguagetask.

Thesetasksareanessentialpartofthecourseandwill allow learners to develop skills for further study oremploymentaswellastheconfidencetocommunicateeffectively.

Private candidates need to contact OCR approved centres to establish whether they are prepared to hostthemasaprivatecandidate.ThecentremaychargeforthisfacilityandOCRrecommendsthatthearrangementismadeearlyinthecourse.

FurtherguidanceforprivatecandidatesmaybefoundontheOCRwebsite:http://www.ocr.org.uk.

Internalstandardisation

Centresmustcarryoutinternalstandardisationtoensurethatmarksawardedbydifferentteachersare

accurate and consistent across all learners entered for thecomponentfromthatcentre.

Moderation

Thepurposeofmoderationistobringthemarkingofinternally-assessedassessmentsinallparticipatingcentrestoanagreedstandard.Thisisachievedbycheckingasampleofeachcentre’smarkingoflearner’s work.

Followinginternalstandardisation,centressubmitmarkstoOCRandthemoderator.Ifthereare10learnersorfewer,alltheworkshouldbesubmittedformoderationatthesametimeasmarksaresubmitted.

OncemarkshavebeensubmittedtoOCRandyourmoderator,centreswillreceiveamoderationsamplerequest.Sampleswillincludeworkfromacrosstherangeofattainmentofthelearners’work.

Therearetwowaystosubmitasample:

ModerationviatheOCRRepository–Whereyouupload electronic copies of the work included in the sampletotheOCRRepositoryandyourmoderatoraccessestheworkfromthere.

Postalmoderation–Whereyoupostthesampleofworktothemoderator.

Themethodthatwillbeusedtosubmitthe moderationsamplemustbespecifiedwhen

makingentries.TherelevantentrycodesaregiveninSection4aabove.

Alllearners’workmustbesubmittedusingthesameentryoption.Itisnotpossibleforcentrestoofferbothoptionswithinthesameseries.

Each learner’s work should have a cover sheet attachedtoitwithasummaryofthemarksawardedfortheReading,WritingandSpokenlanguagetasks. Iftheworkistobesubmittedindigitalformat,thiscoversheetshouldalsobesubmittedelectronicallywithineachlearner’sfolder.Formoreinformation ontheevidencerequiredformoderation,seesection5dFiles.

Centreswillreceivetheoutcomeofmoderation when the provisional results are issued. This will include:

ModerationAdjustmentsReport–Listingany scalingthathasbeenappliedtointernallyassessedassessments.

Moderator Report to Centres–Abriefreportby themoderatorontheinternalassessmentoflearners’ work.


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GradeScale

EntryLevelqualificationsaregradedonthescale:Entry3,Entry2andEntry1,whereEntry3isthehighestgradeavailable.LearnerswhofailtoreachtheminimumstandardofEntry1willbeUnclassified(U).

OnlysubjectsinwhichgradesEntry3,Entry2 andEntry1areattainedwillberecordedoncertificates.

Results

Results are released to centres and learners for informationandtoallowanyqueriestoberesolvedbeforecertificatesareissued.

Centreswillhaveaccesstothefollowingresultsinformationforeachlearner:

• thegradeforthequalification

• thetotalmarkforthequalification.

Thefollowingsupportinginformationwillbeavailable:

• gradeboundariesforeachentryoption.

Untilcertificatesareissued,resultsaredeemedtobeprovisionalandmaybesubjecttoamendment.

Alearner’sfinalresultswillberecordedonanOCRcertificate.Thequalificationtitlewillbeshownonthecertificateas‘OCREntryLevelCertificateinEnglish’.

4e. Post-resultsservices

Anumberofpost-resultsservicesareavailable:

• Enquiriesaboutresults–Ifyouarenothappywiththeoutcomeofalearner’sresults,centresmaysubmitanenquiryaboutresults.

• Missingandincompleteresults–Thisserviceshouldbeusedifanindividualsubjectresultforalearnerismissing,orthelearnerhasbeenomittedentirelyfromtheresultssupplied.

4f. Malpractice

It is the responsibility of the Head of Centre to report (inwriting)allcasesofsuspectedmalpracticeinvolvingcentrestafforcandidates,[email protected].

WhenaskedtodosobyOCR,HeadsofCentres arerequiredtoinvestigateinstancesofmalpracticepromptly,andreporttheoutcomesto [email protected].

FurtherinformationiscontainedintheJCQpublication: General and Vocational Qualifications – Suspected Malpractice in Examinations and Assessments whichisavailablefromwww.jcq.org.uk.

4d. Resultsandcertificates



http://www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/

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5a. Awardingofgrades

ThegradesawardedfortheEntryLevelCertificateinEnglishwillbeatthreelevels:Entry1,Entry2andEntry3.

Allmarkschemeshavebeenwrittentoaddressthefollowingtargetedthresholds:

5 Appendices

SpecificationGrade Entry 3 Entry 2 Entry 1

Target 80% 60% 40%

5b. Overlapwithotherqualifications

ThereissomeoverlapofcontentwiththeOCRGCSE(9–1)inEnglishLanguage,althoughtheassessmentrequirementsaredifferent.

ThereisadegreeofoverlapbetweenthecontentofthisspecificationandthoseforotherEntryLevelCertificatesinEnglish.

