Regulator says candidates' achievements come first in A level
Friday, 13 August 2010 15:07
Ofqual has given an unprecedented glimpse into this year’s A Level awards. Correspondence between Ofqual and the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) has confirmed that this year’s top performing A level candidates will get the grade their work deserves.
In a letter to HMC secretary, Geoff Lucas, Ofqual chief executive, Isabel Nisbet said "I believe that the approach that the regulators and the awarding bodies have taken on the A* has done as much as it is possible to do with a new grade to make sure that the grades awarded this summer are fair and that no candidate is unfairly disadvantaged because of the particular awarding body or specification that they used".
The letter also took the unprecedented step of revealing that in 10% of syllabuses the actual achievement of the top grade is different from expectations. Last year the regulators and awarding bodies agreed an approach whereby a statistical analysis of the 2009 results would be used as an initial guide when looking at how many candidates might get the new top grade.
Writing to the HMC Isabel Nisbet says "..the outcomes for this year’s candidates have been determined by their achievement, not by a statistical straightjacket derived from last year’s A level outcomes. You ( HMC) referred to concerns that the approach we have taken does not allow for the possibility of greater motivation this year, because of the availability of the A* grade. In order to allay those concerns , I am today publicly sharing the information that in 10% of the A2 specifications (syllabuses) this summer ( 21 out of a total of 214) the proportion awarded an A* was outside the tolerance range based on the reference points derived from the 2009 results."
Notes to editors:
- For an interview with the Ofqual Chief Executive please call: 0300 303 3342 or 07798 924552
- The full exchange of correspondence can be found here http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/news-and-announcements/128/386
- This year’s A level results will be released on Thursday 19 August
