A detailed study has been carried out using
national data in order to compare the grades obtained by pupils in languages
with the grades in other subjects. This shows clearly that pupils of the same
prior attainment will, on average, obtain lower grades in languages than other
subjects at both GCSE and AS/A level.
Because this data is drawn from PANDA and
DCSF sources, it will be invaluable for members preparing for Performance Management,
Threshold Applications, annual Examination Analysis (including discussion with
Heads and Governors) and OFSTED/Self Evaluation Form.
The outcomes from the study have been endorsed
by the recently published research from the Durham University Curriculum
Evaluation and Management Centre (home of ALIS and midYIS, Yellis, PIPS) and reported in the
Times Educational Supplement 31st March 2006.
August
2012 |
Downloads:
Word document: Analysis
of A-Level Results June 2012
Word document: A
level A* issue 2012
Excel spreadsheet: Statistics
from JCQ
|
August
2011 |
All
pages below
Downloads:
|
September
2010 |
BBC
Radio 4 - You and Yours, 15/09/10. Helen Myers invited to talk
about Severe Grading following Flashmeeting organised by Joe Dale.
Webpage with context, weblink and embedded audio file. |
August 2010 |
|
|
Link
to TES article 'Languages decline deepens'
Link
to Independent article 'Class divide opens up in teaching of
languages' |
October
20th 2008 |
Ofqual
seminar on inter-subject comparability:
Powerpoint:
Presentation
Document:
Accompanying text
Document:
Report on seminar from Helen Myers |
September
4th 2008 |
Document:
Guidance on raising queries about GCSE grading |
August
23rd 2008 |
Document:
'How to compare your results in ML' - informal guidance following a
question on TES forum. |
August
23rd 2008 |
ALL
press
release following publication of GCSE results |
August
21st 2008 |
ASCL
press
release following publication of GCSE results |
August
21st 2008 |
Published
statistics on numbers doing GCSE June 08 and grades obtained |
February
20th 2008 |
Press
release from ALL, ASCL & ISMLA
|
February
19th 2008 |
QCA
report 'Grade standards in GCSE modern foreign languages'
This document provides QCA's response to Lord Dearing's view that the
award of grades in GCSE languages is more demanding than for most other
subjects.
BBC article.
reporting on QCA report + press release. |
January
2008 |
Reply
from Christine Gilbert (HMIC i/c OFSTED) in response to letter from
John Dunford about the impact of CVA on schools with compulsory languages. |
November
2007 |
Reply
from Ken Boston to letter on severe grading. |
November
2007 |
Letter
to Mr Jim Knight on severe grading and change in profile |
November
5th 2007 |
LibDem
written question put by David Laws |
November
5th 2007 |
'Modern
language GCSEs lowest in years' article in Guardian reporting on written
Parliamentary Question from David Laws |
October
2007 |
Letter
on Change in Profile and Impact on Grading |
October
2007 |
Letter
on Severe Grading sent to Ed Balls, Ken Boston,Lid King and Ron
Dearing from 80 Language Colleges at Language College Conference,
Oxford |
September
2007 |
2003-2007
points to grades AQA French Linear Grids |
August
2007 |
Published
statistics on numbers doing GCSE June 07 and grades obtained |
June 4th 2007
|
Response from Alan Johnson to letter sent
in May
Letter
from Alan Johnson to say that he has asked the QCA to conduct a review and
is awaiting their advice on whether or not to change grade boundaries.
Link to download pdf here
|
May 9th
2007 |
Letter
urging Alan Johnson to respond immediately to the Dearing recommendation
regarding severe grading
Letter
sent to Alan Johnson from ASCL, signed by John Dunford (ASCL), Duncan
Byrne (ISMLA), David Mansfield (SSAT) and David Wilson (ALL)
Page
1
Page
2 |
March
12th 2007 |
'Too
hard' modern language GCSEs may be made easier
Guardian article
following publication of Dearing Review |
March
2007 |
GCSE
French comparability study 2004-2005
(QCA) |
March
2007
|
Powerpoint
presentation online relating to ASCL conference, March 2007
Powerpoint
presentation used by Dr Robert Coe at the ASCL conference - link to site
|
March
10th 2007
|
BBC
News article from ASCL conference reporting on Dr Coe's presentation to
the conference.
Some GCSEs
'easier than others' - web page
Pasted
into word document.
Extracts:
Pupils who opt for "easier" subjects
such as sport or drama rather than sciences or languages could achieve
higher GCSE grades, research suggests.
A Durham University study concludes some subjects
are easier than others - because of the way exams are graded. |
October
2006
|
Proposal
following meeting
Proposal
|
October
2006 |
ALL
/ QCA / Exam Boards Meeting report Report of meeting held between
representatives of ALL, QCA and exam boards in October 2006
|
March
31st 2006
|
Addenda
to original statement
Additional
paragraphs to be inserted into original statement following further
analysis in light of CEM analysis (post 31.3.06)
|
March
31st 2006
|
Drama
and PE are soft options' - TES
(link to be added)
Study from Durham CEM
challenges exam chiefs' claims that every subject is equally
difficult. 'They concluded that, students, whatever their ability,
would be more likely to achieve good grades in subjects such as drama and
P, than in science and languages' |
January
2006 |
Original
statement original (Jan 06)
3 page statement followed by
detailed appendices giving sophisticated analysis of KS3. KS4, AS and A
level results |
October
5th 2004
|
Language
Barrier - The Guardian
Report of drop in take-up at KS4, includes comments on
comparison of grades achieved by pupils in different subjects
|
June
2004 |
A Level Regression statistics + graph
Download
excel spreadsheet here
|
|
Powerpoint
slide showing graph plotting
"difference
between the subject grade and the average of other subjects
taken by the same pupils"
v
"the
average score in other subjects.".
The
graph forms a clear pattern from top-left to bottom-right with French and
German at the extreme bottom-right (along with Maths and Sciences) -
it is perhaps no surprise that on average, those who do French get the
highest average A level scores ..
Download
graph here
|
June
2004 |
PANDA
Relative Performance Index for A level 2004 - raw data before turned into
a graph
Download
excel spreadsheet of data here.
|