www.cerp.org.uk

What, if anything, went wrong with GCSE?

Dr Michelle Meadows

Centre for Education Research and Policy

www.cerp.org.uk

June 2018 first award of other new Ebacc GCSEs

June 2017 first award of new GCSEs in Maths, English and English Literature

September 2016 first teaching of other new Ebacc GCSEs

September 2015 first teaching of new GCSEs in Maths, English and English Literature

June 2014 all GCSEs sat in a linear fashion

June 2013 final set of modular GCSEs awarded

Grading Fiasco in GCSEs Blamed on Cheating Teachers

GCSE English grades 'statistical fix', High Court told

GCSE English grading crises: they moved the goal posts at half time

Centre for Education Research and Policy

www.cerp.org.uk

Unitised structure of AQA’s GCSE English and GCSE English Language specifications

        Availability

Unit/Subject Mode of Assessment Max. Raw Mark Max. UMS Mark Jan 11 Jun 11 Jan 12 Jun 12

ENG1F Written Examination 80 83

ENG1H Written Examination 80 120

ENG02 Speaking & Listening Controlled Assessment 45 60

ENG03 Written Controlled Assessment 90 120

ENL03 Written Controlled Assessment 80 120

English - - 300

English Language - - 300

Centre for Education Research and Policy

www.cerp.org.uk

National GCSE English provisional results 2011/12

A C F

2011 16.8% 65.4% 97.2%

2012 15.0% 63.9% 98.1%

Centre for Education Research and Policy

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Standard deviation in change in centre outcomes 2009-2012

  Grade C Grade A

 2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

English Language 9.56 9.49 12.26 11.53 11.33 15.74

English 6.70 6.90 5.81 14.91 14.00 21.13

Centre for Education Research and Policy

www.cerp.org.uk

Unitised structure of AQA’s GCSE English and GCSE English Language specifications

        Availability

Unit/Subject Mode of Assessment Max. Raw Mark Max. UMS Mark Jan 11 Jun 11 Jan 12 Jun 12

ENG1F Written Examination 80 83

ENG1H Written Examination 80 120

ENG02 Speaking & Listening Controlled Assessment 45 60

ENG03 Written Controlled Assessment 90 120

ENL03 Written Controlled Assessment 80 120

English - - 300

English Language - - 300

Centre for Education Research and Policy

www.cerp.org.uk

GCSE English Language

Centre for Education Research and Policy

www.cerp.org.uk

GCSE English Language

Centre for Education Research and Policy

www.cerp.org.uk

Centre for Education Research and Policy

www.cerp.org.uk

Centre for Education Research and Policy

www.cerp.org.uk

Centre for Education Research and Policy

www.cerp.org.uk

Mathematics over the academic year

Entries A* (%) A*-A (%) A*-C (%)

Nov 12 237,180 1.9 6.6 46.2

Jan 13 45,561 2.8 8.7 50.2

Mar 13 283,092 2.0 8.4 55.9

Jun 13 760,170 4.9 14.3 57.6

Annual total

1,326,003 3.7 11.5 54.9

16 yr old cohort

678,000 (approx)

Centre for Education Research and Policy

www.cerp.org.uk

Mathematics over the academic year – by age group

15 or under

% 16 % 17 or older

% All %

1 entry 154,788 89.8

333,290 54.4 82,853 80.0 570,921 64.3

2 entries 13,509 7.8 185,038 30.2 15,751 15.2 214,298 24.1

3 entries 2,795 1.6 82,028 13.4 4,530 4.4 89,353 10.1

4 entries 1,037 0.6 10,027 1.6 359 0.3 11,423 1.3

5 entries 139 0.1 1,525 0.2 16 0.0 1,680 0.2

6 entries 26 0.0 429 0.1 12 0.0 467 0.1

7 entries 4 0.0 34 0.0 0 0.0 38 0.0

8 entries 0 0.0 2 0.0 0 0.0 2 0.0

Total candidates

172,288 612,373

103,521

888,182

Centre for Education Research and Policy

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Percentage of candidates achieving grade C or above in GCSE Maths

Centre for Education Research and Policy

www.cerp.org.uk

Fairness