Examination Standards

Summary

‘Examination standards’ can mean different things: the level of demand the exam places on candidates – how easy or difficulty it is; or the level of attainment candidates reach in the exam – how well they have done.
The debate about exam standards usually takes place against a background of candidates doing better than in previous years (i.e. levels of attainment apparently rising), which is questioned by those who believe the exams are easier than they used to be (i.e. exam standards are in fact falling)

Recent Developments

Following the findings of last year’s Tomlinson Inquiry, QCA and the other regulatory authorities, working with the awarding bodies, have implemented systematic improvements to A level grading.

In September 2002 Dr. Ken Boston, QCA’s Chief Executive, set up an Examinations Taskforce to oversee the delivery of this year’s examinations. Mike Tomlinson’s report on the awarding process covering January’s exams was very positive.

The regulatory authorities’ Code of Practice, which aims to ensure that professional judgment, guided by a range of technical and other information, is exercised fairly and consistently, has been strengthened.

A new, more generic, description of A Level standards has been produced and further clarification of what is needed to meet expected performance at each grade has been provided. Exemplar materials and performance descriptions have been produced for many subjects.

Exam standards – the Evidence

An independent panel of experts was invited by QCA to review the quality assurance systems that are designed to maintain GCE A level standards. They were Lord Sutherland of Houndwood, (UK) Professor Eva Baker, (USA) Dr Barry McGaw (Australia).

The following extracts are from ‘Maintaining GCSE A level standards’ October 2001, a report on the findings of the panel.

‘The assumption that there is a limit on high performance does not stand up to clear international evidence which shows that academic achievement is better in some countries than others, both in average results and in the proportion of students achieving high levels of performance. General research findings show that high-quality instruction, student effort and persistence pay off in academic achievement.’

‘Correct classification or grading depends on the precision and appropriateness of the cut-points between categories or grades established on the underlying mark scale.’

‘The composition of the cohort (student group in any one year) for different subject examinations may change and is different across subjects’ (for instance, Classics).

‘It must be recognised that error is a reality in all measurement. …The task in an examination system is to reduce error in a manner consistent with the goals of the system and the costs it can bear.‘

‘It is our considered judgement that QCA has done a commendable job in its effort to assure the quality of the A level examinations.’

Standards in Public examinations 1975 to 1995, a report on English, mathematics and chemistry examinations over time, Ofsted and the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority (SCAA), 1996

This landmark study did not find evidence of a systematic decline in standards. The syllabuses had changed considerably over the period so that the nature of the demand changed, but there was no evidence that exam demand or the standard of work required to get key grades had changed significantly.

Five yearly reviews of standards

Following the 1996 Ofsted SCAA study, QCA established a review of standards programme, organised to run in five-year cycles, to look at whether:

the demand of syllabuses and exams has changed over time (examination demand)
the level of performance required to get key grades has changed over time (grade standard).

Reports have been published on:

GCSE French geography physical education religious studies English maths physics chemistry biology history German

A level German government and politics history physics English literature maths chemistry biology French classical subjects psychology

Each year up to 100 independent specialists review around 2,000 exam scripts and over 150 syllabuses.

The outcomes have generally been similar to the findings of the Ofsted/SCAA study.

International dimension

In general England performs well in international comparisons and our record is improving.

For example the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) study in 2000 showed that English 15 year olds are performing significantly higher in reading literacy than OECD countries as a whole (only Finland and Canada did significantly better). It also showed that 16% achieved the very highest level of reading proficiency against an OECD average of 10%.

The increase in students taking and passing post-16 qualifications is a Europe-wide phenomenon. Professor Alison Woolf’s recent book, Does Education Matter?, makes the point that: “In France, as in Germany (or Italy, or the UK), the expansion lines for general secondary and higher education run parallel: a doubling between 1980 and 1995 in the number completing a baccalaureate programme is followed by a near doubling over the exact same timescale in the numbers of university students.”