The worldwide disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic is our generation’s Great Pause. We are in a liminal space – a disorientating time between the world that has been and the world that may be. These are times that are so profoundly discontinuous that we reconsider the purpose of our lives: to what extent has my life been well lived? We are likely to re-enter the world changed.
Continue readingMany think this summer’s examination replacement consultation is a bit of a dog’s dinner. The Department for Education/OFQUAL consultation seems more interested in re-establishing an examination system that’s not an examination system, then looking at ways to create a meaningful alternative in these pandemic times. Some have already expressed the fear that this summer will be as chaotic as last year.
Continue readingWithin the Department for Education/Ofqual’s consultation on this year’s exam replacement there are a whole series of distractions and much confused, woolly thinking. The key challenge that requires addressing – and was missed last year in the need to move rapidly to a centre assessed grade – is the comparability between grades awarded in different schools/ centres. This is the basis for having a national examination system and is totally missed in the consultation in favour of some ill-defined “external quality assurance by the exam boards” in June.
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