Today Ofqual published the analysis and decisions documents following the joint consultation with DfE on proposed changes to the assessment of GCSEs, AS and A levels in 2022. They have also published their decisions on grading for 2021/2022.
For Art and design, the following decision has been made:
DfE has decided as a matter of policy that students should not be assessed through an exam board set task, as in a normal year, because the problems with accessing specialist rooms and equipment arising from the pandemic might continue into the 2021 to 2022 academic year. Ofqual has decided that GCSE, AS and A level art and design qualifications can validly be awarded in 2022 on the basis of a student’s portfolio only. Ofqual has decided to change the Conditions and Requirements so that exam boards are required to award these qualifications on the basis of a portfolio only.
Arrangements for standardisation and moderation are the responsibility of individual awarding bodies, announcements are yet to be made. We advise members to check awarding body websites, and to check with the school or college’s examinations officer for updates.
Michele Gregson, General Secretary of NSAED says:
Teachers in England are relieved to have confirmation of the arrangements for assessment of GCSE, A/AS level and VTQ qualifications, following the joint announcement by Ofqual and the DFE today. This follows weeks of uncertainty, with teachers unable to prepare or plan for these courses of study. We welcome the decision to limit assessment to the portfolio unit, which recognises the difficulties that many students have had accessing specialist rooms, equipment and materials. We still await announcements from individual examination boards about arrangements for moderation, which members believe will have real bearing on outcomes for their students.
We have learnt from the experiences of 2020 and 2021 that the most important thing is that learners should be given every opportunity to demonstrate both their attainment, and their potential. The insistence on a return to pre-pandemic 'standards' masks the imperfections of high stakes assessment.
General points regarding adaptations, grading and contingency and grading
Grading
Contingency in case of disruption
All documents can be found below:
the analysis and decisions documentsfollowing the joint consultation with DfE on proposed changes to the assessment of GCSEs, AS and A levels in 2022
Ofqual blog: Exams and Assessments 2022 – fairness and clarity. This blog is primarily aimed at students
An authored articlesetting out Ofqual’s approach to grading exams and assessments in summer 2022 and autumn 2021
The following documents have been published on contingency arrangements:
Ofqual have also launched a joint consultation with DfE on the contingency arrangements for 2022: GCSE, AS, A level, Project and AEA. The consultation will close on 13 October and NSEAD will respond formally
DfE has published guidance for contingencies for 2021 to 2022: for vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs) and other general qualifications. Ofqual have published a news storyon the DfE guidance
Ofqual have updated theirexam system contingency plan: England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Today Ofqual have launched joint consultations with the Department for Education on proposed arrangements for the assessment and awarding of qualifications in 2022
Ofqual and the DFE have a clear position that exams are the fairest and best means of assessment. They believe that it should be possible for exams to go ahead next year, but in case there is significant further disruption to education in 2021/22 or there are significant public health restrictions during the 2022 exam series, they are keen to put contingency plans in place
It is proposed to carry forward next year the arrangments introduced for 2020/21 to remove the requirement for the externally set assignment for both GCSE and ‘A’ Level.Ofqual are clear that there will be no change to the curriculum for either A level or GCSE qualifications, and they emphasise that all content should be taught as far as is feasible.
Decisions will be made about approach to grading and grade boundaries as soon as possible following summer results. The key question is what 2022 boundaries will be set against.
NSEAD have asked directly for information about how and when a decision regarding standardisation and moderation will be taken. We will update members when we have a response.
For VTQs, the Governement policy is that all exams and assessments will go ahead in 2021/22. As with A level and GCSE all content to be taught as far as feasible, though adaptations may be needed to assessments. That may include streamlining, removing some internal assessment entirely, to be replaced by a declaration that teaching has taken place. These would be subject to approval by the DFE. Any results received by leaners in 2019/20 or 2020/21 based on CAGs or TAGs will be carried forward.
NSEAD will make a formal response to both consultations.
The GQ consultation can be found here: Proposed changes to the assessment of GCSEs, AS and A levels in 2022
The VTQ consultation can be found here: Arrangements for the assessment and awarding of vocational, technical and other general qualifications: 2021 to 2022. The GQ consultation closes on 1 August and the VTQ consultation closes on 26 July.
NSEAD encourages all members with a professional interest to respond.
Ofqual have published their decision regarding changes to NEA and fieldwork following a short consultation from 14 May to 28 May 2021 on proposals to carry forward these changes for some subjects for the academic year 2021 to 2022.
