Presentation entitled 'National Curriculum Assessments - The view from the regulator', delivered by Dennis Opposs at the Inside Government conference on 8th February 2011.
2. Ofqual
Ofqual - The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation
Regulator of qualifications, exams and tests in England and
vocational qualifications in Northern Ireland.
Ofqual's role is to ensure:
all learners get the results their work merits
standards are maintained
qualifications are correctly valued and understood, now and
in the future.
3. Ofqual’s objectives
To secure standards of regulated qualifications
To promote standards of regulated assessments
To promote confidence in assessment arrangements
To promote awareness and understanding of regulated
qualifications
To secure efficiency and value for money.
4. Ofqual’s objectives
To secure standards of regulated qualifications
To promote standards of regulated assessments
To promote confidence in assessment arrangements
To promote awareness and understanding of regulated
qualifications
To secure efficiency and value for money.
5. Regulating 3-14 assessments
Ofqual must encourage the development of assessments that give
a reliable indication of achievement and attainment
Ofqual must keep under review all aspects of statutory national
assessment arrangements. We look at
consistency
reliability
how responsible bodies perform their tasks
how results are used
Ofqual must produce regulatory frameworks for National
Curriculum and Early Years Foundation Stage assessment
arrangements. These set out what we expect from responsible
bodies.
6. Changes to the National Curriculum
Ofqual cannot influence curriculum – but must take interest as we
will regulate assessments
Less prescription and greater freedom for schools
Slimmed down curriculum
Tighter model of knowledge which every child should master in
core subjects
Changes to what is statutory and what is optional
7. Review of the National Curriculum
Launched in January 2011
First phase to report back in autumn 2011
Expert panel includes assessment experts – inter-dependency of
curriculum and assessment.
8. Recent and forthcoming changes to 3-14
assessments
End of key stage 3 tests (Oct 2008)
Switch from science key stage 2 full cohort tests to sample tests
(2010)
New phonics screening check at age 6 – testing ability to decode
words (pilot in 2011)
Further tests at 11 and 16
New suite of optional tests at key stage 3
Bew review currently looking at key stage 3 assessment
arrangements
Tickell considering assessment at end of Early Years Foundation
Stage (EYFS).
9. Changes to 3-14 assessment
The National Curriculum – originally a “guide to study” intended
to ensure students were acquiring the knowledge to progress
Need to consider:
– Assessment points: what a child might be expected to know at
each stage?
– What will the assessment tell us?
Primary and secondary curriculum coherence
Opportunity for greater consistency in the assessment system
Assessment must feed into each other and be meaningful at all
stages, and support transition.
10. Changes to 3-14 assessment: The White Paper
Tests to assess the essential knowledge and understanding
pupils should be expected to have achieved
New Assessments?
Tell parents for the first time whether their children have the
knowledge and skills for success as they move ‘from one phase to
the next’ (White Paper, 4.42 )
Test Purpose & Manageability?
School accountability for pupil progress without encouraging
over-rehearsal of test questions
Simple for schools / teachers to administer
Provide parents with good quality information on their child’s
progress.
11. Lord Bew review – KS2 testing, assessment and
accountability
Looking at
Making schools accountable to pupils, parents and the taxpayer
Ensuring parents have good quality information on the progress
of children and success of schools
Avoid “teaching to the test”
Ensuring performance information is used and interpreted
correctly without crude judgements made
Launched in November 2010, set to report in June 2011.
12. Dame Tickell review of EYFS
Looking at
If there is need for prescriptive curriculum for under- fives
Whether childcare providers face too much bureaucracy
Ofqual submitting two reports on EYFS as part of this
Launched in July 2010, report in spring 2011.
13. Regulation activity
Ofqual cannot advise on curriculum – but can advise to clarify
purpose of assessment
New National Assessment Arrangements Regulatory Framework
to be launched imminently – will be reviewed regularly
Keeping all existing national assessment arrangements under
review
Key stage 2 assessments under review – Ofqual to be kept
informed
Ofqual can advise on pilots resulting from recommendations from
reviews – we will state what we need to allow informed judgments
to be made.
14. Promoting public confidence
Ofqual’s public confidence objective – “to promote public
confidence in regulated qualifications and regulated assessment
arrangements”
To maintain and improve confidence, parents and carers must be
clear on what is proposed for assessments
Parents must understand what assessments can tell us – and
what they can’t.