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Presentation on new A levels given at the A level briefing event, 18 May 2010
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Welcome
New A Levels
Briefing Event: 18 May 2010
Welcome
New A Levels
Briefing Event: 18th May 2010
Kathleen Tattersall
Chair and Chief Regulator
Ensuring standards are maintained in A Levels
Dennis Opposs
Director of Standards
Purpose of today
To share with you:
Details of the changes to A levels this summer
What we have already done, and why
Information on how ‘the system’ works
The background to the A* grade and the way it will operate
Our next steps, before summer results
Our plans for further work, after summer results
Principles of good regulation
Accountable
Consistent
Proportionate
Targeted
Transparent
Changes to A levels
6 to 4 units (for most subjects)
Stretch and challenge
Revised, updated and re-packaged content
Changes to coursework
New A* grade
Preparing for 2010
November 2006 – new A* grade agreed
Summer 2007 – new specifications accredited
September 2008 – first teaching of new specifications
January 2009 – first revised AS units assessed
March 2009 – Ofqual open letter about maintaining standards
August 2009 – first revised AS qualification results
January 2010 – first revised A2 units assessed
February 2010 – Ofqual open letter about A*
March 2010 – report on first AS scrutiny monitoring
May 2010 – briefing event for teaching associations
How are A level grades awarded?
Awarding committees for each specification
Script evidence informed by statistical evidence
Grade boundaries set at unit level, unit by unit
A and E set by awarders; B, C, D (and A*) set arithmetically
Raw marks converted to UMS for each unit
UMS for each unit added to give overall grade
Unit 185 UMS
Unit 280 UMS
Unit 375 UMS
Unit 465 UMS
= 305 UMS = B
Raw marks to uniform marks
Why?
Candidates sit units at different times
Level of demand can vary
Raw marks are relative to the level of demand
Uniform marks put all marks on the same scale
For example – 77 raw marks
Unit 1
Grade A boundary
January 2009 78
June 2009 76
The Uniform Mark Scale (UMS)
Used in all unitised qualifications
Converts raw marks to scores on a uniform scale
Controls for relative difficulty of different question papers
Fixed grade boundaries at unit and qualification level
A level Grade
6 units
Max 600 UMS
4 units
Max 400 UMS
2 units
Max 200 UMS
A* 480 (270 at A2)
320(180 at A2)
160(90 at A2)
A 480 320 160
B 420 280 140
C 360 240 120
D 300 200 100
E 240 160 80
The Uniform Mark Scale (UMS)
Used in all unitised qualifications
Converts raw marks to scores on a uniform scale
Controls for relative difficulty of different question papers
Fixed grade boundaries at unit and qualification level
A level Grade
6 units
Max 600 UMS
4 units
Max 400 UMS
2 units
Max 200 UMS
A* 480 (270 at A2)
320(180 at A2)
160(90 at A2)
A 480 320 160
B 420 280 140
C 360 240 120
D 300 200 100
E 240 160 80
The Uniform Mark Scale (UMS)
Used in all unitised qualifications
Converts raw marks to scores on a uniform scale
Controls for relative difficulty of different question papers
Fixed grade boundaries at unit and qualification level
A level Grade
6 units
Max 600 UMS
4 units
Max 400 UMS
2 units
Max 200 UMS
A* 480 (270 at A2)
320(180 at A2)
160(90 at A2)
A 480 320 160
B 420 280 140
C 360 240 120
D 300 200 100
E 240 160 80
The Uniform Mark Scale (UMS)
Used in all unitised qualifications
Converts raw marks to scores on a uniform scale
Controls for relative difficulty of different question papers
Fixed grade boundaries at unit and qualification level
A level Grade
6 units
Max 600 UMS
4 units
Max 400 UMS
2 units
Max 200 UMS
A* 480 (270 at A2)
320(180 at A2)
160(90 at A2)
A 480 320 160
B 420 280 140
C 360 240 120
D 300 200 100
E 240 160 80
The Code of Practice - awarding
Qualitative Evidence Question paper/task and mark scheme for current and previous series Report by principal examiner/moderator including boundary recommendations Archive scripts/work from previous series A sample of current candidate work Any published grade or performance descriptions
Quantitative Evidence Mark distributions for current and previous series Outcomes in previous series Any changes in entry patterns Centres’ estimated grades (at unit level for A level)
