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Ofqual criticises exam board's almost 'catastrophic' marking crisis Ofqual letter reveals scale of exam board's marking crisis
(about 3 hours later)
The full scale of the marking crisis that threatened to throw last year’s English and Welsh school examination results into chaos has been revealed after the exams regulator Ofqual published a highly critical report following an investigation.The full scale of the marking crisis that threatened to throw last year’s English and Welsh school examination results into chaos has been revealed after the exams regulator Ofqual published a highly critical report following an investigation.
Ofqual’s chief regulator, Glenys Stacey, said for a time it appeared the OCR exam board would fail to deliver the results of last year’s GCSEs and A-levels on time, with potentially “catastrophic” consequences for students, schools and universities. Ofqual’s chief regulator, Glenys Stacey, said itat one point appeared that the OCR exam board would fail to deliver the results of last year’s GCSEs and A-levels on time, with potentially catastrophic consequences for students, schools and universities. In a letter to OCR’s chief executive, Mark Dawe, Stacey – who announced this week she would be stepping down at the end of her term next year – said events last summer had caused Ofqual “the greatest concern”.
In a letter to OCR’s chief executive, Mark Dawe, Stacey – who announced this week she would be stepping down at the end of her term of office next year – said events last summer had caused Ofqual “the greatest concern”. “For a time there seemed to be a real possibility that OCR would fail to issue timely results. The consequences had that happened might have been catastrophic; for candidates for schools and universities and for the wider system.” The letter, which was sent last April and made public on Friday, went on: “The detrimental impact on public confidence in our system might have taken many years to overcome.”
“For a time there seemed to be a real possibility that OCR would fail to issue timely results. The consequences had that happened might have been catastrophic; for candidates for schools and universities and for the wider system. At the end of a five-week investigation, Ofqual decided against pursuing a prosecution against OCR, which could have resulted in a substantial fine, because OCR took steps to address the issues, kept Ofqual informed throughout, and in the end delivered all its results on time.
The letter, which was sent last April and made public on Friday, went on: “The detrimental impact on public confidence in our system might have taken many years to overcome.”
At the end of a five-week investigation Ofqual decided against pursuing a prosecution against OCR, which could have resulted in a substantial fine, because OCR took steps to address the issues, kept Ofqual informed throughout, and in the end delivered all its results on time.
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Ofqual was at pains to point out there were no similar problems this year, either at OCR or the other examination boards, providing reassurances to the thousands of teenagers who will receive their AS and A-level results next Thursday. The following week, on 20 August, the long summer wait for GCSE results comes to an end with the publication of national grades. Ofqual was at pains to point out that there were no similar problems this year, either at OCR or the other examination boards, providing reassurances to the thousands of teenagers who will receive their AS and A-level results next Thursday. The following week, on 20 August, the long summer wait for GCSE results comes to an end with the publication of national grades.
“We are pleased to see that OCR is in a very different position this year,” Glenys Stacey said. “It is evident that they have made some welcome improvements to their business.”“We are pleased to see that OCR is in a very different position this year,” Glenys Stacey said. “It is evident that they have made some welcome improvements to their business.”
However, there is widespread concern about a potential shortage of examiners in the future. Ofqual is calling on exam boards to prepare for the additional pressures that will result following sweeping changes to the exam system which will come into effect in coming years. “We know that in our new qualifications there is generally more assessment,” said Stacey. “We want exam boards to plan for that.” However, there is widespread concern about a potential shortage of examiners in the future. Ofqual is calling on exam boards to prepare for the additional pressures that will result following sweeping changes to the exam system that will come into effect in coming years. “We know that in our new qualifications there is generally more assessment,” said Stacey. “We want exam boards to plan for that.”
Ofqual will be closely monitoring the rate of requests for re-marking and appeals against grades, after a record number of successful challenges last year.Ofqual will be closely monitoring the rate of requests for re-marking and appeals against grades, after a record number of successful challenges last year.
According to Ofqual’s report, OCR faced a number of additional challenges last summer. Because of changes to exams there were no January exams or resit opportunities, which meant there were 900,000 extra scripts to be marked in the summer. According to Ofqual’s report, OCR faced a number of additional challenges last summer. Because of changes to exams, there were no January exams or resit opportunities, which meant there were 900,000 extra scripts to be marked in the summer.
