Podcasts about Ofqual

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Louise Attwood, the subject lead for design technology and computer science at AQA. The conversation explores the evolving landscape of education, particularly in the areas of curriculum development and assessment. Louise shares her journey from being a design and technology teacher to her current role, emphasising the importance of interdisciplinary connections in education. The discussion also looks into the challenges of keeping curricula relevant in a fast-paced world, the role of Ofqual in maintaining standards, and innovative assessment practices that cater to diverse student needs. We passionately discuss the evolving landscape of education assessment, not ignoring the need for innovative methods that go beyond traditional exams. We explore the importance of meeting students where they are, the role of technology in assessments, and the necessity of critical thinking skills in preparing students for the future. The dialogue also highlights the importance of engaging diverse voices in educational reform to ensure a more inclusive and effective system. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Context Setting 03:51 Interdisciplinary Connections in Education 06:19 Challenges in Curriculum Development 11:01 The Role of Ofqual in Education 14:51 Louise's Journey in Education 20:35 The Importance of Assessment 24:47 Innovations in Assessment Practices 28:39 Rethinking Assessment in Education 32:21 Innovative Assessment Methods and Technology 35:52 Meeting Students Where They Are 39:29 The Role of Critical Thinking in Education 43:41 Engaging Diverse Voices in Educational Reform 51:01 Quickfire Questions and Final Thoughts Louise talked about AQA Stride, which you can find out more about here Thanks so much for joining us again for another episode - we appreciate you. Ben & Steve x Championing those who are making the future of education a reality. Follow us on X Connect with us on LinkedIn Check out all about Edufuturists Want to sponsor future episodes or get involved with the Edufuturists work? Get in touch Get your tickets for Edufuturists Uprising 2025

Send me a message.Curious about how exam boards shape design and technology education? In this episode of Talking D&T, I sit down with Louise Attwood, Subject Support Lead for D&T at AQA. With eight years at the exam board and a background in teaching, Louise offers unique insights into the world of D&T qualifications.We explore the intricate process of curriculum development and assessment, uncovering how AQA works with the Department for Education, Ofqual, and teachers to shape D&T education. Louise reveals the challenges of balancing content breadth with depth, and how recent reforms have impacted the subject.A key takeaway is the importance of teacher involvement in qualification development. Louise shares multiple avenues for educators to contribute, from focus groups to feedback forms. We also discuss the delicate balance between political agendas and educational needs in curriculum design.For D&T teachers in England and beyond, this episode offers valuable understanding of the forces shaping our subject. As you listen, consider how you might engage more actively in these processes. How could your experiences inform future curriculum changes?Whether you're crafting lessons or influencing policy, this conversation will enrich your perspective on D&T education. Share your thoughts with colleagues and consider reaching out to exam boards or Ofqual with your insights.Let's keep this important dialogue going! How will you contribute to shaping the future of D&T education?Acknowledgement:Some of the supplementary content for this episode was crafted with the assistance of Claude, an AI language model developed by Anthropic. While the core content is based on the actual conversation and my editorial direction, Claude helped in refining and structuring information. This collaborative approach allows me to provide you with concise, informative, and engaging content to complement each episode.AQADepartment for Education (DfE) Ofqual (Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation) Link to register interest in discussing the future of AQA D&T specificationsAQA Professional Development pageSupport the showIf you like the podcast, you can always buy me a coffee to say 'thanks!'Please offer your feedback about the show or ideas for future episodes and topics by connecting with me on Threads @hardy_alison or by emailing me.If you listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, please take a moment to rate and/or review the show. If you want to support me by becoming a Patron click here. If you are not able to support me financially, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or sharing a link to my work on social media. Thank you!

Today's GCSE results show an exams system that has largely returned to pre-Covid norms. It has also given the government a chance to talk about skills and apprenticeships – something that Bridget Phillipson's predecessor as education secretary was also keen on. Cindy Yu talks to James Heale and Amanda Spielman, former chair of Ofqual and Ofsted, about the state of the British education system. Produced by Cindy Yu.