Ofqual confirm that the following decision has been made in response to the consultation responses:
We have decided to carry forward some of the changes to non-exam assessment and fieldwork agreed for 2021 for students entering qualifications in summer 2022
We have decided to carry forward the arrangements agreed for 2021 in full for the following subjects: dance, design and technology, drama (and theatre), film studies, food preparation and nutrition, media studies, music, music technology, and physical education.
We believe it is appropriate, therefore, to allow exam boards to accept alternative evidence in 2022 so that students can demonstrate in different ways what they know and can do in their assessments. Exam boards will provide further information about their specific requirements, as they did for 2021.
The arrangements for alternative evidence being accepted for the 2021 series cover specific aspects of NEA assessment being suspended or revised.
Art and Design is not one of the subjects that will carry forward in full, the assessment arrangements from 2021 into 2022. The arrangements for alternative assessment evidence are being applied to subjects where the nature of assessment activity may be prevented by public health restrictions. This is deemed not to be the case for Art and Design, and accordingly, it is judged that the NEA will be able to take place without risk, and with no negative equality impact.
Whilst this is the case, the concern remains that regardless of whether there are continuing public health restrictions in place in 2022, candidates at centres who have experienced significant disruption to their Y10 and Yr12 provision during this academic year will be disadvantaged in the submission of portfolio evidence.
As the only subject that is 100% NEA, Art and Design raises specific equalities issues which NSEAD will be raising with Ofqual, in the hope that arrangements specific to Art and Design will be considered.
Ofqual we have launched a consultation to seek views on the arrangements for non-exam assessment (NEA) and fieldwork activities in some GCSE, AS and A level subjects that will be undertaken by students taking exams in summer 2022. They are making this proposal in the context of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and seeks to carry forward changes agreed for 2021 for some subjects.
The consultation can be found by clicking this link Arrangements for non-exam assessment for qualifications in 2022 along with a news story here.
This consultation specifically focuses on subjects where preparation and work for non-exam assessment and fieldwork activities is taking place this term for students who will be taking their exams in 2022. It covers:
However, Ofqual recognise there are other activities about which students, teachers and exam boards might have questions. For example, in relation to the expectations for the externally set task in art and design or practical work in subjects such as science, environmental science and astronomy. Ofqaul are currently hopeful that, with further lifting of public health restrictions, it will be possible for students to complete work as usual during the next academic year. Therefore, they do not propose to carry forward the 2021 arrangements for these subjects at this point in time to avoid possible negative effects on teaching and learning. They are keeping this situation under review and will provide more information about, and where necessary consult on, further arrangements for 2022 in due course.
Additionally, in GCSE ancient history, history and English literature, the government agreed that, for 2021 only, there could be a reduction in the amount of content that would be assessed. Content coverage (curriculum) is the responsibility of the DfE. Arrangements in these subjects will be considered as part of the wider policy decisions for the 2022 exams.
Further information and, where necessary, consultations on any proposed changes to other qualifications will follow. If you have any questions, either specific to your subject or more generally, please do let them know.
For Vocational and Technical Qualifications and Other General qualifications, in relation to internal assessment, adaptations will continue to be in place which respond to social distancing. While Ofqual expect that assessment in the coming year will largely reflect a return to normality, other types of adaptation to respond to the impacts of the pandemic are under consideration, and more information will follow soon.
Update on autumn assessments
They have recently confirmed that there will be an autumn exam series in 2021. Except for art and design qualifications, grades will be determined by students’ performance in the exams only – there will be no non-exam assessments.
Today Ofqual have published a Student guide to awarding: summer 2021. Please share with your members and networks as appropriate, they are keen that the guide reaches as many students and their families as possible.
Ofqual today announced the outcome of the consultation on arrangements for regulated qualifications in 2021.
We are pleased to see that results will be based on teachers’ judgements about their students’ performance - we believe that this is the fairest solution.NSEAD’s suggestions regarding external moderation, advice for centres and recommendations that VTQs also be based on teacher judgementsare reflected in the decisions outlined by Ofqual today.
We recognise that the dates for GCSE and A level results will place pressure on centres, but feel that this is necessary if centres are to have the maximum amount of time available for teaching before submission of grades on 18 June and allowing sufficient time for a robust appeals process to be completed by 18 August, avoiding the difficulties for UCAS and student admissions that we saw last summer.
Art and Design will be subject to the same arrangements for sampling as all other subjects:
For Art and Design examinations a system of sampling by visiting experts ( moderators) is entirely familiar. The key difference this year is that not all centres will receive a visit, but should behave as if they might.
Subject specific guidance to support teachers in their judgements, and general guidance for centres will be provided following a two week technical consultation. It is expected that final arrangements, subject specific detail and guidance will be finalised before the end of March.
The full set of documents and information from Ofqual and the DFE are as follows:
Ofqual have published the Acting Chief Regulator’s response to a direction letter from the Secretary of State for Education about the arrangements for regulated qualifications in 2021. They have also published an article by Simon Lebus setting out the details of the announcement.
The general qualifications and vocational and technical qualifications documents can be found below. They include the analysis of the consultation responses, Ofqual’s decisions documents and easy-read infographics:
Consultation on how GCSE, AS and A level grades should be awarded in summer 2021
Details of the two technical consultations to seek views on the regulatory framework that will put today’s policy decisions into effect:
GCSE, AS and A level Technical Consultation: the General Qualifications Alternative Awarding Framework. This will also include two draft information documents: information for heads of centre on the submission of teacher assessed grades and information for centres about making objective judgements. The consultation will close on 11 March 2021.
Regulatory arrangements for the awarding of vocational and technical and other general qualifications in 2020-2021. The consultation will close on 11 March 2021. This includes the draft information for centres about making objective judgements.
You can find the Department for Education’s publications here.
NSEAD response to Ofqual consultation
The NSEAD Special Interest Group for Examinations responds to the consultation on arrangements for the summer series of examinations.
We agree that it is important that students completing their studies in 2021 receive a valid qualification that clearly reflects what a student knows,understands and can do, and they must be widely understood and respected.We agree that the results they receive through the alternative approach must be credible and meaningful.
We welcome recognition by Ofqual that the impact of the pandemic varies between regions, between schools and colleges within a region, and from student to student according to their personal circumstances.
We also believe that alternative arrangements for assessment must as far as possible make sure grades are valid and consistent.
We are extremely concerned that students completing assessments this year will be awarded grades to indicate their demonstrated knowledge, understanding and skills.with grades that will be indistinguishable from grades issued by exam boards in other years.We do not believe that this is achievable in our subject, which requires students to acquire an increasing depth and proficiency through practice. For the majority of students access tot he necessary specialist resources has been severely limited and uneven. We do not see how it is possible to claim that grades achieved this year will be comparable with those awarded in other years.
Read the full response here
This afternoon the Secretary of State for Education for Education in England confirmed arrangements for English schools in the House of Commons.
The Minister confirmed that English schools would now follow Scotland and Wales with summer series examinations cancelled and replaced with teacher assessments. SATs for primary pupils are cancelled. January examinations for technical and vocational qualifications should continue as planned if school and college leaders think it right to do so.
Gavin Williamson insisted that schools have not suddenly become unsafe places, however it is the dramatic reduction in numbers on site that allows him to say this. NSEAD does not accept that this was the case on Monday, when the Government were insisting that it was safe for all schools and colleges to open to all pupils.
We know that the coming weeks will bring enormous challenges for our members. Many of you are working on site, teaching remotely from your classrooms and supervising groups of key worker and vulnerable pupils. There is an expectation of a high quality remote provision with a high proportion of 'live' online lessons. Arrangments for teacher assessment and the mechanisms to ensure that they are fair and consistent remain unclear.
Education Minister Peter Weir has confirmed that examinations will also be cancelled for students in Northern Ireland.
Late yesterday evening, the DFE issued a statement advising schools and colleges that they could make a local decision about whether to continue with vocational and technical exams this month. Many of our members had practical assessments for BTEC Art and Design scheduled to take place between the 4th and 15th January.
A DfE spokesperson said:
“In light of the evolving public health measures, schools and colleges can continue with the vocational and technical exams that are due to take place in January, where they judge it right to do so.
“We understand this is a difficult time but we want to support schools and colleges whose students have worked hard to prepare for assessments and exams where necessary. This may be particularly important for VTQs which require a ‘license to practice’ which can only be fulfilled through practical assessment, such as an electrician.”
“Schools and colleges have already implemented extensive protective measures to make them as safe as possible. We will continue to work with Ofqual, awarding organisations and other stakeholders to discuss the next steps and provide more detail on the way forward, including ensuring other students have a way to progress with as little disruption as possible.”
News reports focus on the reversal of the DFE’s position, but the statement from Simon Lebus, Interim Chief Regulator, Ofqualtoday emphasises the fact that the government has directed that exams can and should still go ahead.
“The government has announced that schools and colleges can continue with the vocational and technical exams due to take place in January where it is right to do so. This may be particularly important for vocational and technical qualifications which require a ‘licence to practise’, which can only be fulfilled through practical assessment.”
Summer 2021 Examinations assessments
The measures announced by the DFE for the summer 2021 assessments for English schools aim to level the field for candidates taking examinations in 2021. Ofqual have already announced that Art and Design candidates for GCSE and A level will be assessed on the basis of a single coursework unit, a move which NSEAD has welcomed. The announcement that grading will be at more generous levels in line with the 2020 series is also welcomed, but will not in itself ensure fair assessment for students who have not been taught in their classrooms or for individual students that have missed out on coursework.
Arrangements across the four nations have been determined on a unilateral basis. Whilst there is a clearly a need to address regional differences, it is disappointing that a coherent approach could not be agreed. The comparability of qualifications awarded in 2021 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will inevitably be questioned, and this can only disadvantage students.
In all four nations, our subject, the potential for unfair disadvantage for students who have had limited access to studios and classrooms is a real concern. Access to space, materials and equipment continues to vary widely according to local and individual circumstances. NSEAD calls on all Governments, regulatory authorities and awarding bodies to work together to address the impact of differential learning, and ensure that all possible measures are taken to ensure that the future potential of our students is not determined by local decisions that are beyond their control.
We note that today’s guidance from the DFE provides for sadditional "backup" exams - to be held in July - to give students a second chance to sit a paper if they have to miss main exams or assessments due to illness or self-isolation. It is not clear whether any provision will be made for Art and Design students who will not sit an exam paper, but may have missed vital coursework time for the component that will be put forward as their final assessment.
We call on the Expert Group set up by the DFE, the National Qualifications 2021 Group for Scotland, and the Design and Delivery Advisory Group for Wales to give careful consideration to the impact of uneven access to studio resources, and alternative arrangments for moderation.
We welcome the detailed subject guidance being provided for teachers in Scotland by the SQA and hope that the same level of support will be available for teachers in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.
updated information is as follows:
From Ofqual: "We have published Dame Glenys Stacey’s response to a letter from the Secretary of State for Education about the arrangements for regulated qualifications in 2021. Today’s announcements include Ofqual’s decision on the grading of GCSE, AS and A level qualifications, details of adaptations that will be made to exams next summer and confirmation of the Department for Education’s package of contingencies to make sure as many students as possible can take exams and assessments and receive a grade. The letter also sets out our expectations for vocational and technical qualifications. We have also published an article setting out the details of announcement."
They have also published two research reports:
Four Nations
Monitoring and Guidance
England: Expert Group set up by the DFE any impact of differential learning on pupils who have been disproportionately impacted. We do not yet know who sits on this group.
Northern Ireland: The Department for Education are overseeing all arrangements.
Scotland: The National Qualifications 2021 Group is meeting weekly to consider qualifications arrangements in the 2020-21 session. This group draws its membership from the Association of Directors of Education Scotland (ADES), Colleges Scotland, Education Scotland, the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), School Leaders Scotland (SLS), the Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS), Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and the Scottish Government.
SQA is supporting National 5 certification by publishing subject specific guidance. In addition, SQA will also start to publish assessment resources this week.
Wales: The Design and Delivery Advisory Group of school head teachers and college principals this will include key considerations such as the range of assessment, the appeals process and arrangements for private candidates.
Assessment arrangements
England: GCSE and A level Assessment to be portfolio only.
NI - Assessment of Component one only, under controlled conditions
Scotland - assessed using an alternative certification approach, based on teacher and lecturer judgement. Higher and Advanced Higher exams will be delayed by two weeks.
Wales - teacher-managed assessments. Non examination assessments (NEA) will continue to be included in GCSEs, AS and A levels in 2020-2021.
Moderation
England: Exam boards are permitted to carry out moderation by photographic and/or digital portfolio.
Northern Ireland: endorsements will be used in lieu of visiting moderation/examination
Wales: centre-based outcomes underpinned by a model of external verification to provide consistency.
.Further infomation for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales
The Welsh Government has announced this afternoon that both A-level and GCSE students will be awarded the grades predicted by their teachers. A total of 42% of A-level grades predicted by teachers had been lowered. The change also affects AS-levels, skills challenge certificates and the Welsh Baccalaureate. Students who received higher grades than those predicted by teachers will keep them.
