Colleges are calling for teacher and lecturer assessment to be accepted as the final grade for GCSE English and maths resit students, instead of them being subject to an Ofqual algorithm used to standardise grades.
The plea by the Association of Colleges comes after yesterday’s A-level results caused a backlash from students, sector organisations and teachers because of significant downgrading. The algorithm used, it has been suggested, meant that larger institutions, including colleges, were hit more severely than others. The AoC has called for a technical review.
Background: A-level results: Colleges call for a review
GCSE resits: Two-thirds still do not pass by 19
More: Grades lower in nine out of 10 sixth-form colleges
Ahead of next week’s GCSE results, the Association of Colleges, which represents more than 90 per cent of England’s colleges, is asking for what it is calling a “single lock” to support the future progress of over 120,000 young people who were due to resit their English and maths GCSEs in colleges this summer.
GCSE resits: ‘Let teacher grades stand’
“Put simply, AoC is asking for the final grade to be what their teachers and lecturers painstakingly assessed, with no algorithm used,” its announcement said.
“Those A-level results showed that algorithms do not work for every student and did not work for many colleges. The algorithms are particularly inappropriate where prior achievement is low and where institutional performance has changed in recent years.”
The AoC said teacher-assessed grades should be honoured and not be subject to any statistical adjustment because these are among the most disadvantaged students in the education system, with around 70 per cent of this cohort from disadvantaged groups.
According to the AoC, colleges approached the process of producing centre-assessment grades rigorously using robust evidence and applying challenge and moderation to ensure consistent standards.
The organisation adds that the GCSE grade 3 /4 boundary is a “cliff edge” and failing to obtain that grade can have a profound impact on learners. Students who do not obtain the grade 4 in their English and maths GCSEs in school have to resit the qualification in college - and thousands of learners end up resitting the qualification numerous times in their FE setting.
David Hughes, chief executive of the Association of Colleges said: “Removing GCSE resit students from the results algorithm is the right thing to do to for some of the most disadvantaged students in the country.
“Honouring teachers’ grade 4 predictions will give thousands of students the backing they need to progress after a very disrupted period. Colleges want to help them get back into learning after lockdown and make progress on to their next course. This will be one less challenge to face as they continue with their studies. It will be the break they need to show that the system is looking after their interests.”
