Information on exam paper errors

Last Updated on Tuesday, 09 August 2011 11:30 Friday, 08 July 2011 15:55

More information about our response to the summer exam paper errors is available...

Read more: Information on exam paper errors

Marking error meant students missed out, says Ofqual report

Last Updated on Wednesday, 23 February 2011 09:10 Tuesday, 22 February 2011 15:03

Thirteen A level students missed out on their first choice of university or course last September because of a marking error by awarding organisation AQA, an inquiry published today by Ofqual has revealed.

The inquiry, established by Ofqual with its regulatory partners in Wales and Northern Ireland (DCELLS and CCEA), found management failings at a number of different stages in the introduction of a new on-screen marking procedure, resulting in 622 GCSE and A level candidates initially getting a lower grade for their qualifications than they should have.

Isabel Nisbet, Chief Executive of Ofqual, said: "The failings by AQA identified by this inquiry are very disappointing, especially as they led to some candidates missing out on their first choice of university or course.

"Factors that contributed to the marking error included limited piloting of the new on-screen marking system, a lack of effective risk assessments and deficiencies in the role and training of examiners on the new system."

AQA has carried out an internal investigation and drafted an action plan. The regulators' inquiry now makes 22 recommendations to AQA and Ofqual has written to request that the action plan is revised to address these. Ofqual has also requested regular progress reports.

There are also five recommendations for the regulators, which Ofqual and its regulatory partners accept in full.

The error occurred when a failure with AQA's onscreen marking system for some scripts meant that not all of the students’ material was marked, resulting in them receiving lower marks than they should have done. In total, 3,353 students got the wrong marks, in turn resulting in 622 incorrect qualification grades being issued.

Of these, 187 were at GCSE, 289 at AS level and 146 were at A Level.

UCAS confirmed that university places for the majority of the 146 A level students were unaffected by the change in grade. However 11 students were either accepted by their second choice university or placed through clearing, and two were not placed at all.

AQA has published the findings of its internal inquiry on its website.

The regulators’ report can now be found below.

Downloads:

Inquiry into the failure of part of AQA's GCSE, AS and A level script-marking process in the summer 2010 examination series - Final inquiry report by Ofqual, DCELLS and CCEA.

Findings of AQA's internal inquiry.

Isabel Nisbet's letter to Andrew Hall.

Andrew Hall's response to Isabel's letter.

Examinations regulator praises straight talking universities

Friday, 04 February 2011 10:21

The examinations and qualifications regulator, Ofqual, has praised the Russell Group of Universities for publishing a new guide to post-16 education, Informed Choices.

Ofqual chief executive, Isabel Nisbet, said: "In December I challenged the Higher Education sector to give applicants better information about which qualifications they need to win a place at university. Students are not clairvoyants. They need clear information on which qualifications they need for their chosen university courses so they can make informed decisions.

"Today's report from the Russell Group is an excellent step in the right direction."

Ends

Plans are in place to cope with winter weather, exam candidates assured

Tuesday, 21 December 2010 14:55

As the threat of another icy examination season looms, we are assuring learners that contingency measures are in place to cope with any disruption.

We congratulated schools and colleges for their work in keeping the vast majority of centres open for examinations during the disruption caused by heavy snow in January and February 2010.

For any candidates who were unable to attend, measures were in place to ensure they were treated fairly and consistently.

The same tried and tested contingency plans are in place should the adverse weather which has already closed schools and roads this winter continue into the GCSE and GCE examination series which starts on January 10.

Isabel Nisbet, Chief Executive of Ofqual, said, "We know that any disruption to examinations is distressing to candidates who have worked so hard to prepare. In January, the work of schools and colleges to keep open and allow 2.5 million exam entries to go ahead was impressive. Their efforts meant that only 14 centres were unable to hold examinations as planned.

"Candidates can be assured that, should we have more bad weather during the up-coming examinations series, tried and tested contingency measures are in place to make sure that any who are unable to sit their papers as a result are treated fairly and consistently by awarding organisations."

Schools and colleges are asked to make every effort to open for examinations. They can also make arrangements to use alternative venues, and are advised to keep in touch with their awarding organisation for advice and guidance on this. If a headteacher or college principal decides that it will not be possible for the examination to go ahead, the awarding organisation should be informed as soon as possible. Individual candidates who are unable to attend due to the inclement weather are advised to keep in touch with their school or college in the first instance.

Depending on the circumstances, options for candidates who have not been able to take their examinations may include sitting the paper at the next available opportunity, or an application being made for special considerations, which means an award made based on prior attainment.

Jim Sinclair, Director of the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), said: "It is understandable that students preparing for their January exams will have one eye on the weather as snow and ice cause disruption across the UK. But they can be assured that if these conditions continue, no-one will be disadvantaged as a result of the weather.

"Schools and colleges will remain open wherever possible, with examinations continuing as scheduled. But if schools and colleges are prevented from opening or students are unable to travel to sit their exams, awarding organisations have well-rehearsed processes in place to ensure a fair examination series for everyone."

Examples of the contingencies that may be utilised in the event of disruption can be found on the Joint Examinations Contingency Plan.

Notes to editors:

1. The January 2010 examination series ran from January 11 until February 3 and involved more than 2.5 million exam entries for over 1,300 separate examination papers. Due to the hard work of candidates, their families, headteachers, college leaders, teachers, examinations officers and support staff, only 14 centres were unable to hold examinations as planned. These were mostly one-day closures and in most cases fewer than 10 candidates were affected. The closures affected 190 examinations in total.