GCSE results in NI will be solely based on grades provided by teachers, the education minister has said. Schools in Northern Ireland, along with schools in Wales and England, had been asked to give predicted grades but then other data was used by CCEA (CCEA is the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment) to standardise the results. Peter Weir, Education Minister, said GCSEs taken with exams body CCEA - which provides about 97% of GCSE exams in Northern Ireland - would be covered by the decision.
On 15 August (11am). Ofqual defined what a 'valid mock exam' would look like and that centre assessed grades could be used as a last resort. Late into the evening this announcement was withdrawn. Which assessment mechanisms Ofqual will se remains to be seen.
On behalf of our members NSEAD has written to Ofqual to express our deep concerns about the results announced yesterday and the impact of the standardisation model. We also register our objections to proposals by the DFE to allow appeals based on student performance in mock examinations. Read the full letter here
This year’s examination process has shown a fractured nation-wide landscape – where neither teachers’ expertise nor children’s interests have steered policy makers. Instead, the quest to uphold notional ‘national standards’ has revealed an examination system with gaping gaps in equity and fairness. Read more here
We welcome the publication yesterday of proposed changes to assessment for 2021, giving teachers the information they need as they prepare for the return of all students to schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in September. We recognise the difficulty of making these decisions in the context of ongoing and future public health concerns. We understand the need for Ofqual to take more time to consult with the DFE and authorities in Wales and Northern Ireland before making a decision regarding possible delays to the exam timetable.
Ofqual have listened to the feedback that we gave on behalf of our members and we are pleased to see that much of what is proposed for Art and Design is in line with our recommendations. We agree that the removal of the externally set task, so assessment is by portfolio only is in the best interests of students at a time when attendance in centres is likely to be disrupted.
We appreciate the flexibility around moderation, allowing but not requiring exam boards to carry out moderation by photographic and/or digital portfolio.
It is disappointing that in the equalities impact assessment it has not been possible to identify mitigations to reduce the disadvantage caused to particular groups by the Covid-19 pandemic. We remain concerned that shielding students, disabled students, those with economic disadvantage and students from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups will continue to be disproportionately affected. However, we know that there is no perfect solution - as professionals we must work together to support our young people.
The coming year will be challenging for teachers and students, and NSEAD will continue to support members to deliver the highest standards of art and design education possible.
With regard to the proposal that assessment should be 100% NEA – portfolio only, we believe that, on balance, this is the fairest way to proceed to benefit most students at GCSe, AS and A’ level. However, we would further suggest that the portfolio submission be limited to one complete project at GCSE, providing evidence of covering all four assessment objectives, selected from work undertaken during the course. This is to recognise that some students will have had very different opportunities for continuing art and design study at home during lockdown, where some may have already produced a substantial range of evidence and others very little.
With regard to permitting exam boards to carry out moderation by photographic / digital portfolio, we believe that conditions for moderation by visiting moderators can be made safe in schools, and that photographic/digital moderation should only happen as a last resort, for example if a school was in an area where a local lockdown was in force.
Digital or photographic representation of non-digitally created work can never replace seeing the work physically, especially for 3D and textile work, and the quality of the portfolio inevitably reflects the skill of the photographer, sometimes to the detriment of the work itself.
If digital or photographic moderation is to go ahead we ask that there is a common format to be used for the portfolio, for example, presented in PowerPoint, a short video - sketchbook pages in order of the portfolio and recording the outcomes or as a series of photographs and that there is a limit set as to the amount of digital images/length of video that can be included. This is because some schools may struggle to store high quantities of high resolution images on their IT systems, which could disadvantage some students. We would also ask for there to be clear guidance for teachers in supporting their students when selecting work for digital assessment and that the expectation is that teachers mark the work as a digital submission, so that teacher and moderator are seeing the work in the same way.
We do not support possible arrangements for digital/ photographic moderation next year setting a precedent for moderation procedures beyond 2021.
We have concerns that students and art and design teachers in some schools are likely to continue to have restricted access to specialist facilities when schools restart in September. This could be particularly problematic for those students who are part way through courses in certain areas of study, such as 3D Design, Textiles or for those working within areas of Fine Art such as sculpture and printmaking. We ask that the exam boards consider ways in which special consideration can be given to students and centres that find themselves in this position.
We support the proposal to push back the date for the 2021 exams and hope that that would include an extension to the date when the coursework marks must be submitted to the exam boards for art and design exams.
