End of June “EVE”

It’s the eve before the 30th June 2015 … let’s call it forevermore “SAMs Eve”. If I’m honest I’m worrying that I’m going to get visits from (ok so it’s a poor frame of reference but you gotta give me points for trying!!):   The ghost of “GCSE’s past” who’ll take me to scenes from … Read more

Behold the turtle …

Following my call to Nick Gibbs office on Monday (Post ->  HOTLINE TO NICK GIBBS OFFICE ) I chased for an update on the “Good” pass having sent a link to my blog post where I mentioned the students caught up in the grade-shift upwards. It’s great to see that Mark Dawe from OCR is “on song” … Read more

Fifty shades of pass!

So it wasn’t a dream – when I wrote THIS POST. On the one hand we’ve got answers and I applaud that, but on the other hand I’m not convinced this has been thought through in terms of its implications. Let’s take a step back to September when the original grade equivalencies were set out … … Read more

Tell me it was a dream

I’m writing this late! I’m hoping I’ll wake up in the morning and it’s all been a dream. Please tell me I dreamt Nicky Morgan is about to say that a “5” is the new pass? Tell me this -> SCHOOLSWEEK ARTICLE comes up with a page error …. I’m not saying it should be a … Read more

Oh David! I’m disappointed!

I have never been more disappointed in someone than I am in David Cameron right now. I am also exasperated, frustrated and a tad annoyed. Read until the end .. I promise you .. it’s worth it! This has now become so, so, soooooo much more than the accreditation process and do you know what? This situation … Read more

NOT another post about “that” question …

You’ll be pleased to hear I’m not going to write about “that” question … I’m going to write later in the week about both papers after tomorrow mornings paper is done and dusted. Of course after tomorrow, we move to focusing on Stats and Further Maths and then finally we can breathe! Sooooooooo …..  I may … Read more

National Reference Tests II

I have previously written about the background behind the National Reference Tests and the fact that Ofqual had considered making them “compulsory for all” IN THIS POST well the good news is that it looks like this isn’t going to happen after all. I have read the PUBLICATION TODAY from Ofqual providing an overview of the new reference tests and … Read more

THE Ofqual Maths Research Programme IV

I want to take a bird’s eye view of the report and summary that Ofqual published HERE. So let’s remind ourselves “what’s it all about Alfie!” … I’ve listed the four studies with some of the key points from the findings relating to each “study” along with any comments from little ‘ol me. I’m not … Read more

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