Examination reform

Bill Watkin

2014

The rigour agenda

1. KS4 assessment and qualifications reform

2. KS5 qualifications and assessment reform

3. Accountability

4. National Curriculum & school curriculum

5. Languages, Computing, Cookery

6. Academies and curriculum freedoms

7. EB, TB, IB, AB, NB

8. Terminal exams or teacher assessment

9. Hierarchy of subjects

10. Funding, finance, pay and performance

Question

What is the biggest challenge you are facing and how are you preparing to face it?

Legacy GCSEs

• DfE has confirmed that entries to the current GCSEs in English and maths from 2016 or earlier will not count in performance tables in 2017.

• Schools may still enter pupils early for these ‘legacy’ qualifications, but if they do pupils will need to either take the new GCSE in 2017 or progress to a higher level qualification, such as an AS qualification, for their achievements to count in tables.

• The exclusion of ‘legacy’ GCSEs from performance tables will apply only to English and maths. As other GCSEs in all other subjects are reformed, they will continue to count.

• This will allow schools to continue curriculum arrangements that allow students to take exams in some subjects - for example, 1 of the 3 separate sciences - before the end of year 11, having been properly prepared to do so.

English

• Combined English literature and language course will be scrapped.

• From 2015, compulsory standalone GCSE in language, with strong incentives to choose English literature as a separate qualification.

• The best of English Language and English Literature will be double-weighted, provided a pupil has taken both qualifications.

• The second best score of Literature and Language can be counted in the ‘open group’ of subjects, if it is one of the pupil’s highest scores in this group.

• In the measure showing the % of pupils achieving a C+ in English and maths, a pupil would have to achieve a C in either Literature or Language to satisfy the English requirement (in 2016, a C in Combined English would be sufficient).

• In the EBacc measure, a pupil must study both Language and Literature, and achieve a C grade or better in at least one, to satisfy the English requirement (in 2016, a C in Combined English would be sufficient).

English literature

• At least one Shakespeare play, a 19th century novel, Romantic poetry and contemporary British fiction from 1914 onwards.

• Exam will also test “unseen texts” to encourage wider reading

• Exam syllabuses – applying to schools in England – will include “no fewer than 15 poems by at least five different poets” and ensure that children cover a minimum of 300 lines.

English language

• SP&G increasing from 12 to 20 per cent

• Candidates should

• Write effectively and coherently using Standard English

• Use grammar correctly and ensure written work features accurate spelling and punctuation

• Read a range of literature from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries in preparation for an “unseen” text exam

• Familiarise themselves with non-fiction and other writing such as essays, reviews and journalism (print and online)

Maths GCSE

• further maths GCSE (a level 1/level 2 certificate) can count for the maths slot of progress 8, but not for either the EBacc or the non-EBacc category

• From 2015, significantly (c.1/3) more content

• Candidates to master essential concepts in greater depth. Syllabus includes a new section on ratio, proportion and rates of change, as well as requirement to learn key formulae by heart for terminal exam

• The syllabus will place a greater focus on “real world problems”, including financial mathematics.

• greater challenge for the most able by thoroughly testing their understanding of the mathematical knowledge needed for higher level study and careers in mathematics, the sciences and computing.

• More content, plus double weighting in measures, will drive increased curriculum time allocated to maths

Transition in maths

• Current Y10 will sit old GCSE in Y11 in Summer 2016

• Only one resit opportunity in November of Y12

• Then the new ‘fat’ GCSE will be introduced in Summer 2017

Sciences

• separate GCSEs in biology, chemistry and physics as well as a

combined science double award

• all contain explicit requirements for application of

mathematical understanding and, in physics, new

expectations for the recall and application of key formulae

• Tiered papers

Science – some rules . . . 1. Core science and additional science count as separate subjects in the Ebacc section of the

Progress 8. They take two slots in the three allowed for Ebacc subjects.

2. Core science taken at the end of Y10 (eg used to determine if a pupil is suited to additional science) can count in Progress 8, but it doesn’t have to – it will count if it ends up being one of the pupil’s best scores in the relevant slots at the end of Year 11 (early entry rules mean that a second go at core science at the end of Y11 couldn’t count if pupils have entered core science in Y10).