Welcome to episode 3 of this 4-part series about becoming a personal trainer. We'll explore how to find the best PT course for you. There are many different PT courses available. It is key for you to pick something that suits your learning style and gives you the outcome that you want. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: ⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2F1Z1bs⁠⁠ Download the FITPRO Sessions podcast, season 12, on your favourite podcast channel: Listen on Itunes: ⁠⁠http://bit.ly/itunes-fitpro-sessions⁠⁠ Download on Spotify: ⁠⁠http://bit.ly/spotify-fitpro-sessions⁠⁠ Series Breakdown 1. Episode 1: Is It For Me? 2. Episode 2: Exploring Career Paths 3. Episode 3: Choosing the Right Course

Join us for an enlightening episode as we delve into the significance of OFQUAL recognition for Acrobatic Arts UK with special guest Jennifer Shirkey. Discover how this accreditation elevates standards in dance education and opens new avenues for professional development. Jennifer shares insights into the journey toward OFQUAL approval and discusses the exciting future prospects for Acrobatic Arts in the UK. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on the intersection of excellence, safety, and innovation in the world of AcroDance training! Find out more about Acrobatic Arts Ofqual Recognition here: https://www.acrobaticarts.com/ofqual Questions? Email Jennifer at jennifer@AcrobaticArts.comAbout Jennifer Shirkey Jennifer Shirkey is from Regina, Saskatchewan where she danced competitively in the areas of Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Acrobatic for 15 years. She successfully completed her majors in RAD Ballet and was accepted to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet's summer program where she was given the opportunity to further develop her skills and dance technique.She went onto the University of Saskatchewan to complete a bachelor's degree in International Studies and advanced certificate in Economics. She also studied abroad in Guatemala and completed a marketing internship in Madrid, Spain. Her career focus has been in sales, marketing and logistics. While traveling the world over the last 15 years, Jennifer's passion for dance and the arts inspired her to attend dance classes to fulfill her love of dance. Today, she maintains her commitment and involvement in dance as a Ballet Barre Works instructor at Ballet Barre Works Studio and various other studios in Calgary. Jennifer, is currently managing the UK Division and looks forward to supporting Acrobatic Arts' expansion into Europe in the near future. If you'd like more amazing content more tips and ideas check out our Acrobatic Arts Channel on YouTube. Subscribe Now! Connect with Acrobatic Arts on your favourite social media platform: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acrobaticarts/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Acroarts Twitter: https://twitter.com/acrobatic_arts/ Learn more and register for our programs at AcrobaticArts.com Acrobatic Arts:https://www.acrobaticarts.com/

The Education Brief: Saturday 4 November 2023 - Top stories include: School leaders may discontinue tutoring programmes when NTP subsidies expire next year. School support staff unions in England have accepted a pay rise deal worth £1,925 pounds. The EEF published three reports focusing on teacher workload, flexible working, and school leadership. Sir Ian Bauckham CBE will serve as the interim chief regulator at Ofqual starting January 1, 2024. This week's deep dive:  HEP/EEP Senior Leaders' Conference We'll also tell you what's happening at HEP this week and what we've been watching, listening to, and reading! Watching Listening Reading  Music by Slo Pony

Jim Clitheroe is a Firefighter Development subject matter expert, with experience both developing Apprentices and competent firefighters. Currently a Business Relationship Manager who achieved OFQUAL recognition last year with the End Point Assessment Partnership between the NFCC and Cornwall Fire & Rescue.  He currently manages competent Independent End Point Assessors from Fire & Rescue Services across England, focusing on a standardised, consistent approach to End Point Assessments.We only feature the latest 200 episodes of the podcast on public platforms so to access our podcast LIBRARY with every episode ever made & also get access to every Debrief & Subject Matter expert document shard with us then join our PATREON crew and support the future of the podcast by clicking HERE A big thanks to our partners for supporting this episode.GORE-TEX Professional ClothingHAIX FootwearGRENADERIP INTOLyfe Linez -  Get Functional Hydration FUEL for FIREFIGHTERS, Clean no sugar  for daily hydration. 80% of people live dehydrated and  for firefighters this cost lives, worsens our long term health and reduces cognitive ability. Support the ongoing work of the podcast by clicking HEREPlease subscribe to the podcast on YoutubeEnter our monthly giveaways on the following platformsFacebookInstagramPlease support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

The Education Brief: Saturday 30 September 2023 - Top stories include: Ofsted's national director of education Chris Russell will retire at the end of this year. Ofqual's chief regulator Dr Jo Saxton will take a new role as chief executive of UCAS. The government and a youth charity will spend £5.8 million on four projects to examine whether contested trauma-informed practice helps keep children safe. Eight education unions want the government to invest £4.4 billion annually in school buildings. This week's deep dive:  Persistent absence and support for disadvantaged pupils - report from the parliamentary education committee We'll also tell you what's happening at HEP this week and what we've been watching, listening to, and reading! Watching Listening Reading  Music by Slo Pony

Guest: Alison Watson, founder and chief executive, Class of your ownIn this  podcast we talk about the need for “new talents to meet new infrastructure challenges”. Without doubt the entire sector is suffering from not only a fundamental shortage of skills needed to tackle today's challenges but also a major lack of the new skills needed for the future.To discuss this issue, my guest is Alison Watson, chief executive of Class of your Own, the social business that she founded in 2009 to provide the Design Engineer Construct! Curriculum, a design based, Ofqual accredited study programme supporting STEM, creativity and applied learning across the curriculum.With support from industry this programme works with schools to integrate the technical areas of sustainability, architecture, engineering and construction into a fun “learn anytime, anywhere” approach. 

