Delivering a
National Qualifications
System for Wales
Qualifications Roadshow
Purpose of the qualifications roadshows
• Outline key changes to qualifications in Wales and provide feedback
from latest consultations
• Listen to concerns/issues with implementation
• Visit all local authorities (January – March 14)
• Run 3 Welsh-medium specific events (based on the WM regions)
• We want and need feedback
Outline of the roadshow
• Introduction and overview (15 minutes)
• GCSEs and A levels – the way forward (followed by discussion)
(40 minutes)
• The Welsh Baccalaureate and Essential Skills reform (followed by
discussion) (40 minutes)
• Vocational qualifications, performance measurement and
communications strategy (followed by discussion) (25 minutes)
• Close
Vision and Evidence Base
Qualifications that are understood and valued and meet
the needs of our young people and the Welsh economy
Based on evidence (Review of Qualifications) and
extensive stakeholder consultation.
Inclusive approach is continuing in implementation:
• Qualifications Wales Advisory Board
• External Stakeholder reference group
• Welsh Bac steering group, etc.
Key Overarching Messages: Wales is ...
Delivering a national
qualification system for
Wales
Moving towards a single
suite of high quality
GCSEs and A levels
Focusing on literacy and
numeracy
Independence and more
rigorous quality
assurance
Improved Welsh Bac
focusing on skills
Portable qualifications,
recognised and respected
throughout the UK and
internationally
Video:
Views of Higher Education on
Qualifications reform
Wider context
• Learning Pathways review
• National curriculum developments
14-19 Learning Pathways review
• An independent Task and Finish Group reported autumn 2013,
following a review of local collaborative provision at Key Stage 4
• Recommendation to reduce the minimum number of courses
required to form a local curriculum offer was accepted by the Welsh
Government
14-19 Learning Pathways – key changes
New regulations start on 5 February 2014 (with effect from September
2014)
• a reduction in the number of courses that must be included in the
local curriculum offer at KS4 from 30 to 25, and the vocational
requirement from five to three
• removal of restrictions, in terms of the domains, currently applied in
the selection of vocational courses at KS4; and
• removal of the requirement at KS4 and post-16 to meet respective
points scores when compiling the course offer (not performance
points)
Curriculum changes in 2015
• Consultation closed in January 2014 on strengthening and
supporting the teaching of literacy and numeracy in the Curriculum in
Wales. A summary of responses received, will be published shortly.
• New Programmes of Study/Areas of Learning for Maths, English and
Welsh (for all key stages and Foundation Phase) will be developed.
– Autumn term 2014 – publish final version (following consultation)
– September 2015 – teaching starts
Next steps – Curriculum review
• Professor Graham Donaldson to lead a wide ranging review of the
National Curriculum and assessment arrangements in Wales from
Foundation Phase to Key Stage 4.
• Linking directly to Wales’ new Qualifications system.
• Complement the recent consultation on strengthening and supporting
the teaching of literacy and numeracy in the Curriculum in Wales.
• Start March 2014 - report to Welsh Government end of year.
http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/schoolshome/curriculumin
wales/curriculum-for-wales/?lang=en
Next steps – Curriculum review
It will also give consideration to:
• Schools and Physical Activity Task and Finish group
• Arts in Education review
• Review of Curriculum Cymreig, History and the story of Wales
• Review of Computer science and ICT
• Review of Welsh Second Language
Qualifications Wales
• New independent body, emphasis on quality assurance
• In time, awarding most qualification 14-16, most AS and A levels,
Welsh Baccalaureate
• Providing information and advice to stakeholders and Welsh
Government
• Aim to simplify the system and strengthen confidence and
understanding
• Consultation closed 20 December – now analysing responses
• Subject to legislation, establish the organisation September 2015
GCSEs and A Levels
- the way Forward
GCSEs, AS and A levels
In Wales, we are retaining
• the GCSE, AS and A level brand names
• the current grading structures
• modular GCSEs (where appropriate)
• the AS as part of the full A level
GCSEs, AS and A levels
We are developing a suite of new and revised GCSEs, AS and
A levels which will:
• meet the needs of learners and employers
• at least as robust as those available elsewhere
• be recognised and understood
GCSEs
To be taught from September 2015
• New GCSEs in
– English Language
– Welsh Language
– Mathematics - Numeracy
– Mathematics
• Revised GCSEs in
– English Literature
– Welsh Literature (revisions kept to a minimum in both)
GCSEs
The new language GCSEs will
• focus on the skills that learners will need in their everyday lives
• develop the functional aspects of reading, writing and oracy
• build on and progress from the LNF and align with the revised
curriculum
• be linear
• not include ‘coursework’ other than for oracy