3. Core science will discount as a first entry against triple science qualifications (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) That means that if a pupil sits core science and then triple science the following year the triple science will not count in the performance tables. The only combination that will work for core science is if it is followed by additional science.

4. To achieve the science element of EBacc, students need to achieve A*-C in core and additional science or be examined in three of biology, chemistry, physics and computer science and achieve A*-C in two of these subjects. Computer science has recently been added to this list.

5. Further additional science is not an EBacc qualification and does not count towards the achievement of the EBacc. It will not count as an EBacc subject in one of the progress 8 EBaccslots. It can count in one of the other 3 slots.

6. If a student gets A in History, A in geography and a BB in Double Award Science, but C in all other subjects, one of the B grades in Science can be used for the Ebacc pot in Progress and Attainment 8 and the other can be used in the general pot (i.e. can separate out the double B grades)

BTEC Science

• BTEC Science (and all vocational alternatives) will last appear in the 2016 tables - so the new Y10 this September will be the last group to take it and have the results count in Progress 8.

• This has significant implications if you have a 3-year KS4 as BTEC Applied Science results will not count in performance tables for the Y9 cohort starting in September 2014.

iGCSE

• candidates entering for Level1/Level2 Certificates for the first time in November series will have their results reported in performance tables up until the first year of awarding of the reformed GCSE in the same subject.

• candidates who take Cambridge Level 1/ Level 2 Certificate First Language English in November 2014 and come to the end of KS4 in June 2015 will have their November entry included in the 2015 performance tables.

• candidates who take Cambridge First Language English in November 2016 and end KS4 in June 2017 will not have their result included in performance tables as 2017 is the first year in which the reformed GCSE First Language English is to be awarded.

• In the first year of examination of a reformed GCSE subject, iGCSEs in that subject will not be reported in the performance tables.

• Examination providers can apply for performance table inclusion after the first year of examining of the reformed GCSE. Successful application for inclusion would mean an absence from performance tables for one year only in any single subject.

Reformed GCSE offer, June 2014

• Ofqual to discontinue GCSEs and A-levels in 24 subjects because they overlap too much with other subjects.

• Later, more will be cut because market forces and the level of demand from schools will influence which subjects survive.

Technical AwardsTechnical Awards for 14-16 year olds 2017 and 2018 Performance Tables: Technical Guidance for Awarding Organisations

Vocational Qualifications for 16-19 year olds2017 and 2018 Performance Tables: Technical Guidance for Awarding Organisations

These two documents define the characteristics that vocational qualifications must meet to be eligible for the 2017 and 2018 performance tables.

Key headlines from the 14-16 Document

• From the 2017 performance tables onwards, vocational qualifications for 14-16 year olds will be reclassified as Technical Awards.

• NOT brand new qualifications, actually just a new way of referring to the approved qualifications. Technical Award is a new term to describe all vocational qualifications that are included on the Key Stage 4 performance tables. Next generation BTEC Firsts and BTEC Level 1 qualifications will remain eligible for inclusion on the KS4 lists as Technical Awards.

From the 2017 performance tables onwards Technical Awards in any EBacc subject will not be included.

BTEC Applied Science qualifications come into this category. So, Year 10 in September 2014 will be the last group whose BTEC Applied Science qualifications will contribute to performance tables.

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

2014-2015

2015-2016 Start new

GCSE:En & Ma

Start Wave 1

new AL

2016-2017 Start new

En, Ma + others

New GCSE En and Ma

exams

Start Wave 2 new AL New AL

exams

2017-2018

The timeframe. New GCSE: current Y8; new AL: current Y10

Question

Is there still a place for a condensed KS3? How will it work in your school?