Julius Weinberg has spent the most recent decade on the boards of Ofqual, Ofsted, Kingston University, City University, Latymer Upper School, Ormiston Academies Trust, and Buckinghamshire Culture and the Secular Society to name a few.As a former vice-chancellor, Julius has a wealth of knowledge and experience in leadership. He has led significant change management programmes which have often addressed issues such as academic promotion and progression. Julius has also been instrumental in managing the attainment gap of individuals from diverse backgrounds, establishing major building programmes and delivering financial stability.

In summer 2022, for the first time since 2019, large-scale GCSE exams took place in school and college halls and gyms. And, just like every year before the pandemic, they were marked externally. What have we learnt? In this discussion, representatives from the awarding bodies give feedback from the hundreds of thousands of papers that were marked. Show notes Taking part in the discussion: Mark Heslop, Pearson/Edexcel Neil Ogden, OCR Andrew Taylor, AQA Steve McCormack, NCETM Communications Director Episode chapters 00:08 Introductions and headline observations 04:15 Algebra 09:00 Higher tier questions and Advanced Information 17:45 Questions involving graphs and diagrams 22:40 Petrol prices, car number plates and ice cream cones (questions that raised a smile) Useful links For Edexcel, follow @EmporiumMaths on Twitter. For OCR, go to their website. For AQA, follow @AQAMaths on Twitter. The NCETM shares information from all awarding bodies, the DfE, Ofqual and others via the Twitter account @NCETMQandC.

This week, Dr Jo Saxton, the Chief Regulator at Ofqual, makes her inaugural appearance on the Skills World Live Radio Show.Presenter, Tom Bewick, interviewed the quango chief about four key issues:The roll out of plans to tackle grade inflation as a result of the pandemic?What lessons will be learned from the delay to some VTQ results this summer?One year on from taking on the role, how is her ‘true north' agenda going and what does it mean in practice for regulation?How will the Skills Act and IfATE's new role in approving qualifications avoid a bureaucratic nightmare?

In Episode 63, Patrick chats to Prof. Nate Holder about the music of West Africa, and Nate's new book, "Where Are All The Instruments? West Africa". Dr Matt Lawson, Senior Lecturer in Music, Oxford Brookes University, tells Patrick about his passion for Film Music, and his schools workshops to pass this on to the next generation.And Emma Wild, Associate Director, Standards for Design, Development and Evaluation of General Qualifications for Ofqual, answers questions about GCSE exams, and Ofqual's role.Presented and produced by Patrick Johns.#CanDoMusic #GetPlaying https://www.nateholdermusic.com/product-page/where-are-all-the-instruments-european-orchestrahttps://mattlawson.co.uk

​Seeking Clarity Heart Centred Growth Has personal excellence disappeared, it seems all to common now.  I do not even hear people talking about this anymore. It seems people are not prepared to skill up with a professional standard OFQUAL accredited qualification in Massage, Reflexology or Indian Head Massage. I know it is quite a maze for people to understand with some schools offering one weekend courses. People should care about doing a job well but they need appropriate training to excel and gain mastery. Receive great training to be capable of delivering quality treatments. What is happening to society?   Your Host Teresa Rich Connect with Teresa Your podcast host Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Find out more about Heart Centred Growth

Monday 23 May - Top stories include: Chartered College Chief, Dame Alison Peacock, says the DfE left teachers isolated and at risk during COVID. The EEF published new research that shows younger children were most affected by Covid lockdowns. The Key for School Leaders has published top tips for improving attendance. School pupils have been warned by Ofqual about peddlers of “fake exam papers”. This week's deep dive: The Early Career Framework Part II We'll also tell you what's happening at HEP this week and what we've been watching, listening to, and reading! Watching - https://www.tes.com/magazine/leadership/staff-management/teacher-training-staff-retention-crisis-webinar Reading - https://impacted.org.uk/impactinpractice Listening - https://open.spotify.com/episode/61YfJpjxNeUgOY32DUPagx?si=6SFcuuq1TMGMZEoUmGGeIQ&nd=1