• report separately on achievements in reading, writing and oracy
•
GCSEs
The new Mathematics - Numeracy GCSE will
• focus on the skills that learners will need in their everyday lives
• assess candidates’ ability to solve ‘real-life’ problems
• include problems of increasing complexity at the higher levels
The new Mathematics GCSE will
• include different mathematical content
• also include questions set in purely mathematical contexts
GCSEs
Both Mathematics GCSEs will
• build on and progress from the LNF
• align with the revised curriculum
• be linear
• have three tiers
• have a calculator and a non-calculator paper
• have an additional assessment opportunity in November
Delivering the new Maths GCSEs
• We expect most learners to take both Maths GCSEs
• Additional curriculum time will not be required to deliver the two new
Maths GCSEs (although we accept there will be an additional
assessment burden)
AS and A levels
• In Wales (as in England) new AS and A levels to be taught from
September 2015 in
– Art and Design, Biology, Business Studies
– Chemistry, Computing, Economics
– English Language, English Literature
– English Language and Literature
– History
– Physics, Psychology, Sociology
– Welsh
– Change to Welsh Second Language also possible
AS and A levels
In Wales
• AS and A levels to be kept as coupled qualifications
• No January assessments after January 2014
• Re-sits limited to one per module
• Reduce the weighting of the AS (from the current 50%)
• Share the same content, if appropriate, as those in England
(and possibly Northern Ireland)
• Assess and recognise practical skills
Next Steps
Period
Activity
January 2014 – June 2014
Specification development
Autumn 2014
New specifications in centres
Autumn 2014 onwards
CPD programme to support staff
Spring 2015
New bilingual resources available
September 2015
Teaching of new qualifications
Questions
and comments
Welsh Baccalaureate
and Essential Skills
What are the key changes for Welsh Bac?
• Retain strengths of current model but address weaknesses
• A new emphasis on skills development: literacy, numeracy and other
skills for work and higher education
• An assessment model that is purposeful, clear, integrated with
learning, through the use of ‘challenges’
• More rigorous, with more robust quality assurance
What are the key changes for Welsh Bac?
• Grading of the challenges and an overall grade
• We will encourage universal adoption by schools and colleges from
September 2015
• ESW not required as components from 2015 – the skills will be
assessed through GCSEs in Numeracy, English or Welsh and
through the challenges
• Develop an engaging framework for learners to develop world
class skills
What are the skills?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Literacy
Numeracy
Digital Literacy
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Planning and Organisation
Creativity and Innovation
Personal Effectiveness
High Level Model
Core assessed through challenges
Community
Challenge
Enterprise and
Employability
Challenge
Global
Citizenship
Challenge
Individual
Project
Identify and develop opportunities in the local/wider
community and actively participate to support improvement
Participate in work related activities for employment & plan
and run an enterprise activity
Work on a problem related to global issues such as
sustainable food, recycling, citizenship/democracy
Learners develop and demonstrate knowledge and skills to
produce an artefact or research based project
Examples of organisations currently
offering challenges or competitions
Guiding young people to start up
When will the challenges be developed?
• Working groups have been established to design and to advise on
the delivery of the new challenges
• We will publish ‘off the shelf’ challenges in the Summer
• Schools and colleges are also welcome to propose challenges –
subject to a quality assurance process by the Welsh Government
How will the new Welsh Bac be assessed?
• Working groups established to advise on assessment arrangements
– working closely with higher education colleagues
• At level 2, literacy and numeracy will be assessed through the new
GCSEs in Maths and English/Welsh (evidence of the wider skills will
be within the challenges)
• At level 3, learners will be expected to show progression in each of
the skills through the challenges
• We will publish guidance (clear learning outcomes, grading structure,
assessment arrangements and best practice in the Summer 2014)
Welsh Bac model
National/Foundation
Advanced
GCSE English Language or Welsh (first)
Language
GCSE Maths (numeracy)
GCSE English Language or Welsh (first)
Language
GCSE Maths (numeracy)
Three further GCSEs or equivalent
(up to two can be equivalents at KS4)
Two A levels or equivalent
Grading:
Foundation (level 1): Pass and Pass*
National (level 2): A*- C
Size = one GCSE
Grading: A* - E
Learners who have already achieved the
relevant GCSEs should demonstrate
progression in literacy and numeracy through
the Project and Challenges
Size = one A level
Next steps
• We expect curriculum time to equate to one GCSE for National and
one A level for Advanced
• We and WJEC will work with stakeholders to develop support/CPD
and resources etc.