The School Information (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012Amendment of the School Information (England) Regulations 2008

Regulation 10“Schedule 4Specified information to be published on a school’s website

1. The name, postal address and telephone number of the school, and the name of a person to whom enquiries should be addressed.2. Either—(a)the determined admission arrangements for the school in relation to each relevant age group at the school, including any arrangements for selection, any oversubscription criteria and an explanation of the process of applying for a school place; or (b)information as to where and by what means parents may access that information in the local authority’s composite prospectus published on their website. 3. Information as to where and by what means parents may access the most recent report about the school published by her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills. 4. The school’s most recent key stage 2 results as published by the Secretary of State under the following column headings in the School Performance Tables published on the Department for Education’s website: (a)“% achieving Level 4 or above in English and Maths”; (b)“% making expected progress”; (c)in relation to English, “% achieving Level 5 or above”; and (d)in relation to Maths, “% achieving Level 5 or above”. 5. The school’s most recent key stage 4 results as published by the Secretary of State under the following column headings in the School Performance Tables published on the Department for Education’s website: (a)“% achieving 5 + A* - C GCSEs (or equivalent) including English and Maths GCSEs”; (b)“% achieving the English Baccalaureate”; and (c)“% of pupils making expected progress”. 6. Information as to where and by what means parents may access the School Performance Tables published by the Secretary of State on the Department for Education’s website. 7. The following information about the school curriculum—(a)in relation to each academic year, the content of the curriculum followed by the school for each subject and details as to how additional information relating to the curriculum may be obtained; (b)in relation to key stage 1, the names of any phonics or reading schemes in operation; and (c)in relation to key stage 4—(i)a list of the courses provided which lead to a GCSE qualification, (ii)a list of other courses offered at key stage 4 and the qualifications that may be acquired. 8. The measures determined by the head teacher under section 89 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 (determination by head teacher of behaviour policy)(4). 9. The amount of the school’s allocation from the Pupil Premium grant(5) in respect of the current academic year; details of how it is intended that the allocation will be spent; details of how the previous academic year’s allocation was spent, and the effect of this expenditure on the educational attainment of those pupils at the school in respect of whom grant funding was allocated. 10. The report prepared by the school under section 317(5)(a) of EA 1996 (duties of governing bodies in relation to special educational needs(6)). 11. The school’s charging and remissions policy determined by them under section 457 of EA 1996(7). 12. A statement of the school’s ethos and values.” http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130903181219/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/1124/made

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130903181219/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/1124/made

7. The following information about the school curriculum

(a)in relation to each academic year, the content of the curriculum followed by the school for each subject and details as to how additional information relating to the curriculum may be obtained;

(b)in relation to key stage 1, the names of any phonics or reading schemes in operation; and

(c)in relation to key stage 4—

(i)a list of the courses provided which lead to a GCSE qualification,

(ii)a list of other courses offered at key stage 4 and the qualifications that may be acquired.

League tables

1. Progress 8

2. Attainment 8

3. The percentage achieving C+ in English and maths; and progress in each

4. The percentage achieving C+ in the English Baccalaureate subjects

5. The percentage of pupils who continue in education, employment or training during the year after they finished their key stage 4 qualifications (may be introduced at a later date)

• New tables scheduled for the 2016 exams, but possible for schools to opt into the new system one year early, in 2015

Question

Is your curriculum best suited to Progress 8? Will you be making changes?

English

Age 5/6: Read using phonics, recite poetry by heart in class, learn alphabet, ensure left-handed pupils get help

Age 6/7: Write joined up words

Age 7/9: Use dictionaries for meaning

Age 7/11: Spell 200 complex words, including “mischievous”, “privilege”, “yacht” and use thesaurus to develop vocabulary

Age 11/14: Read two Shakespeare plays – up from one at moment – pre-1914 literature and study two authors each year; practise public speaking and debating

Age 14/16: Lit: At least one Shakespeare play, a 19th century novel, Romantic poetry and contemporary British fiction from 1914 onwards

Lang: SP&G increasing from 12 to 20%. Write effectively and coherently using Standard English

