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Ofqual
The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) is a non-ministerial government department that regulates qualifications, exams and tests in England. Colloquially and publicly, Ofqual is often referred to as the exam "watchdog". History Ofqual was established in interim form on 8 April 2008 as part of Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), taking over the regulatory functions that had previously been undertaken by the QCA directly through its regulation and standards division. It was always intended that Ofqual would be an entirely separate body from the QCA. This was achieved on 1 April 2010 when Ofqual was established as a non-ministerial government department under the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009. In 2020, Ofqual was involved in an GCSE and A/Level grading controversy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Role Ofqual's role is "to maintain standards and confidence in qualifications." Area of governance Ofqual regulates exams ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2020 UK GCSE And A/Level Grading Controversy
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, all secondary education examinations due to be held in 2020 were cancelled. As a result, an alternative method had to be designed and implemented at short notice to determine the qualification grades to be awarded to students for that year. A standardisation algorithm was produced in June 2020 by the regulator Ofqual in England, Qualifications Wales in Wales, Scottish Qualifications Authority in Scotland, and CCEA in Northern Ireland. The algorithm was designed to combat grade inflation, and was to be used to moderate the existing but unpublished centre-assessed grades for A-Level and GCSE students. After the A-Level grades were issued, and after criticism, Ofqual, with the support of HM Government, withdrew these grades. It issued all students the ''Centre Assessed Grades'' (CAGs), which had been produced by teachers as part of the process. The same ruling was applied to the awarding of GCSE grades, just a few days before th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oxford, Cambridge And RSA Examinations
OCR (Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations) is an examination board that sets examinations and awards qualifications (including GCSEs and A-levels). It is one of England, Wales and Northern Ireland's five main examination boards. OCR is based in Cambridge, with an office in Coventry. It is part of the University of Cambridge's Cambridge Assessment which merged with Cambridge University Press in August 2021. OCR delivers GCSE and A Level examinations in the United Kingdom whereas for other countries Cambridge Assessment operates the examination board Cambridge International Examinations. An important distinction between the two is that OCR qualifications must comply with UK government regulations set by Ofqual while Cambridge International Examinations international GCSEs and GCE A Levels do not. History The name OCR reflects the fact that it was created in 1998 through the amalgamation of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES) and the Royal Society ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
GCSE
The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a particular subject, taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. State schools in Scotland use the Scottish Qualifications Certificate instead. Private schools in Scotland may choose to use GCSEs from England. Each GCSE qualification is offered in a specific school subject (English literature, English language, mathematics, science, history, geography, art and design, design and technology, business studies, classical civilisation, drama, music, foreign languages, etc). The Department for Education has drawn up a list of preferred subjects known as the English Baccalaureate for England on the results in eight GCSEs including English, mathematics, the sciences (physics, chemistry, biology, computer science), history, geography, and an ancient or modern foreign language. Studies for GCSE examinations take place over a period of two or three academic years (depending upon the subject, school ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Qualifications And Curriculum Authority
The Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) was a charity, and an executive non-departmental public body (NDPB) of the Department for Education. In England and Northern Ireland, the QCDA maintained and developed the National Curriculum and associated assessments, tests and examinations, advising the minister formerly known as the Secretary of State for Education on these matters. Regulatory functions regarding examination and assessment boards have been transferred to Ofqual, an independent regulator. Education and qualifications in Scotland and Wales are the responsibility of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government and their agencies. In Scotland, for example, the Scottish Qualifications Authority is the responsible body. In May 2010 the Secretary of State announced his intention to promote legislation that would transfer obligations of the QCDA to Ofqual. The newly formed Standards and Testing Agency took on the functions of the agency 3 October 2011 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Education Act 2011
The Education Act 2011 (c. 21) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was the first major piece of education legislation to be introduced by the coalition government, and makes changes to many areas of educational policy, including the power of school staff to discipline students, the manner in which newly trained teachers are supervised, the regulation of qualifications, the administration of local authority maintained schools, academies, the provision of post-16 education, including vocational apprenticeships, and student finance for higher education. The Act also brought about the abolition of the General Teaching Council for England, the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency and the Training and Development Agency for Schools, amongst other bodies. The Act is divided into ten parts, and comprises 83 Sections and 18 Schedules. Parliamentary passage The Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, introduced the Education Bill to the House of C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edexcel