Throughout the pandemic ‘Today' followed Wales High School near Rotherham, as they struggled with remote learning, Covid absences and teacher assessed grades. As students there prepare to take the first public exams for two years, Mishal Husain went back to the school to meet with headteacher Pepe Di'Lasio. This summer will be the first exam experience for 17 and 18-year-olds as their GCSEs and National 5s were affected in 2020. Grades are being awarded in the usual way using external marking but the grade boundaries will be more lenient. Mishal also spoke to Ian Bauckham the Chair of Ofqual, England's exam regulator. (Image Credits: BBC)

Monday 9 May - Top stories include: Exams watchdog Ofqual has released a new three-year vision plan. Much of Ofqual's new plan is focused on the use of technology in exams. Schools may be forced to hand back late catch-up cash. Half of secondary pupils continued to wear face masks in school. This week's deep dive: The IEA and UNESCO Responses to Educational Disruption Survey We'll also tell you what's happening at HEP this week and what we've been watching, listening to, and reading! Watching - https://haringeyeducationpartnership.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=50e0e57b56160876013ccdcd5&id=41470f695e&e=74c9343839 Listening - https://haringeyeducationpartnership.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=50e0e57b56160876013ccdcd5&id=8f205dd6bd&e=74c9343839 Reading - https://haringeyeducationpartnership.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=50e0e57b56160876013ccdcd5&id=128168f51f&e=74c9343839

How do we inspire young people to become fascinated by food? It's a question food teachers up and down the country are answering every day - but is their work being valued? In England, there has been a big decline in children taking a GCSE in food and nutrition, and it is the only national curriculum subject that doesn't have an A-level. That's despite the crucial role learning about food and nutrition can play in our efforts to tackle the obesity crisis. In this episode of the Table Talk podcast, Stefan Gates is joined by Louise T Davies, Founder of the Food Teachers Centre. They discuss the shortage of food teachers in our schools, the importance of giving children hands-on experience in the kitchen, and the disconnect between what is being taught in lessons and what is being served up in the school dinner hall. Louise also gives some top tips on the best way to get your children fascinated by food. Louise T Davies, Founder, The Food Teachers Centre Louise has been in food education for more than 30 years as an experienced teacher and subject leader. She recently worked for the United Nations School Food and Nutrition Education programme and is the OFQUAL subject adviser for exams in Food Preparation and Nutrition and Home Economics. She was adviser to Department for Education for the new 2016 Food Preparation and Nutrition GCSE. After senior positions at Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and as Deputy Chief Executive at the D&T Association (creating Food in Schools, Licence to Cook, Active Kids Get Cooking and the School Food Champions), she founded the Food Teachers Centre.  She is recognised for leading one of 131 most impactful on-line communities in the world through the Facebook Community Accelerator Award.  The Food Teachers Centre offers national innovation in curriculum and professional development to over 12,000 members, with over 500 training events and 16 unique on-line learning platforms, as well as delivering Kitchen Angels, Fish Hero, Schools Game Changer, Chefs Back to School and Teach Food programmes.

This week Anna is joined by Rebecca Walters who is chatting about the amended and updated DEFRA guidance notes that accompany The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018. The new guidelines were announced on February 1st 2022. As a breeder of Sproodles, Rebecca prides herself on the highest health and welfare standards and ethical breeding of her dogs. Passionate to help, inform and empower those interested in breeding dogs, or those who have been breeding dogs for years, Rebecca has launched the only OFQUAL recognised course to accredit responsible breeders called Pup Starts Breeders. As a nationally recognised qualification, it's a surefire way to meet the UK dog breeding licensing criteria. The course is unique because it doesn't focus on just one element. From start to finish, from planning to conception, through birth, raising and beyond! Go to pupstartsbreeders.com or Facebook for more information or to sign up today! Follow them on Instagram @pupstarstbreeders and Twitter @pupstartsbreed1For more about Anna go to annawebb.co.ukMusic and production by Mike Hanson for Pod People ProductionsCover art by JaijoCover photo by Rhian Ap Gruffydd at Gruff PawtraitsTo advertise on or sponsor A Dog's Life email: info@theloniouspunkproductions.com

Morethanajob podcast in association with ResearchEd starts season 3 with an exciting season planned. More interviews, more ResearchEd events and more discussion and debate. We have the pleasure to be joined in our season 3 opener by Dr Jeffery Quaye PhD. Jeffery is the National Director of Education and Standards for the Aspirations & Academies Trust, a Lead Inspector for Ofsted, an external expert for Ofqual, a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, a DfE Expert Education Advisor, examiner of Maths for Pearson and former Headteacher of the City of London Academy. This is after a 1st class degree in engineering, a PGCE and Masters degree from the University of Hertfordshire, a PhD from Brunel, an Executive certificate from Cambridge and a Certificate in School Management and Leadership from Harvard!