OCR added a new level of monitoring that meant more examiners were stopped for not following the marking standard. There were additional challenges, with 100% electronic marking for the first time, and an internal restructuring at the board meant there was “fragmented governance and a lack of clarity in key roles and responsibilities in managing marking”. OCR added a new level of monitoring that meant more examiners were stopped for not following the marking standard. There were additional challenges, with 100% electronic marking for the first time, and internal restructuring at the board meant there was “fragmented governance and a lack of clarity in key roles and responsibilities in managing marking”.
An OCR spokesperson responding to Ofqual’s findings said: “We welcome the regulator’s report as it confirms we delivered the results on time, took the right steps to improve our system resilience and that Ofqual did not need to take any regulatory action. An OCR spokesperson responding to Ofqual’s findings said: “We welcome the regulator’s report, as it confirms that we delivered the results on time, took the right steps to improve our system resilience, and that Ofqual did not need to take any regulatory action. OCR met the Ucas deadline – seven days before results day itself – despite having nearly a million extra scripts to mark electronically.
“OCR met the Ucas deadline – seven days before results day itself – despite having nearly a million extra scripts to mark electronically. Although we delivered the results on time, as soon as possible after the actual results day we launched a voluntary ‘warts and all’ investigation. “Although we delivered the results on time, as soon as possible after the actual results day we launched a voluntary ‘warts and all’ investigation. We then appointed an experienced, senior team whose job was to ensure we learnt the lessons of the summer and took the right action to make our processes more robust.
“We then appointed an experienced, senior team whose job was to ensure we learnt the lessons of the summer and took the right action to make our processes more robust.
“Regardless of the timing of this report, students and teachers can feel confident about this summer. All A-level marking has been completed and the quality of marking has been upheld.”“Regardless of the timing of this report, students and teachers can feel confident about this summer. All A-level marking has been completed and the quality of marking has been upheld.”
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Kevin Courtney, deputy general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: “Ofqual’s report will come as an assurance to students who are set to receive their A-level and GCSE results in the next few days, but the timing of its release seems ill-judged. It is a stressful enough time without the risk of raising concerns about the qualifications system and the ability of exam boards to deliver on time.” Kevin Courtney, deputy general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: “Ofqual’s report will come as an assurance to students who are set to receive their A-level and GCSE results in the next few days, but the timing of its release seems ill judged. It is a stressful enough time without the risk of raising concerns about the qualifications system and the ability of exam boards to deliver on time.”
Malcolm Trobe, deputy general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “There are clearly lessons to be learned and it is good to see that Ofqual has highlighted in its report the specific issues which caused problems. This will help to inform all the awarding bodies as they move into a period of curriculum reform which will affect exams from 2017 onwards.” Malcolm Trobe, deputy general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, noted: “There are clearly lessons to be learned, and it is good to see that Ofqual has highlighted in its report the specific issues which caused problems. This will help to inform all the awarding bodies as they move into a period of curriculum reform which will affect exams from 2017 onwards.”
Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), added: “One of the issues raised was the OCR’s limited understanding of assessors’ availability, which feeds into the wider issue of capacity within the system. Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), said: “One of the issues raised was the OCR’s limited understanding of assessors’ availability, which feeds into the wider issue of capacity within the system. NAHT is continually working with the exam boards and other professional associations to improve and expand marking capacity in the system to address this concern.”
“NAHT is continually working with the exam boards and other professional associations to improve and expand marking capacity in the system to address this concern.” Meanwhile, research by exam group Cambridge Assessment suggests it is becoming increasingly difficult for schools to predict how students will do in exams, with teachers getting more than half of all forecast grades wrong. Figures from OCR, part of the Cambridge Assessment group, show that in 2014, 43% of A-level forecast grades were correct, compared with 48% in 2012, with teachers more likely to be over-optimistic in their forecasts (43%) rather than pessimistic (14%).
Meanwhile, research by exam group Cambridge Assessment suggests it is becoming increasingly difficult for schools to predict how students will do in exams, with teachers getting more than half of all forecast grades wrong. According to researchers, in the vast majority of cases, the forecast grade was either correct or within one grade. One explanation for the fall in accuracy might be reforms that have led to the scrapping of most January exams, which teachers had relied on to help with predictions.
Figures from OCR, which is part of the Cambridge Assessment group, show that in 2014, 43% of A-level forecast grades were correct, compared with 48% in 2012, with teachers more likely to be over-optimistic in their forecasts (43%), rather than pessimistic (14%).
According to researchers, in the vast majority of cases, the forecast grade was either correct or within one grade. One explanation for the fall in accuracy might be reforms that have led to the scrapping of most January exams, which teachers relied on to help with predictions.