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| Heads test Ofqual's credibility with exam board reports | Heads test Ofqual's credibility with exam board reports |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| By Sean Coughlan BBC News education correspondent | By Sean Coughlan BBC News education correspondent |
| Head teachers are challenging the credibility of Ofqual's version of the GCSE English exam controversy - with plans to publish exam board reports confirming the reliability of marking. | Head teachers are challenging the credibility of Ofqual's version of the GCSE English exam controversy - with plans to publish exam board reports confirming the reliability of marking. |
| They say such moderation reports prove the accuracy of teachers' marking. | They say such moderation reports prove the accuracy of teachers' marking. |
| East London head Kenny Frederick is challenging the exam regulator to produce evidence to back claims schools have been too generous in marking. | East London head Kenny Frederick is challenging the exam regulator to produce evidence to back claims schools have been too generous in marking. |
| Ofqual has said that teachers had taken an "optimistic view" with marking. | Ofqual has said that teachers had taken an "optimistic view" with marking. |
| But on Tuesday, the AQA exam board confirmed that its moderators found fewer than 5% of teachers' assessments for English GCSE had needed to be adjusted. | But on Tuesday, the AQA exam board confirmed that its moderators found fewer than 5% of teachers' assessments for English GCSE had needed to be adjusted. |
| Head teachers' leader, Brian Lightman, said that many schools are now saying that their assessment was judged as "exemplary" by moderation - but were then downgraded. | Head teachers' leader, Brian Lightman, said that many schools are now saying that their assessment was judged as "exemplary" by moderation - but were then downgraded. |
| "If schools can't trust feedback from moderators, what can they trust?" said Mr Lightman. | "If schools can't trust feedback from moderators, what can they trust?" said Mr Lightman. |
| Launching the report into the GCSE English controversy last week, Ofqual chief Glenys Stacey had said: "Teachers are not making up marks here. | Launching the report into the GCSE English controversy last week, Ofqual chief Glenys Stacey had said: "Teachers are not making up marks here. |
| "They are doing their level best to do the best for their students and they are bound, given the pressures they are under, to take the most optimistic view." | "They are doing their level best to do the best for their students and they are bound, given the pressures they are under, to take the most optimistic view." |
| Evidence challenge | Evidence challenge |
| But there are now calls for Ofqual to show the evidence of schools where this has happened. | But there are now calls for Ofqual to show the evidence of schools where this has happened. |
| Ofqual commissioned research for the report - carried out by a research consultancy - but head teachers say it remains unclear how many real exam papers with evidence of such over-generous marking were discovered. | |
| Ms Frederick, whose call to publish exam board moderation reports is backed by the National Association of Head Teachers, says Ofqual's leadership is losing the confidence of schools. | Ms Frederick, whose call to publish exam board moderation reports is backed by the National Association of Head Teachers, says Ofqual's leadership is losing the confidence of schools. |
| Since the results of this summer's English GCSE exams were published, head teachers have angrily accused the exam regulator Ofqual of manipulating the grade boundaries in a way that is unfair. | Since the results of this summer's English GCSE exams were published, head teachers have angrily accused the exam regulator Ofqual of manipulating the grade boundaries in a way that is unfair. |
| In an attempt to resolve the dispute, Ofqual published a report last week which suggested that pressure on schools had pushed teachers to mark too generously. | In an attempt to resolve the dispute, Ofqual published a report last week which suggested that pressure on schools had pushed teachers to mark too generously. |
| But head teachers say they have no intention of backing down - and want schools to produce evidence to their local communities which they say would challenge Ofqual's account of the changes in grades. | But head teachers say they have no intention of backing down - and want schools to produce evidence to their local communities which they say would challenge Ofqual's account of the changes in grades. |
| Ms Frederick has released the moderation feedback from her own school, George Green's School in Tower Hamlets. Exam board moderators check a random sample of candidates to make sure that assessments are in keeping with expected standards. | Ms Frederick has released the moderation feedback from her own school, George Green's School in Tower Hamlets. Exam board moderators check a random sample of candidates to make sure that assessments are in keeping with expected standards. |
| "The centre is to be commended for the way it elicited detailed responses from students to substantial texts," wrote the exam board moderator. Teachers' annotations had "enabled the moderator to understand how and why the centre had awarded marks" - and said that some of the work had been "outstanding". | "The centre is to be commended for the way it elicited detailed responses from students to substantial texts," wrote the exam board moderator. Teachers' annotations had "enabled the moderator to understand how and why the centre had awarded marks" - and said that some of the work had been "outstanding". |
| But when the results were published - it showed there were 19 pupils who missed out on a projected C grade in English. This was in a school where exam grades have been rising. | But when the results were published - it showed there were 19 pupils who missed out on a projected C grade in English. This was in a school where exam grades have been rising. |
| Heads say that such individual pupils have become the victim of an unfair manipulation of this summer's grades. | Heads say that such individual pupils have become the victim of an unfair manipulation of this summer's grades. |
| Ms Frederick says the moderation report shows that teachers' assessments had been checked and verified by the exam board - in this case AQA - and called on Ofqual to provide evidence to show why such moderated assessments should then be downgraded. | Ms Frederick says the moderation report shows that teachers' assessments had been checked and verified by the exam board - in this case AQA - and called on Ofqual to provide evidence to show why such moderated assessments should then be downgraded. |
| 'Poorly led' | 'Poorly led' |
| Ofqual's report last week had commented on moderation, based on interviews with 100 schools where results differed significantly from expectations. | Ofqual's report last week had commented on moderation, based on interviews with 100 schools where results differed significantly from expectations. |
| It found that: "Most centres that we interviewed did not have their marks for the controlled assessment changed through moderation. | It found that: "Most centres that we interviewed did not have their marks for the controlled assessment changed through moderation. |