OUT: Prescribed lists of authors

Maths

Age 5/6: Count to 100, use simple fractions, tell the time

Age 6/7: Add and subtract three-digit numbers

Age 8/9 Master 12 times tables, convert decimals and fractions

Age 10/11: Introduction to algebra

Age 11/14: Probability, reasoning with algebra, geometry and rates of change

Age 14/16: Fat maths

OUT: Using calculators at primary school in favour of mental arithmetic

Science

Age 5/6: Basic experiments with paper, elastic, foil, fabrics etc

Age 6/7: Introduction to reproduction in animals

Age 8/9: Building simple circuits with bulbs, buzzers etc

Age 10/11: Evolution and inheritance, importance of diet and exercise / effect of drugs

Age 11/14: Human reproduction, Periodic Table, climate change

Age 14/16: Separate GCSEs in biology, chemistry and physics as well as a combined

science double award. All contain explicit requirements for application of

mathematical understanding and, in physics, new expectations for the

recall and application of key formulae

OUT: Non-science topics such as caring for animals

Art

Age 7/11: Mastery of drawing, painting and sculpture, maintain

sketchbooks, focus on great artists from history

Age 11/14: Range of multimedia techniques and history of artistic,

architectural and design movements

OUT: Vague references to “develop creativity and imagination”

Citizenship

Age 11/14: Introduction to political system, voting, monarchy,

criminal/civil law and managing personal finance

Age 14/16: British links to Europe/Commonwealth, ethnic diversity in

UK, lessons on debt, insurance, savings and pensions,

chance to volunteer in local community

OUT: Mandatory teaching about ‘economic citizenship’, inequalities and

topical issues

Computing

Age 5/7: Basic programming and debugging, online safety, storing information

Age 7/11: Designing programmes for complex problems, using internet search engines

Age 11/14: Coding and solve practical computer problems

OUT: Lessons in using word processing packages

Design and Technology

Age 5/14: Cooking lessons throughout primary and secondary, including nutrition, preparing dishes, understanding seasonality and developing cooking techniques

Age 5/7: Cutting, shaping, joining and finishing using construction materials and textiles

Age 7/11: Using mechanical systems such as gears, pulleys, cams and levers and building circuits incorporating switches, bulbs, buzzers and motors

Age 11/14: Work with hi-tech devices such as 3D printers, laser cutters, robots and microprocessors

September 2014 - As part of the School Food Plan, cookery will become statutory at KS3

OUT: Lessons in talking about what pupils “like and dislike when designing and making” and conceptual nature of D&T

Geography

Age 5/7: Names of oceans, continents, world map, countries of UK,

weather seasons and fieldwork around school environment

Age 7/11: Countries of world, counties and cities of UK, physical

geography including volcanoes, reading Ordnance Survey

maps

Age 11/14: Climate change and use of satellite technology

Age 14/16: Field trip assessed through examination

OUT: Lessons on European Union

History

Age 5/7: Study of famous individuals to compare life in different

periods, eg. Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria, William Caxton

and Tim Berners-Lee, Mary Seacole and Edith Cavell

Age 7/11: Britain from Stone Age to 1066, Ancient Greece and one

non-European society, eg. early Islamic society

Age 11/14: Britain from 1066 to present day, including Empire, Victorian

Britain, world wars, Cold War, creation of NHS

OUT: Lessons on skills, concepts and historical processes

Modern and Ancient Languages

Age 7/14: Compulsory language of any kind, removing previous

requirement to learn from list of either French, German,

Italian, Mandarin, Spanish, Latin or Ancient Greek

Age 7/11: Appreciate song, poems and rhymes in foreign tongue,

understand basic grammar, hold simple conversations

Age 11/14: Initiate conversations, read range of stories, poems and

letters, translate material into English

OUT: Translation did not feature and languages not compulsory in primary

schools

Music

Age 5/7: Singing and playing tuned/untuned instruments

Age 7/11: Play and perform in solo and ensemble context, introduction

to great composers

Age 11/14: Extended use of tonalities, different types of scales and

other musical devices

OUT: References to exploring ideas and feelings about music through

movement and dance

PE

Age 5/7: Master basic movements (run, jump, throw, catch etc),

introduction to team games

Age 5/11: Swim 25 meters, perform range of strokes, lifesaving

techniques

Age 7/11: Competitive games such as football, netball, rounders,

cricket, hockey, basketball, badminton and tennis

Age 11/14: Analyse past performances to improve, take part in

competitive sport outside school

OUT: References to creativity and theory in PE

Key stage 1 Key stage 2 Key stage 3 Key stage 4

Age 5-7 7-11 11-14 14-16

Year groups 1-2 3-6 7-9 10-11

Religious education

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Sex and relationship education

✓ ✓

Statutory teaching of religious education and sex and relationship education

All state schools are also required to make provision for a daily act of collective worship and must teach religious education to pupils at every key stage and sex and relationship education to pupils in secondary education.

