Select Committee on Science and Technology Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence


APPENDIX 14

Memorandum submitted by the Joint Council for General Qualifications

  I am replying as Chair of the Management Committee of the Joint Council for General Qualifications (JCGQ) to the letter you sent me as Director General of AQA on 18 December 2001. The Management Committee, the membership of which includes the Chief Executives of the Unitary Awarding Bodies in England and of CCEA and WJEC, met recently and noted that you had written in similar terms to other Chief Executives.

  It seemed to us appropriate to send a collective response to your letter. We were, of course, interested to learn that the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee is to hold an inquiry into the Science curriculum for the 14-19 cohort. We believe that the choice of specifications, in science generally and the discrete science subjects at both GCSE and GCE as approved by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, meets the needs and aspirations of centres. All specifications have been developed to meet the criteria which have been agreed nationally and which are reviewed periodically. As the 14-19 curriculum is reviewed, we will work closely and co-operatively with QCA in implementing change and consolidating good practice.

  I hope that these comments, on behalf of all the Awarding Bodies which comprise JCGQ, are helpful.

January 2002



 
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