14-19 Qualifications Review

In September 2011, Deputy Minister for Skills, Jeff Cuthbert (Lab, Caerphilly), launched a review into qualifications for 14-19 year olds. That, presumably, encompasses :

• GCSEs
• AS & A-Levels
• Welsh Baccalaureate
• NVQs

The board set up to oversee the review reported back a few weeks ago. There were a comprehensive 42 recommendations in total. Here's summary the proposals.

A National Qualifications System

Is the formation of Qualifications Wales
the beginning of the end for the WJEC?
(Pic : CMB Engineering)

• A national qualifications framework that would "allow divergence from the rest of the UK."
• The establishment of a single qualifications body for Wales (Qualifications Wales) that would regulate, award and carry out quality assurance of all non-degree qualifications, "learning from the model in operation in Scotland".
• Vocational qualifications of the highest value to the Welsh economy should be taught in both English and Welsh, with clearer pathways for Welsh medium students.

Qualifications Wales was launched last week by Education Minister Leighton Andrews (Lab, Rhondda) as an independent body to oversee exams. There have already been rumours that it might be a replacement/successor to the existing WJEC. It sounds very similar to the Scottish model, where the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) sets and regulates Standards, Highers, vocational courses and some higher education courses (HNDs, HNCs).

It also raises questions about Ofqual's future role in Wales. Has Leighton taken Ofqual in house? That would be a pretty big development, as until now there's been some ambiguity about who's in charge of what, which partially led to August's GCSE row.

The expansion of bilingual vocational courses matches Leighton's own Welsh Language Strategy for 2012-2017. I think the reason there've been specific problems here, is because some Welsh medium secondary schools might not have the equipment/facilities to provide vocational courses in the same way an FE college might. Perhaps one way to get around this would've been to designate an existing WM secondary within a region as a "regional Welsh medium FE centre" – effectively a WM sixth form/FE college.

And despite the doom and gloom over today's census figures, one crumb of hope is that Welsh-speakers amongst younger age groups are increasing. I think a big contributing factor in the decline  has been outward migration of Welsh-speakers in their 20s and 30s due to lack of job opportunities and affordable housing in Y Fro. If youngsters are going to learn Welsh, they need as many opportunities as possible to use it - including vocational courses.

The Welsh Baccalaureate

The Welsh Baccalaureate might become
the "headline performance measure" from 2017.
(Pic : Click on Wales)

• A more rigorous Welsh Baccalaureate at GCSE (Key Stage 4) and A-Level/Further Education (Key Stage 5) that should include a "broadly based core" and include more rigorous testing of literacy and numeracy.
• The Welsh Government should encourage "universal adoption" on the revised Welsh Bacc.
• Attainment of the Welsh Bacc. should be the "headline performance measure" from 2017.
• The Welsh Bacc. will be graded from 2015.

I'm not convinced the changes here are as significant as made out, with exception to that the last two, which I'll return to later. It appears as though the Welsh Bacc is going to be as important at GCSE, and  vocational courses, as it is at A-Level.

It's not too different from Michael Gove's English Baccalaureate. To get the Welsh Bacc, learners will need to, seemingly, pass GCSE English/Welsh language and Maths at the very minimum (or A-Levels at Advanced level). However, unlike England, there's no specific requirements for what's deemed "good GCSEs". The core parts of the Welsh Bacc appears unchanged.

I think that's a missed opportunity. I would've preferred a move to the French or Dutch model, and I've outlined my thoughts on that before. I would've also included a second language as a compulsory element, but there are probably issues there in terms of staffing at schools that might have made it impractical for now. But with novel teaching methods, maybe it needn't be.

What's interesting is that attainment of the Welsh Bacc. will be the "headline performance indicator" from 2017. Does that mean the end of GCSE/A-Level results day in Wales, and the beginning of "Welsh Bacc attainment day"? It's said it would be "raising the bar in terms of of expectations about the qualifications learners should achieve." Without it being like the French or Dutch model, I don't see why it would to be honest.

GCSEs

GCSE Maths might be split into separate numeracy and
technique-focused qualifications.
(Pic : The Guardian)

• GCSEs should be retained as the main 14-16 qualification.
• A full review of GCSE English Language and GCSE Welsh First Language to build on literacy standards outlined in the Literacy and Numeracy Framework.
• The introduction of two Mathematics GCSEs – One covering numeracy and the other covering mathematical techniques.
• Literacy and numeracy standards should be integrated into all new GCSEs proposed by the Welsh Government.

It's said that the current qualifications don't give potential employers "sufficient confidence in the skills of young people". It's said, for example, that the benchmark of a C-grade for English/Welsh language GCSE or Mathematics "doesn't guarantee sufficient literacy or numeracy."