3 June 2020
We are very encouraged by the full and thorough consideration given by Ofqual to the unique position of art and design as the only NEA subject at GCSE, AS and A’ level and by its ambition to ensure that art and design students have equality of opportunity with other subjects by making provision for assessment in an autumn series of exams when it is proposed that in general, NEA components will not form part of the assessment process.
Question: To what extent do you agree or disagree that grades for GCSE, AS and A level art and design awarded in the autumn should be based on a new task completed under supervised conditions?
We fully support the proposal that the exam boards should provide a new task to be set under supervised conditions in an autumn series. We view this as being fairest for all candidates. Some students may have had the opportunity to continue working on their preparatory studies during the lockdown period but many will not and some centre assessment grades may have taken into account some or all of the preparation for the summer series ESA tasks, depending on the timing of the exams in individual centres prior to school closures on 20 March.
If the exam boards set a new task a clear timetable can be set by centres and all candidates will have a set, equable timeframe to work within.
Question: To what extent do you agree or disagree that any new task for GCSE, AS and A level art and design should be set and marked by the exam board?
As introducing an autumn series of examinations is done under exceptional circumstances we are happy to endorse the arrangement that requires the exam boards to set and mark the candidates’ work. Teachers will, inevitably, be busy working with their students, who will have missed months of face to face contact and it is unlikely that schools will be happy to release them to moderate the ESA. There will be little time for the exam boards to recruit, train and deploy moderators, given the tight timescale.
We would not expect there to be high numbers of candidates in an autumn series of exams, however the marking and internal standardisation process takes time and, as teachers will have their full teaching commitment during the autumn term, this proposal will alleviate additional pressure, as well as being the most cost effective solution for the exam boards.
Do you have any comments on our proposed approach to the assessment of GCSE, AS and A level art and design in the autumn 2020 series?
Whilst we are happy to support the notion of an exam board set and marked task in these exceptional circumstances we firmly believe that teachers play a very important role in the assessment of art and design and that the move proposed by Ofqual is seen as a temporary arrangement only, not to set a precedent for future years. When centres are required to send work into the exam boards for assessment it naturally impacts on the range and scale of the work set by centres and undertaken by students, which is potentially very detrimental to the breadth of the subject and the experience of the students.
We fully support Ofqual’s ambition to promote equality and fairness so that disadvantaged students are not disproportionately affected by the assessment arrangements during this exceptional year.
29 April 2020
On awarding grades;
On the process of standardising centre assessment grades;
On the grounds for appealing final grades;
We urge Ofqual and the awarding bodies to consider the impact that the Covid-19 closures is having on current Year 10 and Year 12 art and design students and the development of the portfolio units of the qualifications as a matter of urgency. This could be in the form of reducing the coursework presented or through the reduction of grade boundaries or ‘pass’ marks for next year’s cohort.
We also ask that they consider the opportunity for awarding bodies to develop capacity to standardise using a digital portfolio in the future, as social distancing measures likely to still be in place.
31 March 2020
Since the announcement of disruption to the summer examination series, NSEAD – the professional body for art, craft and design education – has called for subject-specific guidance to support schools, colleges and centres. We ask that the regulating authorities consider the unique assessment and moderation needs of art and design qualifications.
Without a written examination, art and design specialists have no evidence of written drafts that have been marked, other than practical Component 1 and mock examination evidence. Not all schools consistently allocate the recommended time and development/preparation opportunities to their students for the mock exam. All of which emphasises the need for a greater emphasis on teacher assessment based on more consistently detailed progress assessments.
The NSEAD Executive call for:
Clear guidance for Art and Design teachers about how to provide a ‘best assessment’ to inform exam boards of the award of calculated grades and how the process will be consistently applied for all students. On behalf of our members, we ask the following questions:
We appreciate that all efforts are being made to deliver for learners at an exceptionally difficult time. The Scottish Qualifications Authority have announced that an estimate model will be subject to a reduced external verification, but details have not yet been finalised. Ofqual have assured us that regulators and exam boards will be discussing with teachers’ representatives before finalising the approach in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, to ensure that it is as fair as possible.
We have written to both Ofqual and the SQA to express our concern that the continued lack of information is causing high levels of stress and anxiety amongst teachers and students of Art and Design. On behalf of our members and students of Art and Design throughout the UK we ask that full consideration be given to their specific requirements, and that these are communicated clearly, without delay.