Edexcel (also known since 2013 as Pearson Edexcel) is a British Multinational corporation, multinational education and examination body formed in 1996 and wholly owned by Pearson plc since 2005. It is the only privately owned examination board in the United Kingdom. Its name is a portmanteau term combining the words ''education'' and ''excellence''. Edexcel regulates school examinations under the British Curriculum and offers qualifications for schools on the international and regional scale. It is the UK's largest awarding organisation offering academic and vocational qualifications in schools, colleges and work places in the UK and abroad. It is also recognised internationally. In 2019, Edexcel was the focus of significant controversy following a leak of an GCE Advanced Level, A-level examination. History Edexcel was formed in 1996 by the merger of two bodies, the Business and Technology Education Council, BTEC (Business & Technology Education Council) and ULEAC (University o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Assessment And Qualifications Alliance
AQA, formerly the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance, is an awarding body in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It compiles specifications and holds examinations in various subjects at GCSE, AS and A Level and offers vocational qualifications. AQA is a registered charity and independent of the government. However, its qualifications and exam syllabi are regulated by the Government of the United Kingdom, which is the regulator for the public examinations system in England and Wales. AQA is one of five awarding bodies which are recognised by schools across the country. AQA is also recognised by the regulators of the public exams systems for England, Wales and Northern Ireland to offer GCSE, AS and A Levels in the United Kingdom. AQA also offers the AQA Baccalaureate, a qualification also intended for students in Year 12 and 13 and which includes the study of three A-Levels, an extended project and extra-curricular enrichment activities. AQA is the largest examinati ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Department For Education
The Department for Education (DfE) is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for child protection, child services, education (compulsory, further and higher education), apprenticeships and wider skills in England. A Department for Education previously existed between 1992, when the Department of Education and Science was renamed, and 1995 when it was merged with the Department for Employment to become the Department for Education and Employment. The Secretary of State for Education is Rt Hon. Gillian Keegan MP. Susan Acland-Hood is the Permanent Secretary. The expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for Education are scrutinised by the Education Select Committee. History The DfE was formed on 12 May 2010 by the incoming Coalition Government, taking on the responsibilities and resources of the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). In June 2012 the Department for Education committed a breach of the UK's Data Protection Act du ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Education Select Committee
The Education Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the committee is to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for Education and any associated public bodies. The chair of the committee is Robin Walker MP. Previous chairs include Neil Carmichael (2015–17) and Graham Stuart MP (2010–2015). Membership As of 29 November 2022, the membership of the committee is as follows: Changes since 2019 Occasionally, the House of Commons orders changes to be made in terms of membership of select committees, as proposed by the Committee of Selection. Such changes are shown below. 2017-2019 Parliament The chair was elected on 12 July 2017, with the members of the committee being announced on 11 September 2017. Changes 2017-2019 2015-2017 Parliament The chair was elected on 18 June 2015, with members being announced on 6 July 2015. Changes 2015-2017 2010-2015 Parlia ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Non-ministerial Department
Non-ministerial government departments (NMGDs) are a type of department of the United Kingdom government that deal with matters for which direct political oversight has been judged unnecessary or inappropriate. They are headed by senior civil servants. Some fulfil a regulatory or inspection function, and their status is therefore intended to protect them from political interference. Some are headed by a permanent office holder, such as a Permanent Secretary or Second Permanent Secretary.Government Departments and Agencies , Government, Citizens and Rights, DirectGov. Overview The status of an NMGD varies considerably from one to another. For example:[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
WJEC (exam Board)
, native name = , native_name_lang = , logo = WJEC CBAC logo.svg , image = WJEC Cardiff 1.JPG , caption = Headquarters of the WJEC , formation = 1948 , full_name = Welsh Joint Education Committee , purpose = Examination board , headquarters = Cardiff, Wales , region_served = Wales, England and Northern Ireland , website = WJEC ( cy, CBAC), formally the Welsh Joint Education Committee ( cy, Cyd-bwyllgor Addysg Cymru, links=no), is an examination board providing examinations, professional development and educational resources to schools and colleges in Wales, England and Northern Ireland under its own name and the Eduqas brand. History WJEC was established as a consortium of Welsh Local Education Authorities in 1948, replacing the Central Welsh Board. It is now a registered charity, and a company limited by guarantee, led by a group trustees drawn from the l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joint Council For Qualifications
The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) is a community interest company acting as a single voice for the eight largest qualification providers in the United Kingdom offering GCSE, GCE, Scottish Highers and vocationally related qualifications: AQA, CCEA, City & Guilds, Edexcel, NCFE, OCR, SQA and WJEC. The JCQ closely monitors examination administration, invigilation of exams at individual schools and activities of exams officers. About The JCQ was established in January 2004 to supersede the Joint Council for General Qualifications (JCGQ, 1998–2003). The JCQ was established to unite to an extent the largest educational and vocational examination boards in the United Kingdom and to administer testing standards. The JCQ should not be confused with Ofqual (Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation), the authority to regulate and accredit British examination boards. The JCQ was formed to enable member awarding bodies to act together in: * providing, wherever pos ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