I think splitting maths GCSE is an excellent idea. Mathematical concepts like trigonometry are only valuable in certain career paths. Not everyone needs to learn that, but I imagine if you want to go to university, you will have to take the Mathematics Techniques GCSE. So, in future, Maths GCSE will be (sort of) double-award like science. It does appear as though GCSE Mathematical Techniques will be optional, but the expectation is that most learners would take both.

The modular/unit model will be retained, but with only one resit per module/unit. The grading structure for GCSEs will also be reviewed at a later date.

Another welcome development, is that the review recognises that GCSE questions need to be more like PISA. I believed that one of the reasons we lag behind, is that the GCSE syllabus is based on broader concepts, not practical applications – unlike the PISA test.

Keeping GCSEs could be seen as a major divergence from England, where they appear to be moving towards a return to "O-Levels". The GCSE "brand" is recognised, so it would've been a mistake to change it. The only thing that needs changing is the structure of the courses, and the review recommends greater flexibility in designing courses to meet the requirements of individual subjects.

A-Levels

• A-Levels should be retained as the main 16-19 qualification, maintained similarly to England and Northern Ireland (with room for variations).
• Ensure employers and universities are involved in developing new A-Levels
• At least two units of : Literacy, numeracy, "wider key skills" and digital literacy will need to be taken to Level 3 (A-Level) standard, with the other two to Level 2 standard (GCSE A*-C).

A-Levels are said to be "fit for purpose" with a "strong brand and support". There's support for the AS/A2 "split" as it allows learners to take a broader curriculum. Getting universities involved in the development of A-Levels makes sense, but their involvement might not be as extensive as implied.

There's also a continuation of Curriculum 2000's Key Skills element. That's not a major change from existing arrangements, but perhaps will be taken a little more seriously if the Welsh Bacc. is to become the main benchmark to judge attainment.

Vocational Qualifications

• Recognise vocational qualifications as on a par with general (academic) ones.
• Welsh Government and Qualifications Wales should ensure that assessment of vocational qualifications is "rigorous, valid and proportionate".

There's a recommendation to adopt a European definition for vocational qualifications. The first (IVET) is pre-occupational training – for example, in a school or FE college environment. The second is on-the-job training (CVET) – presumably covering things like professional accreditation.

For 14-16 year olds, vocational qualifications would be more general sector based than occupational based. I presume that means students would be introduced to a wider range of theories and concepts than a specific role. So an "automotive" qualification might cover all aspects of the automotive industry, not just mechanics. If it is like that, then I think it's long overdue and would seriously boose the credibility of vocational qualifications in the eyes of the media, students and employers.

For 16-19 year olds, the emphasis would be on specific vocational roles, as per the European definitions listed above.

Vocational qualifications would be based around National Occupational Standards, where sector bodies themselves will be able to rate vocational qualifications and try to identify gaps that can be plugged.

It's proposed that monitoring/moderation/marking of vocational qualifications is given "appropriate externality in assessment". At the moment, perhaps understandably, it's probably mainly internal assessment. They're not suggesting moving to a wholescale external marking/monitoring system, but instead drawing up a "proper assessment of competence and skills" that could be applied across the board.

Overview

There are two big developments here : the creation of Qualifications Wales, and the Welsh Baccalaureate becoming the attainment benchmark from 2017.

Many of the other proposals are welcome, but I doubt they're as radical or transformative as they could've been. The review, in effect, is "radical" by keeping large chunks the way they are - as opposed to what's happening in England.

I don't think there would've been much justification for scrapping GCSEs and A-Levels anyway, but I fear the Welsh Baccalaureate is going to remain "A-Level General Studies on steroids" when I would've preferred a move to a French-style Baccalaureate. Maybe that could happen in the future, but – as is the Welsh way – problems that could be sorted out now have to be kicked down the road for the sake of consensus building.

I think "Key Skills" is a flawed concept, and I say that as someone who's actually been through it. The curriculum itself – all subjects - should change to include more literacy, numeracy and use of IT, not have them bolted on as extras. You probably use as much maths in science and subjects like geography as you would in a "numeracy unit" for an Advanced Welsh Bacc.

But, all in all, it's yet another "step forward". I think the changes to vocational qualifications in particular are long overdue, and there's a clear commitment on Leighton Andrews' behalf – and his deputy - to grab the bull by the horns so to speak.

Maybe we're finally going to start to see things turn around for the better in Welsh schools. However, qualifications are as much about content as they are about attainment and teaching methods. The Welsh national curriculum needs to be reviewed too, or none of this will make any difference. I think, once the OECD have reviewed Welsh education, that should be Leighton Andrews' and Jeff Cuthbert's next port of call.