Teenagers
will sit the new maths GCSEs in summer 2017
Exam boards have been
told to re-write their new maths GCSE exams just six school weeks before pupils
are due to start studying for them.
English exams
regulator Ofqual analysed the results of 4,000 mock tests of sample papers for
GCSEs due to be studied in schools next term.
It found three of the
four main exam boards had made their papers too hard for the broad spread of
candidates.
The fourth, AQA, has
been ordered to make its papers more "challenging".
Exam boards have been
drawing up new, tougher maths and English GCSEs in response to government
demands to introduce more rigour into secondary school examinations.
'Too difficult'
One of the aims was to
bring GCSE syllabuses and exams up to the level of high-performing nations like
Singapore and South Korea.
Ofqual analysed test
results and sample materials after concerns were raised about varying
standards.
The analysis compared
the difficulty of materials provided by OCR, Pearson, WJEC Eduqas and AQA by
looking in detail at the papers and test results.
It found tests from
OCR, Pearson and WJEC Eduqas would "fail to differentiate effectively
across the full range of ability" for whom the qualification is intended.
"This is due to
the assessments being too difficult."
In the case of Pearson
and Eduqas, the papers were so hard that the grade A boundary would have to
have been set at below 50%, Ofqual said.
The research showed
that "even the students from the best performing schools scored
poorly", adding: "The evidence suggests that if these assessments
were live exams, they would not function well."
Chief exams regulator
Glenys Stacey rejected suggestions that in demanding the changes now, just
weeks before the end of the summer term, the regulators had left it too late.
'We'll act quickly'
She said: "What
we are doing here is an unprecedented amount of analysis.
"This is not
going back to the drawing board. This is going to happen in the next few days.
This is not a substantial re-write by any means, it's making sure standards are
right in a sufficient and even-handed way."
Ofqual had accredited
all four GCSE syllabuses before concerns were raised by OCR and Pearson about
the comparative ease of AQA papers last December.
AQA chief executive
Andrew Hall said: "We're pleased that Ofqual has recognised that our
qualification works properly as an assessment - allowing us to set reliable
grade boundaries which will ensure that students get the results they deserve.
"Teachers can be
absolutely confident that the approach we've taken all along is the right one.
We're happy to make the small changes Ofqual has asked for - and we'll do this
quickly so schools can get on with teaching in just a few months' time."
There is less time available to consolidate teaching
effortsRussell Hobby, NAHT general secretary
Chief executive of OCR
board Mark Dawe said: "We appreciate Ofqual's determination to ensure that
all awarding bodies' exams are of the same rigour. We also welcome the
Regulator's commitment to enable new sample exam papers to be with schools and
colleges from the end of June."
Ofqual have asked all
awarding bodies to make changes to their sample materials, which we will be
submitting to the regulator for approval by the end of the month.
Pearson chief
executive Rod Bristow said: "As the new GCSE qualifications are introduced
into schools for teaching, we will continue to work with the regulator and
other exam boards to ensure a fair system for learners and clear information
for teachers."
Gareth Pierce, chief
executive of the WJEC board, said: "The overall research findings allow us
to refine our sample assessments. In response to Ofqual's request , we will
adjust some of our questions so that we move towards the middle ground in terms
of relative difficulty, in the context of a similar expectation being made of
all awarding bodies.
"We have already
identified ways of making selected questions more accessible without changing
our assessment style."
Russell Hobby, general
secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: "School
leaders were rightly concerned that with half a term to go until the papers are
in use there is less time available to consolidate teaching efforts.
"However, they
will be reassured by the rigorous approach Ofqual has taken to addressing the
concerns around the differences in difficulty between the different boards.
"Further
reassurance comes from the intention to have revised materials available by the
end of June. This exercise has had to be undertaken within a restricted time
frame."
No comments:
Post a Comment