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The changes to Post-16 education and the implications for student guidance

The changes to Post-16 education and the implications for student guidance. CAP Conference 18 th September 2014. Content of presentation. T he context of recent reviews – the big picture Where we are now with developments What aspects still have to be finalised

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The changes to Post-16 education and the implications for student guidance

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  1. The changes to Post-16 education and the implications for student guidance • CAP Conference 18th September 2014

  2. Content of presentation • The context of recent reviews – the big picture • Where we are now with developments • What aspects still have to be finalised • The possible implications for Post-16 providers • The possible implications for HE progression The proposed changes to A levels and their implications for providers– 6.11.13

  3. Study Programmes • Alison Wolf’s review in 2011 outlined the need for a broader and more individualised curriculum offer for 16-19 year olds • Change in funding to allow providers to create flexible programmes based around 600 GLH rather than on quantity of qualifications

  4. Academic, Applied General and Technical qualifications Classification and statement of purpose

  5. The Govean view • Exams are the most rigorous form of assessment • Coursework is unreliable • Modular learning is not deep learning and encourages students to discard key knowledge • Opportunities to re-sit exams devalue the qualification • Universities should have a say on appropriate content

  6. Which means… Review of the STRUCTURE Review of the ASSESSMENT Review of the CONTENT Each with separate input, consultation & phased introduction

  7. Applied General – list published Sept 2015, to start 2016 • To be recognised as an Applied General qualification and be compared to others in official performance tables, a qualification must: • Be a level 3 qualification (ie, the same as A levels) • Provide broad study of a vocational area without being linked to a specific occupation & have the official backing of 3 universities • Main changes are to assessment • Increased rigour – reduced ‘revisiting or upgrading’ opportunities • Increased external assessment

  8. Purpose of A Levels

  9. And the rest? • Future of some current A Levels after the Second Phase is in doubt • All ‘legacy’ AS qualifications and A levels will be withdrawn or reformed • If they are withdrawn, this will be from 2017 (meaning the last award will be 2018). If they’re reformed, they’ll be for first teaching in 2017 (meaning the first award will be in 2019).

  10. Structure - AS and A Level ‘de-coupling’ AS A Grade = 80% of 200 (160 UMS) A2 E Grade = 40% of 400 (160 UMS) Introduction of A* - applies only to A2

  11. The new structure A Level Reform – Steve Dann

  12. Assessment - Rigour not standards • “The grading standard of the new A levels and AS qualifications will not be different from that of the current versions and despite the changes, we are proposing A levels and AS qualifications will remain substantially the same qualifications as at present. The exam boards that are already recognised to award A levels and AS qualifications will therefore continue to be recognised to award the new versions of the qualifications.” (OFQUAL) The proposed changes to A levels and their implications for providers– 6.11.13

  13. Key Changes - Assessment The proposed changes to A levels and their implications for providers– 6.11.13

  14. Assessment – question types “Taken together, assessments should include questions or tasks which allow learners to: (a) provide extended responses (b) demonstrate their ability to draw together different areas of knowledge, skills and/or understanding from across a full course of study for that qualification, and that learners are appropriately rewarded for doing so.” “An ‘extended response’ is evidence generated by a Learner which is of sufficient length to allow that Learner to demonstrate the ability to construct and develop a sustained line of reasoning which is coherent, relevant, comprehensive and logically structured.” The proposed changes to A levels and their implications for providers– 6.11.13

  15. Key Changes - Content • Computing now ‘Computer Science’ – computational thinking skills • English Literature – A level requires study of a minimum of 8 texts: at least 3 pre-1900 works (1 Shakespeare play); a post-2000 work; unseen text – AS 4 texts, one pre-1900 • Geography – ‘coursework’ added; new annex of quantitative skills • History – A level students to study topics from a chronological range of at least 200 years (including one 100-year period); 20% British • Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Psychology – mathematical requirements revised with exemplifications; appendix of requirements for working scientifically The proposed changes to A levels and their implications for providers– 6.11.13

  16. Content - A Level Content Advisory Board (ALCAB)The ALCAB will seek to advise and inform Ofqual of the views of Russell Group institutions, and others within the Higher Education Sector, on the content of A levels. The guidance from this group will focus on the subjects categorised by the Russell Group as facilitating for entry to leading universities. Its first task will be to review Maths, Further Maths and LanguagesIt will contribute to the Ofqualannual review of A levels. The proposed changes to A levels and their implications for providers– 6.11.13

  17. Possible changes to the curriculum offer and its delivery – Study Programmes Possible approaches by providers to AS/A level: • Carry on as at present, with students being entered for 4 AS levels at the end of year 1 and taking their best 3 for A level • Students to take 4 subjects in year 1 and be entered at AS for the subject they intend to drop • Students to take 3 subjects at A level and none at AS Additional – EPQ, Core Maths, GCSE Maths/English The proposed changes to A levels and their implications for providers– 6.11.13

  18. Implications for Higher Education progression – loss of AS • Biggest impact for University of Cambridge which uses UMS from AS levels to inform selection • Other universities use them as part of a broad range of evidence, placing a varying amount of importance on them • Universities may look more at GCSE performance – changes to these may make them less clear as predictors The proposed changes to A levels and their implications for providers– 6.11.13

  19. Implications for Higher Education • Expectations of programme size – 3 and a half or 3 A Levels • Accuracy of predicted grades • Review of UCAS Tariff – AS proposed as 40% of A Level • Status of Facilitating Subjects, other A Levels, non-A Levels?

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