• The last 3 years has seen unprecedented changes to GCSE English teaching and learning at KHS.

• Controlled conditions have significantly

reduced our total teaching time (twelve weeks) severely impacting on the development of our students’ English skills over a two year GCSE experience.

What lies behind our studentsWhat lies behind our students’’continued success continued success

in the Literature exam and their current in the Literature exam and their current underperformance in the language exam? underperformance in the language exam?

First Controlled First Controlled Conditions Conditions

resultsresultsThe The

grade grade boundarboundary shifty shift

How has this gap How has this gap arisen?arisen?

English Language - Impact of controlled English Language - Impact of controlled conditionsconditions

•Fails to reflect the maturation of most students – Fails to reflect the maturation of most students – studentsstudents’’ development trapped in year 10 achievement – development trapped in year 10 achievement – across all grades.across all grades.

•Loss of teaching time. Loss of continuous developmental Loss of teaching time. Loss of continuous developmental feedback.feedback.

•Completed assignments are securely stored by law and Completed assignments are securely stored by law and unavailable for feedback.unavailable for feedback.

•OFQUAL’s review of controlled conditions highlights this OFQUAL’s review of controlled conditions highlights this experience:experience:

‘..it was noted that the time limits and restrictions of the current controlled assessment limits the scope for students to develop redrafting and evaluation skills.’ June 2013

Year 10 40%Controlled Conditions written assignments

20%Speaking and Listening

Year 11 40%Exam

Year 10 40%Controlled Conditions written assignments

20%Speaking and Listening

Year 11 40%Exam

Before July 2013Before July 2013

Year 10 40%Controlled Conditions written assignments

Year 11 60%Exam

After July 2013 – the assessment criteriaAfter July 2013 – the assessment criteria is changed halfway through the course. Is that fair?is changed halfway through the course. Is that fair?

‘‘There is no way that the exam boards can There is no way that the exam boards can make sure these assessments are make sure these assessments are administered and marked sufficiently administered and marked sufficiently consistently across all schools and consistently across all schools and colleges. That means unfairness: results colleges. That means unfairness: results are not fair as between one student and are not fair as between one student and another and it is not right that we allow another and it is not right that we allow that to continue when we can do that to continue when we can do something about it.’ something about it.’

OFQUAL 4OFQUAL 4thth Sept 2013 Sept 2013

• All our AQA moderators’ reports clearly state our marking is agreed and completely in-line with the standards of the exam board.

• A recent speaking and listening visit from the AQA chief examiner underlined our complete accuracy in assessing this unit.

• We value the skill of oral communication and feel frustrated that this can happen mid-course. Our students are being disadvantaged through no fault of their own. We need to protect them from the inherent injustices of the system.

The exam – increasingly treated as a political football

•It seems the reputation and credibility of the GCSE It seems the reputation and credibility of the GCSE is undermined at every opportunity by Mr Gove.is undermined at every opportunity by Mr Gove.• He criticises the AQA exam suggesting it ‘has He criticises the AQA exam suggesting it ‘has resulted in the dumbing of educational material resulted in the dumbing of educational material down to the level of the child – with GCSE English down to the level of the child – with GCSE English papers that ask students about Tinie Tempah, or papers that ask students about Tinie Tempah, or Simon Cowell – rather than encouraging the child Simon Cowell – rather than encouraging the child to thirst after the knowledge of the teacher.’ to thirst after the knowledge of the teacher.’ •On this we agree. The paper itself is not fit for On this we agree. The paper itself is not fit for purpose, does not differentiate adequately and has purpose, does not differentiate adequately and has notorious marking issues across centres in Suffolk.notorious marking issues across centres in Suffolk.

What should we do?What should we do?

If we stay with our current courseIf we stay with our current course

Student XStudent X

If we stay with our current courseIf we stay with our current course

Student YStudent Y

If we stay with our current courseIf we stay with our current course

Controlled Controlled Conditions: Conditions:

Speaking and Speaking and Listening:Listening:

Exam:Exam:

Overall:Overall:

A*A*

3232

2020

1212

1212

The move to iGCSEThe move to iGCSE

‘‘Of Mice and Men’Of Mice and Men’

Spoken LanguageSpoken Language

ShakespeareShakespeare

Creative WritingCreative Writing

1/2 Literature exam 1/2 Literature exam Modern Texts Modern Texts

75% of Literature mark75% of Literature mark

Skills and vocabulary Skills and vocabulary tested on paper 2 tested on paper 2

sections 1 and 2 54/54sections 1 and 2 54/54

25% of Literature mark25% of Literature mark

Skills and vocabulary Skills and vocabulary tested on paper 1 section tested on paper 1 section

B 25/50 and paper 2 B 25/50 and paper 2 section B 27/54section B 27/54

The whole English team believes every student entering the iGCSE has a better opportunity to achieve than if we were to stay with the AQA GCSE.

We do not have faith in the present English language GCSE.

The government and Ofqual themselves have described it as ‘not fit for purpose’.