Announcement on exam paper errors inquiry
Friday, 01 July 2011 09:33
We are today (1st July 2011) announcing information about a regulatory inquiry into the exam paper errors this summer.
The inquiry, to be carried out by Ofqual in partnership with fellow regulators in Northern Ireland and Wales (CCEA and DfES respectively), will aim to:
- Establish the facts and find out the root causes of the errors
- Inform decisions about further regulatory action relating to the errors
- Consider how effectively the awarding organisations have communicated with candidates, schools, colleges and other stakeholders
- Identify any improvements necessary in awarding organisations’ procedures
- Consider arrangements for risk management and redress that should be used in the future and any implications for regulatory arrangements.
Sandra Burslem, Deputy Chair of Ofqual, said: "We have made it clear that the errors on exam papers this summer are unacceptable.
"Ofqual's priorities during the exam season were to make sure the awarding organisations did everything possible to prevent further errors and to make sure that, where errors have occurred, the marking of papers neither unfairly advantages or disadvantages the candidates involved.
"Now that the taking of exams is over we turn our attention to an inquiry. This will hold the awarding organisations to account for their mistakes by finding out the root causes of the errors and what needs to be done to put things right.
"The regulators will not hesitate to take regulatory action as necessary at any stage to protect the interests of students."
The inquiry will take into account information and views we have already received from sources including candidates, schools and colleges, parents and student representatives, and will also be gathering information from a list of interested and concerned stakeholders.
It is intended that the regulators will complete the inquiry and publish the report by the end of the year. A progress report will be published in time to inform actions to secure the quality of exams being taken in 2012.
The regulatory inquiry does not replace the need for awarding organisations to carry out their own investigations into the errors. If the inquiry requires an awarding organisation to bring in external expertise to carry out an in-depth review of its processes, the regulators will have oversight of that appointment and the arrangements. The awarding organisation will bear the cost in those circumstances.
Separate from the inquiry, the regulators will continue their work to monitor the actions being taken by the awarding organisations to make sure that candidates who have faced exam paper errors this summer are, as far as possible, not unfairly disadvantaged or advantaged.
Ofqual's powers are set out in the document Taking Regulatory Action.
Powers include setting special conditions for awarding organisations to meet, directing them to take particular action and, ultimately, withdrawing recognition for them to offer regulated qualifications.
