Some would say that there is a similarity between me and this picture: over the whole new GCSE accreditation.
The most recent events just don’t sit right with me … this GCSE research programme which I blogged about HERE (the day before reported by TES by the way!!!) seems to me to be something thought up after all the shenanigans concerning the “comparability” issues with the new GSCEs became news back in November/December. It’s all too, too rushed. In fact it was such a short lead-in time to enrol to be part of the project (whereby students do the exam papers) you had to be really quick off the mark as there was less than a week between the announcement and the closing date. It was almost as if someone didn’t want anyone to take them up on the offer – I know that they got the numbers they wanted, but at what cost to it being a reflective sample of our cohort. Being brutally honest we shouldn’t need a bunch of year 11s to tell you there were issues – Twitterland has been saying this since the first draft of Sample Assessment Materials were published back when, as they say, “Pontius was a Pilate”. As an additional point: 4000 or even 5000 in any survey is not going to be a fair reflection given that our annual cohort is over 500,000 students!
500,000 … think about it! HALF A MILLION STUDENTS who are currently in year 9 are going to be the first cohort sitting these new exams and given the numbers involved wouldn’t you want to make sure that its “right”? I know I would.
Going back to what is bothering me … in one of my previous posts (this one->THIS ONE ) where I was trying to piece together the course of events I noted that Glenys Stacey had written her letter to Nick Gibb. This was in response to a letter from him dated 24th November, which has not been published publicly, (or not that I can find it) either as part of Nick Gibbs “bit”, or as part of the “publications” section on the .gov site.
Today I have requested a copy (I am aware that similar requests for a copy have been made by other interested parties) and so I am waiting with baited breath … if you have a copy or are from the DFE/Ofqual could you wing a copy to me (mel@justmaths.co.uk) to save me having to do a whole FOI request.
If in doubt this better reflects me:
