Rishi Sunak’s “Advanced British Standard” risks an increase in the volume of exams, the continuation of “unregulated” international A-levels and requires “significant investment” to deliver change on an “unprecedented scale”, Ofqual has warned. The exams regulator has issed to the government’s consultation on the new qualification, which ministers want to see replace A-levels and T-levels in around a decade. Here’s what you need to know. 1. 鈥楻eform on an unprecedented scale鈥 Ofqual said achieving the ambitions of the ABS 鈥渞equires change on a scale unprecedented in England in recent decades鈥. 鈥淚t envisages concurrent reform to curriculum, qualification content and structures, the qualifications market, and any associated technological reform.鈥 Reform on this scale 鈥渃an be delivered successfully, but its scale and complexity require significant investment of resource across all parts of the education system鈥. 2. Start with compulsory maths and English The regulator welcomed the 鈥渓ong-term reform timescale and the resourcing commitments set out in the consultation鈥, adding it was 鈥渋mportant to sequence changes carefully鈥. They suggested the government 鈥渃onsider a staged approach鈥, with compulsory maths and English introduced as a first step 鈥渋nitially focussing investment on the teacher workforce here, while contributing materially to the delivery of the longer-term vision of the ABS鈥. 3. Consider keeping A-level 鈥榖rand鈥 They A-level brand is 鈥渨ell-regarded by qualification users鈥, with a trust built over 73 years, Ofqual said. It is 鈥渓ikely that awarding organisations will continue to offer unregulated 鈥榠nternational鈥 A-levels, even if the ABS means that A-levels cease to be regulated qualifications available in state schools鈥. 鈥淭hese A-levels could be taken in UK independent schools and abroad. This could present a confidence or reputational challenge for the ABS.鈥 The regulator said the DfE 鈥渕ight consider鈥 if the aims of the ABS could be met whilst 鈥渞etaining the identity and branding of well-established, and more recently introduced qualifications鈥. 4. Pupils may not be ready for higher study Ofqual also urged the DfE to consider the 鈥渨ide range of achievement recognised at age 16鈥. For example, students achieving grade 4 in GCSE mathematics 鈥渕ay not have studied much of the higher tier content that typically forms the basis for study at level 3, including in the existing core maths qualification鈥. 鈥淟ikewise, the curriculum content for English would need to be broad enough to meet a range of needs at this level, building on prior attainment and preparing students effectively for their next stages.鈥 5. 鈥楲ikely鈥 to increase volume of exams Ofqual warned increasing the volume of content while maintaining grade reliability 鈥渨ill likely increase the volume of assessment鈥. This would create 鈥渃hallenges to address relating to exam timetabling, exam delivery in schools and colleges, and timely marking and issuing of results鈥. Having more exams without 鈥渋ncreasing clashes鈥 for students would require a longer timetable, either encroaching on teaching time or the marking period. And any increase in the volume of exam papers 鈥渨ould introduce additional risk to the delivery of results and could exacerbate existing pressures, such as examiner recruitment鈥. 6. 鈥楳ajor鈥 and 鈥榤inor鈥 grading scale could 鈥榤islead鈥 The consultation proposed a single grading scale for 鈥渕inors鈥 and 鈥渕ajors鈥 within the ABS for all routes. This 鈥渃ontrasts with the current established variety of grading approaches鈥, Ofqual warned. Supporting parity across the routes 鈥渕ight be better achieved in ways other than a common grading scale鈥. 鈥淪pecifically, the direct comparability that a common grading scale appears to offer would be misleading and is likely to lead to unintended consequences.鈥 As the ABS is intended for a broader cohort than currently sit A-levels, the existing six-grade scale 鈥渨ould likely need to expand鈥, risking 鈥渦nintended differences in grading profiles across the range, academic and occupational, of ABS components鈥. 7. ‘Pass-fail’ approach would lower achievement rate The government has also set out several options for grading the overall ABS award. The proposed lead option is a certificate or statement of achievement with minimum attainment conditions. Making the ABS 鈥減ass-fail鈥 would 鈥渓ead to a lower number of students achieving the overall ABS than currently achieve level 3 qualifications, potentially impacting on, for example, progression opportunities post-18鈥. There could also be a variation in pass rates by choice of subjects, which could 鈥渄istort students鈥 subject choices to maximise their chances of an achieving an overall pass鈥. The second option – a certificate or statement of achievement without any minimum attainment conditions 鈥 presents 鈥渇ew technical grading challenges鈥, Ofqual said. The third option 鈥 an aggregate ABS score or grade 鈥 would 鈥渋nevitably reduce the amount of information conveyed by that overall result compared with that conveyed by results for each major and minor鈥. 8. 鈥楥omplex鈥 to use multiple exam boards鈥 If a number of exam boards become providers of ABS components, an individual student鈥檚 ABS 鈥渋s likely to comprise elements from more than one AO鈥, something that would be 鈥渙rganisationally complex鈥. 鈥淭hey may also require additional time prior to the release of results, with potential implications for when this could safely take place.鈥 9. 鈥ut could create 鈥榮tronger market鈥 Exam boards would have to demonstrate 鈥減roven expertise in delivering such high stakes qualifications if they were to offer the ABS鈥. 鈥淚t is possible, and perhaps likely, that this would result in a consolidation of the number of awarding organisations offering the ABS when compared with those currently offering post-16 regulated level 3 qualifications. 鈥淭his could helpfully lead to a stronger market. It is unlikely that a single provider model would ensure sufficient capacity and resilience to deliver a high stakes qualification in the volumes that the ABS would involve.鈥 10. Warning over existing reforms The ABS could also affect 鈥渃urrent鈥 reform programmes, such as the post-16 qualifications review and T-levels. Some awarding organisations are developing qualifications 鈥渢hat might exist only relatively briefly before the ABS is introduced鈥. Ofqual warned it was 鈥渃ritical that the ABS reform programme does not lead some awarding organisations to exit the market hastily, for example due to reducing demand for their qualifications or because they do not plan to offer ABS qualifications鈥. 鈥淭his would leave students in the short term with a reduced choice of courses and qualifications.鈥
Patrick Obikwu 1 May 2024 A comprehensive redesign of the UK National Curriculum and a redefinition of the purpose of schools are imperative to ensure education remains relevant in today’s rapidly evolving world. The persistence of outdated school calendars and curricula from the 19th century contributes significantly to the shortcomings in education provision across various fronts and its cross-pollination and pollution of society. This overhaul should address not only what is taught but also how it is taught, embracing modern methodologies and technologies to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary for success in the 21st century. Education is about much more than passing exams and schools need to move away, to evolve from being glorified exams factories. Indeed these educational reforms should serve as a catalyst for a long overdue a psychosocial, moral, and ethical debate, reawakening and reorientation this country urgently needs to address the social decay and violence engulfing society.