Edexcel Update August 2013
Dr David Davies
Education Consultant
Pearson
2
Curriculum reform update and International Advanced level
Largest awarding body in the UK
UK Government
Stakeholders
• Implement QCA standards
• Design and develop qualifications in
conjunction with employers,
professional associations and
educators
Establish objectives
and educational
policies
Determine
standards to
achieve educational
objectives
• Obtain accreditation from QCA for
qualifications
• Approve, train and support
educators to deliver our
qualifications
• Quality control educators and
learning programmes
• Accredit 3rd party qualifications
Educators
(schools, colleges
and universities)
National training
authorities
Professional
Associations
Employers
(business and Gov)
Edexcel qualifications: The Complete Solution
QCF Level
Framework for Higher Education
Qualifications (FHEQ)
Edexcel Qualifications
Academic
4
Vocational (BTEC)
Level 7
M (masters)
Masters degrees, postgraduate
certificates and diplomas
Level 6
H (honours)
Bachelor degrees, graduate
certificates and diplomas
BTEC Higher National
Graduate Diploma*
Level 5
I (intermediate)
Diplomas of higher education and
further education, foundation
degrees and higher national
diplomas
BTEC Higher National
Diploma
Level 4
C (certificate)
Certificates of higher education
BTEC Higher National
Certificate
Level 3
GCE (A) Levels (A* E)
BTEC Nationals
Level 2
GCSE (A*-C) /
International GCSEs
BTEC Firsts
Level 1
GCSE (D-G) /
International GCSEs
BTEC Foundation
Learning
Entry Level
Basic skills
BTEC Foundation
Learning
* Currently in development. First UK teaching September 2011.
BTEC
Professiona
l
BTEC
Specialist
Edexcel Academic Qualifications
•
Edexcel offers two main suites of academic qualifications- GCE A levels and
International GCSEs
•
GCE A levels are two-year courses designed for students aged 16-18
•
The first year of the GCE A level is known as the AS and can be separately
certificated if required
•
Edexcel’s GCE A levels are regulated by the UK Regulator Ofqual
•
GCE A levels are accepted for university entry by all universities in the UK
and many universities around the world, e.g. USA (Harvard, Yale), Australia,
New Zealand, Canada etc.
•
International GCSEs are two-year courses designed for students aged 1416 which prepare students for GCE A levels
5
Edexcel GCE A Levels – the
specifics
6
Immediate Changes to existing Edexcel A
levels from September 2013
7
From September 2013
students in England will no
longer be able to take
Edexcel A level
examinations in January;
all examinations will be in
June only
Students who started in
September 2012 and who
will be finishing their
course in June 2014 will be
able to take examinations
in June 2013 and June
2014 only
In certain subjects
students who will be
finishing their course in
January 2014 will be able
to finish their A levels in
January 2014
AS and A2 examinations
for existing specifications
will be available in June
2013, June 2014, June
2015 and June 2016
Curriculum reform update and International Advanced level
A level Reform from September 2015
A levels
revised for
teaching
from
September
2015
8
First
assessment
in June 2016
for revised
AS and in
June 2017
for revised A
Level
Curriculum reform update and International Advanced level
Revised
specifications
introduced in
‘facilitating’
subjects. i.e.
those most
commonly
required for
university
entry
Facilitating
subjects will
be introduced
in September
2015:
Mathematics
and Further
Mathematics,
English
(Language,
Language and
Literature and
Literature),
Biology,
Chemistry,
Physics,
History,
Geography)
Plus:
Psychology,
Art and
Design,
Business
Studies,
Economics
Introduction of revised Edexcel A levels from
September 2015
The revised
Edexcel A levels
will be designed
for schools in
England and in
international
schools
9
The
specifications will
be ‘linear’- i.e. all
examinations will
be taken at the
end of the course
Curriculum reform update and International Advanced level
The
specifications will
be examined in
the June
examination
series only
A full suite of A
level and AS
specifications will
be available
All specifications
will be regulated
by Ofqual and
will carry the
Ofqual logo on
certificates
Introduction of revised Edexcel AS Specifications
from September 2015
AS specifications will become ‘stand-alone’ qualifications which
can be taken over one or two years
AS specifications will not contribute to A level results
AS specifications will encourage curriculum breadth
AS specifications will be broadly at their current standard
First assessment of the new AS will be in June 2016
Curriculum
10
reform update and International Advanced level
International Advanced Level
Qualifications – the specifics
11
Introduction of new International Advanced level
and AS Specifications from September 2013
A suite of
Advanced
level and AS
specifications
for
international
centres for
first teaching
in September
2013
Specifications
content
designed to
meet specific
needs of
international
centres
12 Curriculum reform update and International Advanced level
Modular
structure.
