The Easter holidays? Holidays seems a little misleading, what with assessment announcements, policy documents and student revision sessions.
What are we looking at? The current seven-point (A*-G) system will be replaced with a new nine-point scale. Crucially, Ofqual is / will be consulting on just how the boundaries will fall. There will be greater differentiation amongst the highest achievers and those bunched around the middle grades apparently. Then there are plans to “toughen the marking system” by raising the standard of the benchmark midpoint grades. The new grade five, set at half to two thirds of a GCSE grade higher, than the current requirement for a grade C is the new target. “internationally benchmarked” no less.
Come on you slackers – deal with the change and deal with it more effectively, and we will be bring in the Chinese Mathsmagicians to show you numb-skulls how.
The new grade four will then correspond to a low current grade C. See my maths is not that bad. What this broadly means is that roughly the same proportion of candidates will achieve a grade four or above, as currently achieve a grade C or above. What is more telling however, is that those pupils will be spread among six different grades, not four. I think that is about right.
As for grade “se-ven” (thanks Len), it is the baseline for an A. With same proportion of pupils attaining a grade seven 7 or above as get A or above. As for the A* super-fly-guys and gals, that is to be determined. Grade nine – the crème-de-la-crème, well less than seven. So the new top grade “shows exceptional achievement.” No additional pressure there then, and more disappointed grade eights bright sparks.
In sum – for current GCSEs there are four “passing” grades available C, B, A and A*. For the new qualifications there will be six grades for those who achieve at least a grade 4 (4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9).
Having looked at the transition matrices this Easter holiday (holiday?) very few students are award a Grade G and F. More work to be done defining grades 1-3 I would suggest. Are we surprised that the lower grades have had minimal discussion online? Anyway, in case you didn’t believe me.
One point is reassuring, and that is, Ofqual are keen to recognise these grades (G and F) can represent real progress for some students. Ofqual are considering whether grade 1 should be aligned to the current grade F and grade G would align with “unclassified” in the new structure. Did I understand that right? “Real progress for some” but for those some, we plan to make it more difficult?
When do we need to be ready? I wish this was a simple answer. Students starting year 10 in September 2015 and taking exams in summer 2017 will sit the new GCSEs in English language, English literature and maths. Followed by more subjects the following year.
A new “national reference test” will also be introduced to provide extra information about a year group’s performance and to ensure that any changes year on year are reflected in the grades awarded. The tests will be used to _____________________
a) set and maintain standards
b) brow beat the profession
c) a and b
Ofqual is proposing that a national reference test (NRT) should be introduced ready for 2017. Interesting. Do other education systems run national reference tests? The details of the test are still to be developed. The aim of these tests is to ensure that the “performance of the year group can be reflected in the grades awarded each year.” Seems logical, so it is essentially about accountability measures – how schools are held to account. In my view, it is preferable to relying on norm referencing.
So the qualification reforms are “in train.” Awarding Organisations are charged with writing the content for the revised GCSEs, Ofqual are busy with the assessment procedures. Meanwhile, teachers (starting with Maths and English teachers) and are rearranging their “holiday” plans to accommodate and rewrite delivery models, minus the constant / controlled assessments.
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