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In a published report, Cambridge Assessment presents why they favour replacing the use of grade scale to scores in the reformed GCSEs. They propose reporting the results using scores or a numerical scale using much larger number of points.
According to the document from the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate which goes by the brand name Cambridge Assessment, using numerical scores, rather than grades (A* to G), would be more descriptive of the achievement of students that will make ranking them more definite.
Second, the situation in which two students will get the same grade even though their numerical scores are far apart or two students will get different grades, even though their numerical scores are very close to each other. These two situations happen when two students are near grade boundaries.
Further, the use of numerical scores will mean that allowances for measurement errors which cannot be avoided will be consistent because they will be applied to each point in the scale and not around the boundaries of grade ranges. Moreover, the descriptive characteristic of the numerical scale will eliminate the necessity of putting extra grades (A*, A** etc.) in the future if achievement rises or more discrimination is needed especially at the top.
Cambridge Assessment director of assessment research and development Tim Oates says that the change from grades to scores will result in a change to how league tables will be prepared as how English secondary schools are measured will be changed. Mr Oates asseted that the proposed move will also address the problem when many GCSE candidates are not able to get the grade C in English as predicted. Such problem occurred last summer. Regarding the how league tables are prepared, the main benchmark at present is that schools are accountable for the number of pupils getting five GCSEs at A*-C which includes maths and English.
As a result of the change on how the accountability of schools will be measured, the undesirable effects of schools concentrating extra effort on pupils around the boundary of the grade C will be reduced, Mr Oates adds. He says this would lead to improvement in teaching and learning. Just a week before the CA document was released, an annual survey administered by examination regulator Ofqual reported findings that many teachers, heads and parents do not have confidence in GCSE grades.
Cambridge Assessment is the largest assessment agency in Europe. It sets and marks numerous examinations in the United Kingdom and around the world. It does not handle internal examinations at the University of Cambridge. CA delivers university admissions tests and handles, among others, the Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations which offers GCSEs, A levels and other vocational qualifications in 13,000 schools, colleges and other institutions.
Of the 4,686 respondents of the Ofqual survey, only 66% believes that GCSE students who were graded correctly reached 75%. The English GCSE grading row last year appears to have significantly affected confidence in the examinations. Do you think the proposed shift from grade to score will revive the credibility of the GCSE examinations? Is equating the achievement of students to numbers fair or the use of the grade ranges is better for the overall welfare of these young people in academics. What insights do you have in mind?
