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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/aug/24/gcse-confusion-caused-by-grading-league-table-and-cohort-changes
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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| GCSE confusion caused by grading, league table and cohort changes | GCSE confusion caused by grading, league table and cohort changes |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| This year’s GCSE results are notable for the confusion that has surrounded the introduction of the new 9-1 grading system. | This year’s GCSE results are notable for the confusion that has surrounded the introduction of the new 9-1 grading system. |
| Pupils and teachers are unsure about the equivalence of numerical and letter grades, as are employers, who, according to some of the big business lobby groups, will now be faced with candidates holding a mixture of both. | Pupils and teachers are unsure about the equivalence of numerical and letter grades, as are employers, who, according to some of the big business lobby groups, will now be faced with candidates holding a mixture of both. |
| There have also been mixed messages from universities, with reports that different institutions are planning on taking different approaches as to whether a grade 4 or 5 will satisfy their minimum GCSE requirements. | There have also been mixed messages from universities, with reports that different institutions are planning on taking different approaches as to whether a grade 4 or 5 will satisfy their minimum GCSE requirements. |
| Even as recently as the end of March, Justine Greening, the education secretary, had to clarify whether a grade 4 or a grade 5 should be considered a replacement for the widely understood C pass grade. (The official line? Grade 4s are a “standard pass”, while grade 5s are a “strong pass”.) | Even as recently as the end of March, Justine Greening, the education secretary, had to clarify whether a grade 4 or a grade 5 should be considered a replacement for the widely understood C pass grade. (The official line? Grade 4s are a “standard pass”, while grade 5s are a “strong pass”.) |
| As with so much in education in recent years, these changes had their genesis with Michael Gove’s time at the education department. | As with so much in education in recent years, these changes had their genesis with Michael Gove’s time at the education department. |
| Under these changes, all GCSE courses in England are being rewritten over a period of four years, starting with English and maths. The new GCSEs are intended to be tougher, and feature no coursework in many cases. | Under these changes, all GCSE courses in England are being rewritten over a period of four years, starting with English and maths. The new GCSEs are intended to be tougher, and feature no coursework in many cases. |
| And the most visible part of the change is a move away from A*-G grades, to 9-1 grades. The 9-1 grades don’t match directly to the old, letter grades, with more grades at the top end to allow greater differentiation of the best performing pupils, and fewer grades at the bottom end – making direct comparison of results under the two systems difficult. (Changes apply to England only, with Wales and Northern Ireland sticking to A*-G grades.) | And the most visible part of the change is a move away from A*-G grades, to 9-1 grades. The 9-1 grades don’t match directly to the old, letter grades, with more grades at the top end to allow greater differentiation of the best performing pupils, and fewer grades at the bottom end – making direct comparison of results under the two systems difficult. (Changes apply to England only, with Wales and Northern Ireland sticking to A*-G grades.) |
| But while this is a big change, most of the turbulence we can see in this year’s results actually stems from other changes. | But while this is a big change, most of the turbulence we can see in this year’s results actually stems from other changes. |
| In maths, results were down – with 69.9% of 16-year-olds achieving a grade 4/C or higher against 70.5 last year. The maths GCSE was made broader and tougher this year – but the approach taken by the exams regulator to “anchor” new grades to old ones at certain key points means the change is probably mostly explained by the cohort taking exams this year. | In maths, results were down – with 69.9% of 16-year-olds achieving a grade 4/C or higher against 70.5 last year. The maths GCSE was made broader and tougher this year – but the approach taken by the exams regulator to “anchor” new grades to old ones at certain key points means the change is probably mostly explained by the cohort taking exams this year. |
| Both English language and English literature results are affected by large numbers of pupils switching back to taking GCSEs rather than IGCSEs – which were perceived by schools to be easier, but now no longer count in school league tables. | Both English language and English literature results are affected by large numbers of pupils switching back to taking GCSEs rather than IGCSEs – which were perceived by schools to be easier, but now no longer count in school league tables. |
| For English language, once we factor this in it looks like results were pretty much static this year. | For English language, once we factor this in it looks like results were pretty much static this year. |
| But for English literature, things are further complicated by a change in how school league tables work, which has led to lots of less able pupils taking an English literature GCSE for the first time this year. That means English literature pass rates are quite a lot lower this year than last year – but the comparison is a meaningless one. | But for English literature, things are further complicated by a change in how school league tables work, which has led to lots of less able pupils taking an English literature GCSE for the first time this year. That means English literature pass rates are quite a lot lower this year than last year – but the comparison is a meaningless one. |
| Finally, while pupils will have now found out how they did, for many schools a period of anxious waiting begins. | Finally, while pupils will have now found out how they did, for many schools a period of anxious waiting begins. |
| That is because the main thing on which they are now judged – and which determines whether they are considered to be failing – is no longer a simple good pass measure, like the percentage of children achieving 5 A*-C GCSEs. | That is because the main thing on which they are now judged – and which determines whether they are considered to be failing – is no longer a simple good pass measure, like the percentage of children achieving 5 A*-C GCSEs. |
| Under the Progress 8 measure of performance brought in last year, schools don’t find out how they have done until the autumn – meaning the next few weeks will be a period of anxious waiting for all those schools with weaker than expected results. | Under the Progress 8 measure of performance brought in last year, schools don’t find out how they have done until the autumn – meaning the next few weeks will be a period of anxious waiting for all those schools with weaker than expected results. |
| Philip Nye is a researcher at Education Datalab | Philip Nye is a researcher at Education Datalab |
| GCSEs | GCSEs |
| Exams | Exams |
| Schools | Schools |
| analysis | analysis |
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