5c. Keyskillssections

ThisspecificationprovidesopportunitiesforthedevelopmentoftheKeySkillsofCommunication, Application of Number, Information Technology, Working with Others, Improving Own Learning and Performance and Problem Solving at Level 1. However,theextenttowhichthisevidencefulfilstheKey Skills criteria at these levels will be totally

dependentonthestyleofteachingandlearningadopted for each unit.

ThefollowingtableindicateswhereopportunitiesmayexistforatleastsomecoverageofthevariousKeySkillscriteriaatLevel1foreachunit.

Unit C1

AoN1

IT1

WwO1

IoLP1

PS1

R393 ü ü ü ü ü

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AllcentresenteringlearnersfortheOCREntryLevelCertificateinEnglishmustsubmitasampleoflearners’filesasevidenceformoderation.Learners’filescanbesubmittedelectronicallyviatheOCRRepositoryorsubmittedforpostalmoderation. Seesection4afortherelevantentrycodes.

AlltheEntryLevelEnglishtasksareinternallyassessed.Theyaremarkedbytheteacherandinternally standardised by the centre. Marks are thensubmittedtoOCRby15Mayonanannualbasis,afterwhichmoderationtakesplaceinaccordancewithOCRprocedures.Thepurposeofmoderationistoensurethatthestandardoftheawardofmarks forworkisthesameforeachcentreandthateachteacher has applied the standards appropriately acrosstherangeoflearnerswithinthecentre.

OncemarkshavebeensubmittedtoOCRandyourmoderator,centreswillreceiveamoderationsamplerequest.

Thesamplewillconsistof10learnersfromacross thecentre’sattainmentrange.Where10learnersorfewerareenteredforthequalification,thecentre willsubmitfilesforalllearners.Filessubmittedformoderationshouldbeclearlylabelledandincludethefollowingdetails:

• centrenumber

• centrename

• candidatenumber

• candidatename

• tasktitle.

Eachlearner’sfileshouldincludeacoversheet withdetailsofthemarksawardedforeachtaskinaccordancewiththemarkingcriteria.Ifthework istobesubmittedelectronically,thiscoversheetshouldalsobesubmittedelectronicallywithineachlearner’sfile.

Eachlearnerfileshouldcontainthefollowingevidenceandshouldbesubmittedforeachlearner inthesample:

• thetwoReadingtasks

• thetwoWritingtasks

• ACDorDVDcontaininganaudiorecordingofthelearner’sSpokenlanguagetask.ThecentreisresponsibleforprovidingaCDorDVDforthispurpose.

CompatibleaudiofileformatsfortherecordingoftheSpokenlanguagetaskaregiveninthetablebelow.

Audioorsoundformats

MPEGAudioLayer3(*.mp3)

5d. Files

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5e. Interimawards

TheEntryLevelEnglishcoursewillleadtofinalcertificationbyOCRatEntryLevel1,2or3.However,thisspecificationalsoprovidestheopportunityforinterimcertificationtobeachievedbylearnersatstagesduringthecourse.Theseinterimcertificatesareavailableatthreedifferentlevels:Bronze,SilverandGold.Thesecertificatesareawardedtolearnersbythecentreinrecognitionoftheprogresstheyhavemade.

ThecentremayawardinterimcertificatesatBronze,SilverandGold,asdescribedbelow.Theseinterimawardsprovidemotivationandmaintainengagementbyrecognisinglearners’progressintheOCR EntryLevelCertificateinEnglish.Thecertificates areavailabletodownloadviaInterchange https://interchange.ocr.org.uk.

Awardsarebasedoncreditaccumulationduringthecourse. Any combinationofmarksgainedfrom theinterimassessmenttaskscanbeusedtoreachthethresholdtotalforeachlevelofinterimawards.

Teacherswillneedtomonitortheperformanceoflearnersatfrequentintervalsduringthecourse.AstheyapproachthethreekeypointsfortheinterimawardsofBronze,SilverandGold,learnersshouldbeawareofhowclosetheyaretoachievingtheiraward.

BronzeAward(40%):Threshold:40marksAnexampleofaperformanceforBronzeaward wouldbe:

Reading(01)Understandinganon-fictiontext– 7marksoutof20Understandingaliterarytext – 8marksoutof20

Writing(02)Informativewriting – 10marksoutof20Imaginativewriting – 5marksoutof20

Spokenlanguage(03)Discussionorroleplay – 10marksoutof20

Thisrepresentsanoverallachievementof40%.

SilverAward(60%):Threshold:60marksAnexampleofaperformanceforSilveraward wouldbe:





GoldAward(80%):Threshold:80marks AnexampleofaperformanceforGoldawardwouldbe:





InterimcertificatesforBronze,SilverandGoldawardscanbeawardedbycentresatanytimeduringtheEntryLevelcourse,butfinalgradecertificateswillonlybeissuedbyOCRwhenlearnershavecompletedtheOCREntryLevelCertificateinEnglish.Interimcertificationisasuggestionforthiscourseofstudyandisnotarequirementofthisspecification.



Summaryofupdates

Date Version Section Titleofsection Change

May2018 1.1 Frontcover Disclaimer Additionofdisclaimer

30© OCR 2016


32© OCR 2016


OCR is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group, a department of the University of Cambridge.

For staff training purposes and as part of our quality assurance programme your call may be recorded or monitored. ©OCR 2018 Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations is a Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England. Registered office 1 Hills Road, Cambridge CB1 2EU. Registered company number 3484466. OCR is an exempt charity.

Contact the team at: 01223 553998 [email protected] @OCR_english

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