Post on 09-Dec-2014
description
OFQUAL’S ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Isabel NisbetActing CEO
UCAS 27 February 2009
Outline
What’s distinctive about Ofqual
The new Bill
Confidence and urban myths
Four themes– Maintaining standards in a time of change – Regulating the new Diplomas – Difficult subjects – Reflecting high levels of attainment
About Ofqual
Independent of Government and QCA
To ensure standards and confidence in qualifications, exams and tests
Launched (in shadow form) in April 08
Legislation in 08-09 session
Meantime distinct part of QCA
How we want to work
Visibly – Summer exams and tests– Areas of legitimate debate – however
uncomfortable– Not just when things go wrong
In collaboration– With users of qualifications and those whom we
regulate– But no regulatory capture
How we want to work
Expertly – Working with the assessment experts– Judgements based on evidence, not headlines
Engaging the public – Learners’ panels, open letters, discussion
papers, blogs, listening…….
Rooting for the learner – Learners’ panels
The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill
Second reading this week
Clear statutory objectives for Ofqual – Standards– Confidence– Awareness – Efficiency
Independence – Reporting to Parliament
Sharper powers – And we’ll use them if necessary
Statutory role to regulate National Curriculum Tests
Confidence sapping and urban myths
Grade drift – everyone gets As nowadays
“In 1984, 70.1% of candidates passed their A levels and 9.3% were awarded an A grade. This year, two decades on, 96.3% passed, 22.4% achieved the top grade and the controversy over the meaningfulness of these remarkable statistics rages once again in what has become, for everyone involved, a deeply dispiriting ritual” (Chris Woodhead, 2004)
University entrants can’t spell/read/count ….
The flattening graph of high achievement
Changes in proportion gaining two or more A level passes1
2.1
12
.5
12
.5
13
.0
12
.6
12
.6
12
.8
13
.2
13
.4
13
.6
13
.5
13
.2
13
.7
14
.3
14
.9 17
.1 18
.5 20
.6
18
.2
24
.6 26
.1
26
.8
26
.9
30
.0
30
.5 31
.5 33
.0 34
.2
34
.0
34
.4
34
.3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
19
75
19
76
19
77
19
78
19
79
19
80
19
81
19
82
19
83
19
84
19
85
19
86
19
87
19
88
19
89
19
90
19
91
19
92
19
93
19
94
19
95
19
96
19
97
19
98
19
99
20
00
20
01
20
02
20
03
20
04
20
05
Pe
rce
nta
ge
of
17
ye
ar
old
s
Evidence 1: A levels achieved by comparable students (source: Durham University)
Average A Level grades achieved by students with the same ability (ITDA score = 50%)
19
88
19
89
19
90
19
91
19
92
19
93
19
94
19
95
19
96
19
97
19
98
19
99
20
00
20
01
20
02
20
03
20
04
20
05
A L
ev
el g
rad
e
Biology
English (Lit)
French
Geography
History
Mathematics
weighted avg of 40 subjs
B
C
D
E
Cur
ricul
um 2
000
and
new
Possible explanations
Teaching and learning have improved
Examination performance has improved
The same levels of knowledge and understanding are now easier to demonstrate
Demographic changes have facilitated better performance
Public examinations have changed too much to make valid comparisons possible
The same grade now represents a lower level of ability
Evidence 2: Ofqual standards reviews
Analyse the nature of the requirements different examinations make on students
Compare the levels of performance required for a particular grade
Consider how these two elements relate to each other
Ofqual standards reviews
60 studies carried out since 1998
Most detected no change in standards over time
Notable exceptions:– GCSE history – GCSE and A level music
More to be published next month
We speak as we find
When do grades in two examinations have the same standard?
When they are equally likely to be achieved When they represent equal intellectual demand
Challenges for Ofqual
Carrying forward standards into the:
»new A levels »new GCSEs
Setting appropriate standards in:
»diploma principal learning »projects»functional skills
Fings ain’t wat they used to be (“undergraduates nowadays can’t spell…”)
“On one matter there was almost universal agreement; that among university entrants in general the ability to write English is disappointingly low.” (1960 JMB Annual Report)
“The only point that calls for report is the general weakness of a large proportion of the candidates” (Pure and Applied Mathematics, Higher School Certificate, JMB, 1924)
Maintaining standards in a time of change
Unprecedented change in 14-19 qualifications – 4-unit A-levels– Stretch and challenge – A*– Modular GCSEs- Structural changes in GCSE maths and science – Diplomas– Vocational qualifications and the new vocabulary of the
Qualifications and Credit Framework
More demand for HE/FE from a wider range of students
Ofqual’s role
An independent quality standard which new qualifications have to meet
– Including “alternatives” (IB, pre-U….)
On the front foot to ensure that awarding bodies apply standards consistently and fairly
Close monitoring – intervention if necessary – New ASs
Fairness to learners (the guinea-pigs)
Assurance to users of exam results
Regulating the new Diplomas – Ofqual’s role
Doorkeeper – to accredit specifications that meet our requirements and reject those that don’t
Assurer of the system to bring together students’ attainment to get their award
Monitor of standard-setting– On the front foot – common approach agreed with awarding bodies – On Ofqual's website– Close monitoring of level-setting, awarding and grading against our
requirement– Intervention if necessary
Difficult/easy subjects – Ofqual’s role
To bring together evidence and work for consistency and fairness
Seminar last year involving the advocates for difficult subjects:– MFL– Maths – Physics
No common theoretical base
Ofqual’s studies of groups of cognate subjects
Reflecting high attainment at A level
The need to discriminate
A-level – a changed qualification (2005 White Paper)– “stretch and challenge” – more synoptic assessment – controls on internal assessment
More information for universities (unit grades/marks)
Plus the A*
The A* - Ofqual’s role
A new measure in the context of a changed qualification
Will identify the highest attainers at A2
Ofqual on the front foot with awarding bodies to ensure that the technical approach for awarding A* is fair and consistent
Close monitoring and intervention if necessary
Ofqual will ensure the A* is a fair and reliable measure.
Over to you to decide on how/whether to use
Outline
What’s distinctive about Ofqual
The new Bill
Confidence and urban myths
Four themes– Maintaining standards in a time of change – Regulating the new Diplomas – Difficult subjects – Reflecting high levels of attainment
Conclusions – what Ofqual can do for you
Assure standards and fairness across a range of changing qualifications
Shine a light on the urban myths
Bring together different approaches to difficult problems (e.g. comparability)
Be proactive to ensure that grades are awarded fairly and consistently by awarding bodies
Apply the same high quality standards to Diplomas and vocational qualifications that we do to A levels
What we can’t do
Provide a foolproof single method to select undergraduates – Best predictive indicator still GCSE results
What we can’t do
Provide a foolproof single method to select undergraduates – Best predictive indicator still GCSE results
End all discussion about “dumbing down” for evermore
What we can’t do
Provide a foolproof singe method to select undergraduates – Best predictive indicator still GCSE results
End all discussion about “dumbing down” for evermore
Compare media studies and trigonometry in a methodology that all academics will accept
What we can’t do
Provide a foolproof singe method to select undergraduates – Best predictive indicator still GCSE results
End all discussion about “dumbing down” for evermore
Compare media studies and trigonometry in a methodology that all academics will accept
Teach undergraduates to spell…
Ofqual’s vision
The independent regulator of qualifications and assessments that are
valued and trusted by learners, users and the wider public.