Examinations
in June and
January. First
examination in
January 2014
Unit re-sit
opportunity
AS contributes
to A level
New Advanced level and AS Specifications from
September 2013- continued
Enter students for a
combination of
Edexcel A levels and
the new
International
Advanced levels
13 Presentation Title runs here l 00/00/00
e.g. enter for
English Literature
with Edexcel A
levels and for
Science with the
new International
Advanced Levels
We will ensure that
the qualifications
are recognised by
universities in the
UK, US, Australia
etc in the same way
as Edexcel A levels
New International Advanced level and AS
- Subjects Available
Mathematics, Pure Mathematics
and Further Mathematics
• Revised structure
Biology
• Structure unchanged
Chemistry
• Structure unchanged
Physics
• Structure unchanged
Economics
• Revised structure
Business Studies
• Revised structure
Accounting- 2 papers
• Structure unchanged
Law- 2 papers (linear)
• Structure unchanged
14 Curriculum reform update and International Advanced level
New International Advanced level and AS
Specifications - Timeline
End of April
Outline of new specifications
May/June
Draft specifications and sample assessment
materials
Subject-specific Training in May for Business
Studies, Economics and Mathematics
October
Final specifications and sample assessment
materials
January 2014
First unit examination
15 Presentation Title runs here l 00/00/00
Students who need to complete their A levels in
January 2014
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ofqual has agreed that we can offer the same exams we currently
offer in these subjects in January for one more sitting in January
2014 in the following subjects:
Mathematics
Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
Economics
Business Studies
Accounting
Students can cash in as planned to complete their A levels
NB The specification and assessment remain unchanged.
Students will be awarded an Edexcel International Advanced level,
regulated by Pearson.
For other subjects examinations will be available in June only.
16 Presentation Title runs here l 00/00/00
Students wishing to complete their Edexcel GCE A
levels in June 2014
•
•
•
Students who are planning to complete their A levels in June 2014
will not be able to sit an examination in January 2014
They will be able to complete their courses in June 2014 as planned
Centres entering for Accounting, Law and the written paper options
for Biology, Chemistry and Physics will receive an International
Advanced Level in place of an A level.
17 Presentation Title runs here l 00/00/00
Edexcel GCE A level Mathematics and Edexcel
International Advanced level Mathematics
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Edexcel International Advanced level Mathematics will have
three specifications: Mathematics, Pure Mathematics, Further
Mathematics
The following units will be available from January 2014:
Core Mathematics 1 and 2 (available as one unit)
Core Mathematics 3 and 4 (available as one unit)
Further Pure Mathematics 1, Mechanics 1, 2 and 3, Statistics 1 and
2 and Decision Mathematics 1
In addition, the following units will be available from June 2014:
Further Pure Mathematics 2 and 3 and Statistics 3
Further information is available at:
www.edexcel.com/quals/ial
18 Presentation Title runs here l 00/00/00
Edexcel International Advanced level Economics and
Business Studies
•
•
•
•
•
•
There will be some new content added in the International
Advanced level Economics specification.
All four units in the International Advanced level Economics
specification will be equally weighted.
The content of the International Advanced level Business Studies
will be updated with an international synoptic unit.
All four units in the International Advanced level Business Studies
specification will be equally weighted.
Both specifications will be available in the January and the June
examination series with effect from January 2014
Further information is available on: www.edexcel.com/quals/ial .
19 Presentation Title runs here l 00/00/00
University Recognition of International Advanced
Levels
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
A large number of universities in the United Kingdom and elsewhere
have recognised International Advanced Levels for entry purposes
in the same way that they accept Edexcel A levels, including the
following:
Hong Kong: The University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong
University of Science & Technology
United Kingdom: University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh,
King’s College, London, and more than 40 others
Also leading universities in the United States, Australia, Canada,
New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland etc
More universities are being added to the list on a weekly basis
The full list of university recognition is available here:
ial-recognition4.pdf
20 Presentation Title runs here l 00/00/00
Recognition of International Advanced Levels by UK
NARIC
•
•
•
•
UK NARIC, the National Recognition Centre for the United Kingdom,
is the national agency responsible for providing information and
expert opinion on qualifications and skills worldwide
UK NARIC has compiled a draft Report on ‘Benchmarking the
Edexcel International A level against the GCE A level’
The study looked at the following IAL subjects: Accounting,
Business Studies, Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Law, Physics and
Mathematics
Using NARIC’s well-established methodology for benchmarking
qualifications, the Report considered: programme design, entry
requirements and progression, course content and structure,
learning outcomes, assessment framework, including assessment
objectives, methods and performance descriptors
21 Presentation Title runs here l 00/00/00
Recognition of International Advanced Levels by UK
NARIC- 2
•
•
•
A review of quality assurance processes was also conducted, taking
into account external marking, standardisation, certification, and
examination and assessment development.
The study found that the assessment frameworks in Biology,
Chemistry and Physics align with Edexcel GCEs in these subjects,
the core content of the Mathematics aligns to that covered in the
Edexcel GCE Mathematics, and that the design and structure of the
IALs in Law, Accounting, Economics and Business Studies, related
closely to the Ofqual Subject Criteria, but also included additional
topics appropriate for international candidates
The study concluded overall that ‘the Edexcel International A levels
is considered comparable to the overall GCE A level standard’
22 Presentation Title runs here l 00/00/00
Our promise to you
We appreciate
that there is a
great deal of
change - we will
always be here to
help and support
you
23 Presentation Title runs here l 00/00/00
We are
committed to
providing high
quality
qualifications that
meet the needs
of all our learners
We want to
provide the
widest possible
choice to you and
your students
You can be
confident that all
our qualifications
will provide
progression
pathways into
Higher Education
Pearson GCE and IAL Helpdesk
• Tel
number: 8129 0100
• Email: peial@pearson.com
24 Presentation Title runs here l 00/00/00
Thank you
Questions please?