on March 23, 2012
TES Scotland article – Education secretary bows to EIS pressure for extra support. TES Scotland article – Sustained pressure pays off handsomely.
Posted in Examinations and Qualifications, News, Secondary
on March 17, 2012
NI Executive – Education Minister, John O’Dowd, has made a decision on the future of assessment at GCSE level in the north of Ireland.
Posted in Examinations and Qualifications, News
on March 15, 2012
The Observer – Local authority schools with a similar pupil intake performed better, according to new analysis of government figures. DfE news – Response to the Observer article.
Posted in Examinations and Qualifications, National Data, Secondary
on March 14, 2012
DfE press notice – Education Secretary Michael Gove warns of the dangers of entering pupils early for GCSEs before they are ready. Mr Gove has written to the chief inspector at Ofsted, Sir Michael Wilshaw, to ask him to examine how the practice can be “discouraged”.
Posted in Examinations and Qualifications, News, Secondary
on March 9, 2012
TES Scotland – A survey of secondary teachers by Scotland’s largest teaching union has revealed that 70 per cent of respondents lack confidence in their department’s ability to deliver the new National 4 and 5 qualifications on schedule.
Posted in Examinations and Qualifications, News
on March 2, 2012
TES article – Former Edexcel boss says he now accepts standards have dropped.
Posted in Examinations and Qualifications, Performance Data, Secondary
on March 2, 2012
TES Scotland article – East Renfrewshire’s director of education claimed this week he had been flagging up concerns to HMIE and the Scottish Qualifications Authority about the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence since 2006.
Posted in Examinations and Qualifications, News, Secondary
on February 24, 2012
Ofqual – We today (24th February 2012) announced moves to strengthen GCSEs in English literature, mathematics, history, and geography. The Guardian Education – Regulator makes changes to English literature, maths, history and geography to ensure pupils study whole curriculum. The Telegraph Education – Examiners ordered to toughen up GCSE test papers.
Posted in Examinations and Qualifications, News
on February 24, 2012
TES article – Shadow education secretary says they do benefit the disaffected.
Posted in Examinations and Qualifications, News
on February 24, 2012
TES Scotland article – Germany’s leading tabloid wants blood for a series of maths exam paper blunders.
Posted in Examinations and Qualifications, Secondary
on February 17, 2012
TES article – Former DfE official questions GCSE performance measure. Why are the results of GCSEs taken by 16-year-olds used to judge secondary schools when the compulsory age of education and training is due to be raised to 18?
Posted in Examinations and Qualifications, Performance Data, Secondary
on February 17, 2012
TES article – Pupils who speak English as an additional language (EAL) have achieved an academic breakthrough, with new figures showing that a higher proportion have gained five “good” GCSEs than their native English speaking counterparts for the first time. DfE – GCSE and Equivalent Attainment by Pupil Characteristics in England, 2010/11.
Posted in Examinations and Qualifications, National Data, News, Performance Data, Secondary
on February 10, 2012
TES article – Much of Ofqual’s work would fall on subject committees.
Posted in Examinations and Qualifications, Secondary
on February 10, 2012
TES article – Concern voiced over the watchdog that needs ‘reinforcements’. House of Commons Select Committee – How Should Examinations for 15-19 Year olds in England be Run?
Posted in Examinations and Qualifications, Secondary
on February 10, 2012
TES Scotland – As the EIS prepared to press the case for flexibility, sources suggested Michael Russell would stick to his guns.
Posted in Examinations and Qualifications, News
A booklet for school governors explaining the essential features of assessment for learning.