Question

What have you done so far to prepare for teaching the new National Curriculum? What more are you going to do?

New Primary CurriculumThe final programmes of study will be introduced in primary schools from September 2014. The drafts, published on 9 October, include:

Higher standards in maths

• Pupils will be expected to be able to add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions in primary school so they can progress to more advanced topics like algebra when they go to secondary school. These four operations were not in the primary curriculum before. The proposed change is consistent with expectations in the high-performing education jurisdictions of Singapore and Hong Kong.

• By age nine, pupils should know their times tables up to 12x12. This is in line with expectations in the high-performing jurisdiction of Massachusetts. Currently pupils only need to know up to 10x10 by the end of primary school.

• By age seven, pupils should know “number bonds” up to 20. These are simple addition and subtraction facts that pupils should be able to recognise and use instantly (eg 9+9=18 or 16-7=9).

Higher standards in English:

• Pupils will be taught to read fluently through systematic phonics. There will be a much stronger emphasis on reading for pleasure.

• There will be a focus on spelling – for instance, there will be a list of words that all children should be able to spell by the end of primary school. There is currently no such list in the National Curriculum.

• There will be a focus on grammar – for instance, children will be expected to understand how to use the subjunctive and correct use of the apostrophe – for example, not using it to indicate plurals such as “I went to buy some apple’s” or using “it’s” as a possess ive.

• There will be an expectation that pupils master formal English through poetry recitation, debate and presentation.

Higher standards in science:

• There will be a greater focus on the acquisition of scientific knowledge with new content on the solar system, speed and evolution.• There will be an increased focus on practical scientific experiments and demonstrations, similar to the approach taken in Alberta and

Massachusetts.

Additionally, there has been a consultation on the plan to introduce foreign languages from age seven at the start of Key Stage 2 (93% in favour!). There will be no other changes to the structure of the Primary Curriculum. The Government will maintain the requirement for the teaching of art and design, design and technology, geography, history, ICT, music, and physical education across all the primary years.

Programmes of Study for these subjects will be much shorter than the drafts for English, maths and science. This will give teachers much more freedom in these areas.

Levels and level descriptors will be removed and not replaced.

The "level 4b" myth

We were told new Y6 expectations would be similar to Level 4b.

A direct comparison suggests not:

Low attaining pupils

• Pupils who are not able to access the relevant end of key stage test will continue to have their attainment assessed by teachers.

• Retain P-scales (unchanged) for reporting teachers’ judgements.

• Pupils working above the P-scales but below the level of the test: DfE to provide information to enable teachers to assess attainment in the context of the new national curriculum.

• Given the very diverse nature of this group of pupils, data need to be seen in context to give a clear picture of school performance. Robust inspection of teacher assessments of low attaining pupils will show if pupils are making appropriate progress.

• DfE will consider whether to move to external moderation of P-scale teacher assessment as part of the further work on moderation.

Interpreting exam answers

1. The first cells were probably . . . ?

Lonely

2. What do the following chemical equations stand for – HCOONa

Matata

3. Write an example of a risk:

This

4. Give a brief explanation of the meaning of hard water:

Ice

5. Where was the American Declaration of Independence signed?

At the bottom

6. What is the main reason for divorce?

Marriage

7. Brian has 50 slices of cake. He eats 48. what has he now?

Diabetes

8. What is a vibration?

There are good vibrations and bad vibrations. Good vibrations were discovered in the 1960s.

Question

What will you do this year about setting targets and measuring progress? And the following year?

Contact details

Bill Watkin

bill.watkin@ssatuk.co.uk

07834 36 77 46