Supplementary GCSE science research
...GCSEs or A levels prior to exam board specifications being accredited. Given the amount of change in GCSE science we decided that it would be appropriate to undertake some supplementary...
Clarification of provisional citizenship data
...Short and Full courses out, there is around a 45% fall in Short Course entries this year and about a 10% rise in Full Course entries. As I made clear...
GCSE marking and grading
...is to align standards between exam boards in a subject and over time. So it should be no easier, or difficult, to get a particular grade with one board than...
Assessing drama
We are aware that a petition is circulating suggesting that the new GCSE drama course contains more written elements than practical elements and calls on others to object; We want...
New GCSE maths sample exam papers
Many of you reading this blog will know of the work we have been doing to review exam boards’ sample GCSE maths papers. Those particularly interested in the detail may...
Summer 2015 GCSEs, IGCSEs, AS and A levels
...are overseeing awarding this summer on our website. Glenys Stacey Chief Regulator i When we refer to IGCSEs, we are including Level 1/2 Certificates which are commonly known as IGCSEs....
Some thoughts following my talk to Surrey Secondary Heads in Dorking
As Ofqual’s Chief Regulator, I care deeply about assessment, of course, but it is only one part of the system; qualifications should be designed to deliver the curriculum aims first...
Some choice words in spoken English
In September 2015 students will begin studying the new GCSE in English language, which will be graded 9 to 1. The qualification will be first awarded in 2017. The English...
GCSE maths, final decisions
...a result of our research. Let me begin by reminding you what we were setting out to do. Our research programme initially had three strands, which we subsequently extended to...
GCSE maths research complete
In January we began a research programme looking at differences across the four reformed and accredited GCSE maths specifications – those of AQA, OCR, Pearson and WJEC. The work has...