Qualification reform and disabled learners

Julie SwanAssociate Director Vocational Qualifications and Regulatory Policy

Content

Ofqual’s role in reforming qualifications

Summary of changes to GCSEs

Summary of changes to AS and A levels

Implications for disabled learners

Where to go for more information

Responsibilities for reform of GCSEs, AS and A levels

Government – Department for Education:

Decides overall policy on qualifications

Arrangements for content/curriculum development

Responsibilities for reform of GCSEs, AS and A levels

Ofqual:

Sets criteria for design of qualifications (eg how they are structured and assessed) and accepts new qualifications onto the ‘Register for Regulated Qualifications’ through accreditation

Oversees awarding of GCSEs, AS and A levels to ensure standards are maintained consistently and fairly

Responsibilities for reform of GCSEs, AS and A levels

Exam boards:

Design and deliver qualifications

Reforms to GCSE, AS and A level

Timetable

/

September 2016September 2015 September 2017

First teaching of 1st tranche

of new GCSEs, AS and A levels

2nd tranche of new GCSEs, AS and A levels start

to be taught

Remaining subjects at all

levels start to be taught. Any subjects not

reformed and approved by then will be withdrawn

What will new GCSEs look like?

Structure – linear (not broken into separately assessed units), with all exams in the summer at the end of the course– (Resits of the whole qualification available in

November for GCSEs in maths and English language only, for those aged 16+)

Assessment – exam where possible, other forms of assessment only where necessary to assess essential subject skills

What will new GCSEs look like?

Tiered assessments – only where necessary

Standard – accessible to the same proportion of Key Stage 4 students as at present

Grading – new numbered scale from 9 to 1 (plus U), 9 is the highest

What will reformed A levels look like?

Content – for new A levels has been updated

Structure – all exams in the summer at the end of the course, including resits

Assessment

– exam where possible, other forms of assessment only where necessary to assess essential subjects skills

– synoptic questions/tasks and more extended responses

– in some subjects, a minimum proportion of marks must be allocated to mathematical tasks

What will reformed A levels look like?

Grading – staying the same as now, A*- E (& U)

Demand – same level of challenge as current A levels

What will reformed AS qualifications look like?

Content – content for AS qualifications has been updated

Standalone – the new AS will not count towards an A level grade.

Assessment – by exam only at the end of the course, using other forms of assessment only where necessary to assess essential subjects skills

What will reformed AS qualifications look like?

Co-teachable – can be designed to be taught alongside first year of A level.

Grading – staying the same as now, A - E (& U)

Demand – same level of challenge as current AS

Implications for disabled students

We have assessed the impact of the changes on

disabled students

Reasonable adjustment arrangements will remain in

place. We will be consulting on our s96 specifications

where we can limit the range of reasonable

adjustments that can be made, particularly on the

circumstances in which exemptions can be given,

mainly to accommodate the new structure

Implications for disabled students

• The return to linear qualifications does NOT mean the use of three hours exams – as has been reported in places. For example, for GCSE English language 9-1 the longest exams for any of the accredited specifications is 2 hours

• There were be fewer assessment points

• More exams at the end of the course

Subject specific issues

For GCSE geography – there’s a requirement that

schools provide opportunities for students to

undertake fieldwork and the exam will assume they

have. But it is not a ‘hurdle’.

There will be a similar requirement for GCSE

Sciences

For A level sciences the ability to undertake practical

work will be separately reported and assessed (in a

separate grade)

Our General Conditions of Recognition - our rules - will apply to all reformed qualifications

These include requirements on exam boards to:

• Comply with equalities law

• Monitor their qualifications for any features that could disadvantage learners who share a particular Characteristic

Our General Conditions of Recognition - our rules - will apply to all reformed qualifications

• Remove any such feature that can’t be justified

• Use appropriate language and stimulus materials and avoid language/ stimulus materials that disadvantage particular groups of learners

• Make arrangements for reasonable adjustments

Find out more

Keep up to date on qualification reform:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofqual

Read and respond to our consultations: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?publication_filter_option=consultations

call Ofqual’s helpdesk – 0300 303 3346

email – public.enquiries@ofqual.gov.uk

tweet – @ofqual