Leadership

Perceptions Of A Levels, GCSES And Other Qualifications In England

This Ofqual report has found that understanding of how GCSEs work has dropped after the new 9 to 1 grading system came in from 70% to 62%.

The project was commissioned by Ofqual and conducted by YouGov. The aim of this project was to investigate head teachers’, teachers’, students’, parents’, the general public’s, employers’ and Higher Education Institutions’ (HEIs) perceptions and levels of confidence in qualifications and the examination system in England.

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      string(383) "Nearly half of teachers lack confidence in A-level grades, according to this Ofqual report. This report presents the findings of the 12th wave of research of the Perceptions Survey. This longitudinal study aims to explore attitudes to general and vocational qualifications, as well as awareness and perceptions of Ofqual.
Leadership Briefing Issue 9.02(98)"
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      string(4047) "Leadership BriefingLeadership Briefing – www.teachingtimes.comReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents.PERCEPTIONS OF A LEVELS, GCSES ANDOTHER QUALIFICATIONS IN ENGLANDKeywordsConfidence,A-level, grades,perceptions,vocationalqualifications   SummaryNearly half of teachers lack confidence in A-level grades, according to this Ofqual report.This report presents the findings of the 12th wave of research of the Perceptions Survey. Thislongitudinal study aims to explore attitudes to general and vocational qualifications, as well asawareness and perceptions of Ofqual.A similar proportion believe A-level marking has got less accurate over the past two years. But thevast majority of heads (81%) and most teachers (74%) have confidence in the A-level system overall.It questioned 230 head teachers, 698 teachers, 365 pupils and 321 parents, alongside 1,800members of the public.When head teachers were asked what percentage of students they thought got the right A-levelgrade, a range of between 71% and 80% was the most popular answer.One of the main concerns about the exams system as a whole appeared to be constant change.Key Findings: ■ Confidence in the A level system was high among respondents. However, some respondentgroups reported a moderate loss of confidence in A level qualifications. ■ The A level qualification was generally perceived as a “trusted qualification”. ■ Levels of confidence in the GCSE system remain low when compared to the A level system. ■ Perceived “constant change in the exam system” was the main source of concern among allrespondent groups. ■ Teachers and headteachers reported differing views on confidence in the marking and grading ofA levels and GCSEs, with teachers generally being more positive than headteachers. Further,students and teachers reported the highest levels of confidence in the marking and grading of Alevels and GCSEs across all respondent groups. ■ When thinking about grading of GCSEs and A levels, the subject areas that respondents tended tobe more concerned about were English, maths and sciences.Week Commencing 29th September 2014http://ofqual.gov.uk/documents/perceptions-of-a-levels-gcses-and-other-qualifications/http://ofqual.gov.uk/documents/perceptions-of-a-levels-gcses-and-other-qualifications/Leadership BriefingLeadership Briefing – www.teachingtimes.comReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents. ■ Headteachers and teachers reported the highest level of knowledge and understanding ofvocational qualifications. Members of the public had the least. ■ All respondent groups felt that ‘other qualifications’ including “other academic qualifications” and“vocational qualifications” were easier to achieve than A levels and GCSEs. ■ As expected, awareness of Ofqual was particularly high among headteachers and teachers, whilemembers of the public were the least aware. ■ Respondents who were aware of Ofqual positively rated its performance as the exams regulator,but by a small margin. ■ “Inconsistent marking” of exam papers and “inconsistent grading” were the main reasons whyrespondents believed Ofqual to be ineffective at maintaining standards. ■ Trust in Ofqual as a source of information about exams was highest among headteachers andteachers..WEB LINKPerceptions of A Levels, GCSEs and Other Qualifications in Englandhttp://ofqual.gov.uk/documents/perceptions-of-a-levels-gcses-and-other-qualifications/"
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Leadership

