GCSE English literature - learning and understanding, not memory
I am sure many of you will have seen comments in the media over the past few days about the benefits or costs, practicalities or need for students to memorise...
GCSE maths research programme update
I hope many of you reading this blog are already aware of the research programme we are undertaking to reassure ourselves, the exam boards, students and other stakeholders regarding the...
An introduction to our new approach to regulating vocational qualifications
...designed for, like judging a school or determining a college’s funding. This can distort teaching and can lead to so-called ‘teaching to the test’, where passing the qualification is the...
Accrediting new GCSEs, AS and A levels
With the end of term fast approaching, I have been reflecting on the first tranche of new GCSEs, AS and A levels. We have accredited 93 out of 124 specs, covering all subjects.
We're moving to GOV.UK
Over the next few weeks we will be moving our website over to GOV.UK, the single government website.
How we work to ensure the best quality of marking
...What makes us stand out is the scale of things here. We looked recently at the detail of marking arrangements in Hong Kong. Overall, the arrangements are very similar to...
Reflections on the GCSE results
Understandably, the GCSE English results have attracted the largest share of the headlines overnight and this morning. The 1.9% drop in grades A* - C in this important subject looks...
Some thoughts following the A level results last week
The media has made much of the ‘first overall drop in A level results for 30 years’. It seems quite a story, at first sight, but I feel I should...
Waiting for results
A level results come out next week, with GCSEs the week after, and many thousands of young people and their families are waiting in nervous anticipation. In recent years, we...
Creative subjects do have a place in education
It’s been a week since we released our consultation on the reform of remaining subjects at GCSE and A level. Commentary on social media and in the news suggests that...