Taken from section 6.15 of the GCSE, GCE principal learning and project code of practice, April 2010
Statistical indicators
Based on prior GCSE performance
Give an indication of likely overall outcomes
Similar to predictions from ALIS, ALPS etc used by centres
Already widely used by awarding bodies
For whole cohort, not individual candidates
Take account of differences between awarding bodies’ entries
Provide a reporting mechanism to regulators before results issued– Results reported if outside agreed thresholds– Explanation provided by awarding body– Consideration by regulators– Regulators may ask awarding body to reconsider grade boundaries– Comparison across awarding bodies
Setting appropriate standards - the new A* grade
Cath Jadhav
Head of Qualification Standards
A* grading – the options
In 2007 QCA/DfES consulted on possible approaches1. Award A* on the whole A level qualification2. Award A* on the whole A level qualification with a hurdle at A23. Award A* on A2 units and the A level qualification4. Award A* on a reported aggregated A2 grade and the A level
qualification5. Award A* on the AS and the A level qualifications6. Award A* on AS and A2 units and the AS and A level qualifications7. Decouple AS and A2 and award A* on A2 units and the A2
qualification
A* grading – the agreed method
Option 2 – Award A* on the whole A level qualification with a hurdle at A2
More specifically:
Awarded to candidates who have achieved: – An A grade overall in their A level, and– 90% of the maximum UMS marks at A2
For all A levels
Calculated grade, not judgemental
Even with 100% at AS, a candidate will still need 90% at A2 to achieve an A*
A* examples (4 unit specifications)
Points to note: High UMS scores at AS will not necessarily mean a candidate achieves an A*
grade - candidates will still need 90% at A2 to achieve an A* Some students with grade A will have higher total UMS marks than those who
have achieved an A* if they scored high marks on their AS units
Candidate AS Unit 1
AS Unit 2 A2 Unit 3 A2 Unit 4 Total UMS
A2 UMS Grade
1 90 90 95 92 367 187 A*
2 90 95 92 85 362 177 A
3 90 85 95 92 362 187 A*
4 100 100 95 83 378 178 A
A* examples (6 unit specifications)
Candidate AS Unit 1
AS Unit 2
AS Unit 3
A2 Unit 4
A2 Unit 5
A2 Unit 6
Total UMS
A2 UMS
Grade
1 100 100 100 92 87 82 561 261 A
2 85 85 80 94 91 90 525 275 A*
A* results in summer 2010
Points to consider:
No previous results to compare with
Variations between subjects likely (as at A and E)
Consistency between awarding bodies
Indicators for all subjects, nationally and by awarding body
Indicators for A* grade
Based on same methodology as for A and E
For 2010, based on 2009 data if there had been an A* grade
Next steps, before summer results
Regular meetings with awarding body colleagues
Monitoring awarding body meetings
Review of data from award– After each award– Compare with statistical indicators– Compare across awarding bodies
Meet with awarding bodies once all awards completed
Further work, after summer results
Continue scrutiny monitoring work
Review and report on summer 2010 awards
Continue meetings with awarding bodies
Listen to feedback from stakeholders
Report on first A level scrutiny monitoring in March 2011
In conclusion
Guiding principles this summer
Fairness to all candidates
Consistency across all awarding bodies
Transparency
Isabel Nisbet
Chief Executive
Panel Discussion
Panel Chair: Isabel Nisbet
Kathleen Tattersall, Chair and Chief Regulator
Dennis Opposs, Director of Standards
Cath Jadhav, Head of Qualification Standards
Further information (1)
CCEA www.ccea.org.uk
DCELLS www.wales.gov.uk
Ofqual www.ofqual.gov.uk
Ofqual open letters:
Maintaining standards in new A levels - http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/news-and-announcements/127/209
New A* grade –
http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/news-and-announcements/127/217
Further information (2)
Information about UMS
AQA http://web.aqa.org.uk/over/stat_ums.php
CCEA www.rewardinglearning.org.uk/regulation/ accreditation_and_monitoring/ums.asp
Edexcel www.edexcel.com/iwantto/I%20want%20to% 20%20Tasks/UMS-Awarding-Modular-GCE- Qualifications-update-Mar-10.doc
OCR www.ocr.org.uk/learners/ums/
WJEC www.wjec.co.uk/uploads/publications/9462.doc