Contents
Terms of Reference
Summary
Part I: Introduction and key issues
1 Background to the inquiry
The evidence base for our inquiry
Background on the exam system in England for 15-19 year olds
GCSE and A level exam boards
The regulator
Policy background
2 Confidence and credibility: key issues with the current system
Perceptions of the current system
Employers' views
Universities' views
Ofqual research into perceptions of GCSEs and A levels
Key issues affecting confidence
Part II: Changes to the system
3 Fundamental reform of the exam system
The international perspective
Implications and risks of change
Conclusion on fundamental reform
4 The way forward
Syllabus content
Franchising of subjects to exam boards
Conclusion on options for change
Grading standards and grade inflation
Increasing numbers achieving higher grades
Competition on grading standards
5 The role of Ofqual
Ofqual's regulation of standards
Ofqual's international standards objective
Government policy changes
GCSE changes and devolution
Accreditation
Ofqual and subject expertise
National subject committees
Ofqual and the Joint Council for Qualifications
Conclusion
6 Forthcoming A level reform
Involvement of universities in A levels
National subject committees
Part III: Competition between exam boards
7 Market share and price
Examination fees
8 Support: training and textbooks
Textbooks
Endorsement arrangements and their impact
on competition
Branding and marketing of endorsed textbooks
Quality of endorsed textbooks and their impact
on teaching and learning
Conclusion
Ofqual's regulation of exam board support
9 Service: question papers and
marking
Question paper errors in summer 2011
Reliability of marking
Online standardisation
Part IV: Wider issues
10 Exams and school accountability
Early and multiple entries to GCSE examinations
Wider changes
Part V: Conclusion and recommendations
11 Conclusion
Conclusions and recommendations
Annex 1: Note of the Committee's seminar
with examiners, 14 December 2011
Annex 2: Examiners' questionnaire responses
Annex 3: Note of the Committee's meeting
with the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board, 8 February
2012
Formal Minutes
Witnesses
List of printed written evidence
List of additional written evidence
List of unprinted evidence
List of Reports from the Committee during
the current Parliament
Oral and Written Evidence - HC 141-II
Tuesday 29 November 2011: Martin Collier, Headmaster, St John’s School, Leatherhead, Surrey, David Burton, Deputy Headteacher, St Michael’s CofE High School, Crosby, Liverpool, Rob Pritchard, Headteacher, St Mary’s Catholic High School, Menston, Ilkley, West Yorkshire, and Teresa Kelly, Principal of Abingdon and Witney College, Member of Principals’ Professional Council/Association of School and College Leaders; Professor Nick Lieven, Pro Vice-Chancellor, University of Bristol, Anna Gutiérrez, Head of Student Administration, University of Bournemouth, and Anne Tipple, National Skills Executive, British Chambers of Commerce
Thursday 15 December 2011: Paul Barnes, Paul Evans and Steph Warren, senior examiners; Andrew Hall, Chief Executive Officer, AQA, Mark Dawe, Chief Executive, OCR, Rod Bristow, President, Pearson UK (on behalf of Edexcel) and Gareth Pierce, Chief Executive, WJEC; Glenys Stacey, Chief Executive, Ofqual, and Dennis Opposs, Director of Standards, Ofqual
Wednesday 18 January 2012: Professor Jo-Anne Baird, Pearson Professor and Director of the Oxford University Centre for Educational Assessment, Dr Michelle Meadows, Director of Centre for Education Research and Policy, AQA, Tim Oates, Group Director, Assessment Research and Development, Cambridge Assessment, and Professor Alison Wolf, Sir Roy Griffith Professor of Public Sector Management, King’s College, London; Professor Stephen J Ball, FBA, AcSS, British Academy, Professor Sir John Holman, Senior Fellow for Education, Wellcome Trust, Professor Graham Hutchings, FRS, SCORE Chair, and Warwick Mansell, freelance journalist
Tuesday 21 February 2012: John Butterworth, Educational Writer and Chief Examiner, on behalf of the Society of Authors, Paul Howarth, UK and International Managing Director, Nelson Thornes, Jacob Pienaar, Managing Director of Schools and Colleges, Pearson UK, and Kate Harris, Managing Director, Education and Children’s Division, Oxford University Press; Rod Bristow, President, Pearson UK, on behalf of Edexcel, Mark Dawe, Chief Executive, OCR, and Andrew Hall, Chief Executive Officer, AQA
Wednesday 21 March 2012: Amanda Spielman, Chair, and Chief Regulator of Qualifications and Examinations, Ofqual, and Glenys Stacey, Chief Executive, Ofqual; Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for Schools, Department for Education
Written Evidence
Additional written evidence
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