Perceptions of A Levels, GCSEs and Other Qualifications in England

25 Sep 2014

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      string(3291) "relationships’.■ Almost eight out of ten young women (77 per cent) say ‘pornography has led to pressure on girls or youngwomen to look a certain way’, while almost as many (75 per cent) say ‘pornography has led to pressure on girls andyoung women to act a certain way’.■ More young men (45 per cent) than young women (29 per cent) agree that ‘pornography helps youngpeople learn about sex’. Young women are more likely to disagree (49 per cent) than young men (28 percent) with the same statement.■ Half as many young men (21 per cent) as young women (40 per cent) strongly agree that ‘pornographyleads to unrealistic attitudes to sex’. Half as many young men (18 per cent) as young women (37 per cent)strongly agree that ‘pornography encourages society to view women as sex objects’.■ More than eight out of ten (86 per cent) agree that sex and relationship advice should be taught inschools. More than a third (37 per cent) say sex and relationship advice should be taught from thebeginning of primary school and almost half (49 per cent) from the beginning of secondary school.■ Seven out of ten (68 per cent) 18-year-olds think that sex and relationships education should be taught bya trained expert, while 40 per cent think that it should be taught by an external visitor who doesn’t usuallyteach at the school. Just 19 per cent think it should be taught by a teacher from the school.Recommendations:■ Sex and relationships education should be taught in every school by specialists, and must be broader inscope. Young people feel they need more information and support in every area of sex and relationshipseducation.■ Parents, educators and young people need a single point to access advice and support. Although schoolis a vital source of information, it is not the only one, and the pool of adults who support and influenceyoung people themselves need access to useful, contemporary resources and guidance.■ Local authorities’ public sexual health responsibility for young people should be broadened. For example,to extend beyond targets for teenage pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections to cover the widerwellbeing aspects of healthy, positive, intimate and social relationships.Thinking HatsBy Anna ForsythAll books priced at £17.99 eachThinking Hats – Book 1 Ages 5-7Thinking Hats – Book 2 Ages 7-9Thinking Hats – Book 3 Ages 9-11Creativity is the wealth of tomorrow. Developing laterality in approachto issues is exciting, challenging and critical learning. World-renownedEdward de Bono’s concept of ‘Thinking Hats’ has proven itself to be anexcellent way to ensure that students consider problems and issues fromdifferent perspectives; ‘actively thinking’.This series of three books teaches the use of Edward de Bono’s sixthinking hats; white for facts and information, yellow for optimism,green for creativity, blue for the overall picture, black for negative, redfor emotions.A series of 40 lessons in each book spans almost all the curriculum areasso that students practice using thinking hats in many contexts.Thinking Hats conceptThis series is based on Edward de Bono’sOrder Now: Tel: 0121 224 7599 Fax: 0121 224 7598or Email: enquiries@imaginativeminds.co.ukThinking Hats half.indd 1 14/1/14 13:08:12"
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Leadership

SLT 6.3 Report Update

13 Nov 2014

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Leadership

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8 May 2013

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      string(5753) "ResourceTHE EVALUATION OF THE IMPACT OF CHANGES TO A LEVELS AND GCSESOriginal DocumentThe Evaluation Of The Impact Of Changes To A Levels And GCSEs. This DfE report presents findings from the independent evaluation of the impact of changes to A levels and GCSEs in England. The report follows three rounds of fieldwork with case-study centres and wider stakeholder groups designed to ascertain their understanding and perceptions of the changes, and their attitudes towards them. It builds on findings from the statistical data reported on in spring 2011, and reports on early indications of the impact of the changes and the issues that have arisen.KeywordsA levels, GCSEs, impact, changes, assessments, teaching strategies, studentsSummaryThis DfE report presents findings from the independent evaluation of the impact of changes to A levels and GCSEs in England. The report follows three rounds of fieldwork with case-study centres and wider stakeholder groups designed to ascertain their understanding and perceptions of the changes, and their attitudes towards them. It builds on findings from the statistical data reported on in spring 2011, and reports on early indications of the impact of the changes and the issues that have arisen.Key Findings:· The introduction of ‘stretch and challenge’ in A levels and the reduction from six to four units1 have been welcomed by the majority of stakeholders. The decrease from six to four units at A level was seen as positive in terms of ensuring greater depth and breadth of study.· The majority of centres felt that there was greater stretch and challenge in the new specifications at A2, but that this was not always equally reflected in the assessments. Stretch and challenge has been interpreted in a variety of ways by centres, and there continues to be a degree of uncertainty and ambiguity about what is involved. There was disagreement between and within subjects as to how best to deliver stretch and challenge, and, indeed, about the extent to which stretch and challenge was possible for all students.· Teachers felt that they needed time to adjust their teaching strategies and that students needed time to develop new approaches in their learning in order to develop higher-level and independent learning skills.· Progression from AS to A2 was considered by many case-study centres to be a larger jump than in the previous specifications. Analysis of examination data indicated that, for most of the subjects looked at in this study, proportionally fewer students continued to A2 for 2010 completion (new specification) than had continued to A2 for 2009 completion (legacy specification).· The plateauing of grades seen in the A level results in 2010 was thought to be due to a combination of factors: the challenges of the new specification and the impact of measures introduced by Ofqual for the 2010 A level series (i.e. placing an effective limit on the extent to which grades could rise or fall to ensure that the first candidates to take the new specification A levels examinations were not disadvantaged). From 2010 to 2011, the upward trend in average grades that had been seen up to 2009 was largely restored.· The A* grade at A level is perceived by both teachers and students as recognising high-attaining students. Some universities now require an A* pass for certain courses.· Although the updating of course content at GCSE is reported to have increased students’ sense of motivation and their engagement with GCSE subjects, this positive effect has been somewhat counteracted by what is perceived as the increased focus in teaching and learning on the demands of the examination.· There were some concerns about unitised assessment for GCSE, but views were mixed. Some stakeholders, including centres, thought that linear assessment promoted more in-depth and longer-lasting learning than unitised assessment, particularly in relation to the development of subject-specific skills; other centres liked to have the option of unitised assessment for students who learned better by having the opportunity to achieve along the way and to build on previous results.· The consensus from centres and awarding organisations was that there is conflict between the need to gain the ‘results’ required for school performance targets for Key Stage 4 – using re-sits and early entry to maximise pass rates (e.g. at A*–C at GCSE), which is possible with unitised qualifications – and encouraging learning, development, coherence and a greater understanding of the subject.· The overall grade distributions obtained in the new specification GCSEs in 2011 were worse than those obtained in 2010, a slight dip following steadily increasing grades since 2004. 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Leadership

Impact Of Changes To A Levels And GCSEs

11 Apr 2012