The last 3 years has seen unprecedented changes to GCSE English teaching and learning at KHS.

1. The last 3 years has seen unprecedented changes to GCSE English teaching and learning at KHS. • Controlled conditions have significantly reduced our total teaching time (twelve weeks) severely impacting on the development of our students’ English skills over a two year GCSE experience.

2. What lies behind our students’continued success in the Literature exam and their current underperformance in the language exam?

3. First Controlled Conditions results The grade boundary shift How has this gap arisen?

4. English Language - Impact of controlled conditions • Fails to reflect the maturation of most students – students’development trapped in year 10 achievement – across all grades. • Loss of teaching time. Loss of continuous developmental feedback. • Completed assignments are securely stored by law and unavailable for feedback. • OFQUAL’s review of controlled conditions highlights this experience: ‘..it was noted that the time limits and restrictions of the current controlled assessment limits the scope for students to develop redrafting and evaluation skills.’ June 2013

6. Before July 2013

7. After July 2013 – the assessment criteria is changed halfway through the course. Is that fair?

8. ‘There is no way that the exam boards can make sure these assessments are administered and marked sufficiently consistently across all schools and colleges. That means unfairness: results are not fair as between one student and another and it is not right that we allow that to continue when we can do something about it.’ OFQUAL 4th Sept 2013

9. All our AQA moderators’ reports clearly state our marking is agreed and completely in-line with the standards of the exam board. • A recent speaking and listening visit from the AQA chief examiner underlined our complete accuracy in assessing this unit. • We value the skill of oral communication and feel frustrated that this can happen mid-course. Our students are being disadvantaged through no fault of their own. We need to protect them from the inherent injustices of the system.

10. The exam – increasingly treated as a political football • It seems the reputation and credibility of the GCSE is undermined at every opportunity by Mr Gove. • He criticises the AQA exam suggesting it ‘has resulted in the dumbing of educational material down to the level of the child – with GCSE English papers that ask students about TinieTempah, or Simon Cowell – rather than encouraging the child to thirst after the knowledge of the teacher.’ • On this we agree. The paper itself is not fit for purpose, does not differentiate adequately and has notorious marking issues across centres in Suffolk. • What should we do?

12. If we stay with our current course Student X

13. If we stay with our current course Student Y

14. If we stay with our current course A* 32 Controlled Conditions: Speaking and Listening: Exam: Overall: 20 12 12

15. The move to iGCSE ‘Of Mice and Men’ 1/2 Literature exam Modern Texts 75% of Literature mark Spoken Language Skills and vocabulary tested on paper 2 sections 1 and 2 54/54 Shakespeare 25% of Literature mark Creative Writing Skills and vocabulary tested on paper 1 section B 25/50 and paper 2 section B 27/54

16. The whole English team believes every student entering the iGCSE has a better opportunity to achieve than if we were to stay with the AQA GCSE. We do not have faith in the present English language GCSE. The government and Ofqual themselves have described it as ‘not fit for purpose’.