Watchdog chief urges exams review

The new head of England’s qualifications watchdog has said exams need to be reviewed amid a public perception that standards “aren’t what they used to be”.

Ofqual chief executive Glenys Stacey will consider claims GCSEs and A-levels are too easy, in an effort to boost confidence in the system.

In 2010 the A-level pass rate rose for the 28th year in a row – with 27 per cent gaining at least an A grade. The GCSE pass rate saw its 23rd year-on-year improvement, as almost one in four entries was awarded an A grade or better.

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Ms Stacey said: “We do a lot of work here to maintain standards on all key qualifications – across the board on subject matters and subject levels.

“But still there is a public concern over standards and a feeling that things aren’t what they used to be.

“Well, I would like to understand that better and actually bring some evidence to the debate as well.”

It is understood to be the first time Ofqual has acknowledged there is a negative public perception over the qualifications.

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Ms Stacey went on to say it would benefit pupils if the extent of any drop in standards was discovered. She also said that competition between exam boards and their sale of supplementary text books and courses would be included in her review.

“When I listen to what others tell me about their concerns about standards, I hear common themes coming through – concerns about resits, modularisation, concerns about the commercial behaviours of awarding organisations, concerns about the range and nature of qualifications.

“As a regulator we need to understand to what extent there is a real issue about standards and we need to do that in the interests of young people going forward.

“So again, I don’t take a pre-determined view, but these concerns are expressed sufficiently frequently by a wide range of interested people - employers, higher education, parents and Government – so let’s have a look,” she said.

The watchdog has already reviewed GCSE science exams, and reported last year that “standards are currently too low”.

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