| "The majority of centres took this to mean that their marking had been accurate. On the whole, teachers had received letters from the Awarding Organisations saying that their marks had been accepted without adjustment." | "The majority of centres took this to mean that their marking had been accurate. On the whole, teachers had received letters from the Awarding Organisations saying that their marks had been accepted without adjustment." |
| Such feedback - which gave schools the impression that grades were being confirmed - had "created problems", Ofqual's report concluded. | Such feedback - which gave schools the impression that grades were being confirmed - had "created problems", Ofqual's report concluded. |
| This suggests that in schools with big fluctuations from expected results, both teachers and the exam board moderators had made similar judgements, which were then at odds with Ofqual's later changes to grade boundaries. | This suggests that in schools with big fluctuations from expected results, both teachers and the exam board moderators had made similar judgements, which were then at odds with Ofqual's later changes to grade boundaries. |
| The report says that moderation is applied at the level of individual exam units - but the need for a change emerged later, at the level of the full qualification. | The report says that moderation is applied at the level of individual exam units - but the need for a change emerged later, at the level of the full qualification. |
| Ms Frederick has written to Ofqual chief Glenys Stacey asking for the evidence that underpinned the need for this grade change. | Ms Frederick has written to Ofqual chief Glenys Stacey asking for the evidence that underpinned the need for this grade change. |
| "Do you have evidence of over-marking by teachers? Can we see it? Which schools and which students are you talking about in the report?," writes Ms Frederick. | "Do you have evidence of over-marking by teachers? Can we see it? Which schools and which students are you talking about in the report?," writes Ms Frederick. |
| She has also thrown down the gauntlet to the regulator - saying it is "poorly led and unwilling to accept responsibility". | She has also thrown down the gauntlet to the regulator - saying it is "poorly led and unwilling to accept responsibility". |
| Brian Lightman, leader of the Association of School and College Leaders, says: "We have heard from many schools that they were told their controlled assessment marking was exemplary, only to find later that it was downgraded. | Brian Lightman, leader of the Association of School and College Leaders, says: "We have heard from many schools that they were told their controlled assessment marking was exemplary, only to find later that it was downgraded. |
| "If there were issues with teacher over-marking, Ofqual and the exam boards should have dealt with it through improving the moderation process, rather than by changing grade boundaries at the 11th hour. ASCL is strongly encouraging schools to publish their moderation reports, so that the public can see the information that schools were basing their predictions on." | "If there were issues with teacher over-marking, Ofqual and the exam boards should have dealt with it through improving the moderation process, rather than by changing grade boundaries at the 11th hour. ASCL is strongly encouraging schools to publish their moderation reports, so that the public can see the information that schools were basing their predictions on." |
| There is also a legal challenge being mounted over the GCSE results, from an alliance of schools and local authorities. | There is also a legal challenge being mounted over the GCSE results, from an alliance of schools and local authorities. |
| In Wales, exam papers were regraded, but the dispute has continued in England. | In Wales, exam papers were regraded, but the dispute has continued in England. |
| In response to the publication by head teachers of the moderation reports, a spokeswoman for the AQA exam board said: "Ofqual found that while individual schools marked their controlled assessment work accurately according to the marking criteria, the national picture showed that some marking had been optimistic. | In response to the publication by head teachers of the moderation reports, a spokeswoman for the AQA exam board said: "Ofqual found that while individual schools marked their controlled assessment work accurately according to the marking criteria, the national picture showed that some marking had been optimistic. |
| "We are acutely aware that the results this summer had a big impact on some schools and have left many students and teachers feeling very let down. We know that we need to ensure that our moderation processes and communications with schools are as effective and transparent as they can be." | "We are acutely aware that the results this summer had a big impact on some schools and have left many students and teachers feeling very let down. We know that we need to ensure that our moderation processes and communications with schools are as effective and transparent as they can be." |
| Has your school had its GCSE marking supported by moderation? How should this dispute be resolved? | Has your school had its GCSE marking supported by moderation? How should this dispute be resolved? |
| The confidence in Ofqual's ability is seriously undermined by their own report. How can it be the case that schools such as my own can have an examiner's report which confirms the marks awarded by the teacher on one hand but on the other the regulator claiming we were 'optimistic'. I would think that it is a core part of a teachers fundamental responsibilities to be optimistic for their students! Provided teachers have correctly followed the guidelines for the marking, which we have, how could that possibly justify downgrading of our students' work? This report would seem to be another attempt to distract from the reality of the situation; too many students in January were awarded the higher grades and therefore to keep outcomes comparable with the previous year, students in June had to unduly suffer. This is clearly a failing of the regulator, OFQUAL; they should take responsibility and put things right for our children. To blame teachers when the system has failed both staff and students is outrageous. | The confidence in Ofqual's ability is seriously undermined by their own report. How can it be the case that schools such as my own can have an examiner's report which confirms the marks awarded by the teacher on one hand but on the other the regulator claiming we were 'optimistic'. I would think that it is a core part of a teachers fundamental responsibilities to be optimistic for their students! Provided teachers have correctly followed the guidelines for the marking, which we have, how could that possibly justify downgrading of our students' work? This report would seem to be another attempt to distract from the reality of the situation; too many students in January were awarded the higher grades and therefore to keep outcomes comparable with the previous year, students in June had to unduly suffer. This is clearly a failing of the regulator, OFQUAL; they should take responsibility and put things right for our children. To blame teachers when the system has failed both staff and students is outrageous. |
| Stuart Williams, Oakham | Stuart Williams, Oakham |