teacher assessment | Schools Week

Ofqual chief criticised over ’embarrassing’ claim teacher grades ‘more accurate’ than exams

The head of England’s exams regulator has been criticised over his “embarrassing” claim that teacher-assessment grades were “likely to give a much more accurate” reflection of students’ capabilities than exams. We can feel satisfied it’s likely to give a much more accurate and substantial reflection of what their students are capable of achieving One former […]

Exams regulator calls in Test and Trace firm Sitel to manage public enquiry phone lines

Exams regulator Ofqual is paying £225,000 to an outsourcing company used in the government’s much-criticised Test and Trace system to answer calls from students, parents and teachers. The regulator outsourced its public enquiries lines to Sitel to meet an expected rise in calls. Last year Ofsted staff were deployed to help in the height of […]

Tell us why pupils’ exam grades will be withheld, heads tell Ofqual

Headteachers are demanding Ofqual come clean over why pupils might have exam grades “withheld” this summer. Ofqual’s chair and chief regulator last week warned results could be withheld should an exam board and school not agree on the teacher-assessed grade awarded. We have asked these questions, but have not been able to elicit any further […]

Exams 2021: Leaders fear pressure from parents with ‘pointy elbows and lawyer friends’

School leaders fear the switch to teacher assessment instead of exams this year will lead to pressure to adjust grades from parents with “pointy elbows and lawyer friends”. Richard Sheriff, president of the ASCL school leaders’ union and chief executive of the Red Kite Learning Trust, said he feared more privileged parents would try to […]

Let schools tell pupils their teacher assessment grades before submission, says exam board

Strict rules forbidding schools from telling pupils their teacher assessment grades should be dropped this year to prevent “sudden surprises” and reduce appeals, an exam board has said. Ofqual proposes that schools should not tell students the grade they have submitted to exam boards this summer. Pupils would instead have an option to appeal after […]

Exams ‘fairest way’ to assess pupils, and replacing them ‘not straightforward’, warns new Ofqual chief

Ofqual’s new interim chief has said replacing exams is “not straightforward”, in a sobering statement this morning warning the sector of potentially more disruption and suggesting a plan is yet to be fully worked out. Simon Lebus, former Cambridge Assessment group chief executive, urged students to continue to engage “as fully as you can” in education […]