• We will provide support through the regional consortia
• New brand and identity being developed for the new Welsh Bac
Questions
and comments
Performance
Measures
Measurement of Performance: Key Stage 4
From 2013
• Separate reporting of English Language/Welsh First Language and
Mathematics
From 2016
• Whole Year 11 cohorts used for reporting, not learners aged 15 at the
start of the year
• No qualification worth more than 2 GCSEs
Measurement of Performance: Key Stage 4
From 2017
• Welsh Bac measures introduced - to replace threshold measures
• Max 40% contribution of non-GCSEs to threshold/Welsh Bac measures
• Maths requirement of the L2 inclusive measure and Welsh Bac
measures will be the new numeracy based GCSE
• English/Welsh requirement of these will be the new GCSEs in English
Language and Welsh Language. Literature GCSEs will not count
• Essential Skills Wales and Wider Key Skills qualifications will not attract
performance points, and will not be required for the revised Welsh Bac
Measurement of Performance: further work
Further review to consider:
• exact composition of the threshold (including Welsh Bac) and capped
points measures
• What relative emphasis and weighting we should place on threshold
measures vs points scores
• Specifically, should there be a shift towards greater emphasis on
points scores rather than threshold measures
Findings to be announced this academic year
This is not a review of banding methodology
Measurement of Performance: further work
It will take into account
• Issues from the Minister’s conference speech
• Early entry issues
• The wish to encourage use of the Welsh Bac, balanced against the
need to ensure quality of delivery
• Whether any qualifications should be required/excluded/weighted
– e.g. to encourage take up of both Maths GCSEs
• the impact on curriculum, especially in the Welsh medium sector
Measurement of Performance at KS4: further work
Extracts from speech
• “The level 2 inclusive…can create a fixation on the C grade and a
disproportionate focus on learners in the middle of the ability spectrum
• We need measures that provide motivation across the ability range,
encourage aspiration to the highest grades, and recognise the
achievements of learners working at level 1
• Early entry has led to learners having to settle for C grades when they
could have achieved more”
Measurement of Performance at KS4: further work cont
Extracts from speech…
• “We should reward schools and colleges for helping every learner to
achieve the very best grades they can, for instance through more
emphasis on capped points scores
• I will look at how we can make sure that, as well as the new GCSEs
testing literacy and numeracy, most learners also take the second
maths GCSE and at least one science GCSE”
Measurement of Performance: Post 16
• A project is looking at developing consistent measures across sectors
• Also looking at learner destination data, to help inform policy and
learner choice
• Measures likely to reflect:
–
completion of courses
–
attainment of qualifications
–
destination
–
learner Voice
• It will take into account Review of Qualifications recommendations,
e.g. attainment of Welsh Bac as a measure, aspiration to higher grades
Vocational Qualifications
Vocational Qualifications
• Adopt European categories
–
Initial or Continuing Vocational Education and Training (IVETs/CVETs) – now complete
–
Only IVETs available pre-16 from 2014
• Stronger gatekeeping
–
Relevance, value, purpose, progression
–
DfES/Awarding Organisation Liaison Group set up
–
Pilot Sector Qualifications Advisory Panels being established to check relevance
–
Panels will consider the need for new generic IVETs
• Welsh Bac model gives equal status
Next steps
Communications Campaign 2013
• National conference with independent champions held Dec 2013
• Launched campaign to inform all Higher Education institutions (HEIs)
in Wales, and those HEI institutions in England with significant
amount of Welsh learners, about changes in Wales
• Launched campaign to inform Wales’ anchor companies and small
businesses about changes to the qualifications landscape over the
next 18 months
• Launched new brand identity and website for Qualifications Wales
with timeline for change
Communication - Next steps
• Qualifications Roadshows throughout Wales
• Workforce development plan – CPD, resources etc for practitioners,
to support delivery
• Campaign to communicate the new qualifications landscape to
parents/carers/learners pack
• Continue to highlight the support of independent champions
Further information www.qualificationswales.org
Questions
and comments
Delivering a
National Qualifications
System for Wales
Qualifications Roadshow