In the ninth episode of our Women in Leadership podcast series, The Barton Partnership's Founder and CEO Nicholas Barton is joined by Tanvi Davda. Tanvi is the co-founder and former Managing Partner of Saranac Partners. Tanvi has over 25 years of experience across Financial Services. Prior to starting Saranac Partners, she was Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer for the Global Investment & Solutions division of Barclays Wealth and a member of the Barclays Wealth Operating Committee. She is a Trustee at Cheltenham Ladies' College, her alma mater and was a Non-Executive Director for the Student Loans Company and a Board Member of Ofqual. Tanvi holds a Masters in Finance from the London Business School and a BSc in Chemistry from the University of London. 

Joe talks about his new setup, the Ofqual chief's recent comments on redeploying specialist teachers, the way in which kids see inclusion, value for money with instruments, and the Autistic School Staff Project. Then Neill Oldham joins Joe for a discussion about winning awards, the Blackpool community, being headteacher of a special school, assistive technology, music, coping with change and uncertainty, and much more. Then of course Joe finishes with some songs, including some by Eco Choir SOS From The Kids.

In the third episode of season four of the Her Spirit podcast BBC Breakfast Louise Minchin and BBC Triathlon presenter Annie Emmerson talk to Olympic open water silver medalists, double world champion and founder for Straight Line Swimming Keri-anne Payne.One of the UK's best-known open water swimmers, Keri-anne is an Olympic silver medalist and double world champion for the 10km marathon open water event. She has spent a fair bit of her life in the water and is passionate about encouraging others to do the same. That's why she founded Straight Line Swimming, where her team is committed to developing the skills of open water swimmers throughout the world. She has always been a passionate swimmer, starting at the age of 4 in her birth country of South Africa. Following her family's move back to the United Kingdom in 2001, she made her first international competition later that year. Following a successful pool career becoming European SC champion for the 400 freestyle, winning a bronze medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and competing in the 200 and 400 Individual medley at the Beijing Olympic Games, Keri-anne discovered her real talent was in the open water. Along with her Olympic medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, she has notably won the 10km at the 2009 and 2011 World Aquatics Championships and competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics, placing fourth. In 2014, she went on to win the LEN European Open Water Swimming Cup Super Final in Italy.Keri-anne retired from competitive swimming in 2017, after competing at her 3rd Olympic Games in Rio and finishing 7th. Since then she has continued her career in open water swimming in a different way. She was at the forefront of the launch of the STA Level 2 Open Water Swim Coach qualification which is regulated by Ofqual and endorsed by CIMSPA – The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity.She founded Straight-Line Swimming to empower the world to swim outdoors, sharing her enthusiasm for coaching the sport through all its many capacities. Be that competitive, recreational use, relaxation, or for charity events and races. She now leads all the Straight-Line Swimming courses herself along with being an active member of the community. She has an open and positive attitude to inspiring others into the world of open water swimming and coaching which is apparent in everything that Straight-Line Swimming does.Her Spirit are proud to be partnering with Straight Line Swimming for the Winter Swimming Challenge and you can enter today. Come and join us for this years Winter Swim Challenge https://herspirit.co.uk/programmes/winter-swim-challenge/ it starts on the 31st October 2021 - 27th March 2022.Her Spirit http://www.herspirit.co.uk supports women of all shapes to sizes to achieve goals you never thought possible and have your #BestYearYet.   These podcasts have been made possible through the support of Cotswold Outdoor. Cotswold Outdoor in-store experts will help customers make the right choice in the kit they buy, ensuring it will be the right fit and fit for purpose, and will last for many adventures. They also help customers care for and repair their kit with there Repair & Care and Footwear Protection services, to keep well-loved kit performing for longer. And when that kit finally comes to the end of its life, customers can use the Cotswold Outdoor Recycle My Gear service to keep their kit out of landfill. Just to https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com 

From closed schools to postponed exams, isolating teachers to bursting classroom bubbles, the last 18 months of education has been massively disrupted by the Covid-19 crisis. What can be done to help those students that have fallen behind? How can the gaps in attainment be bridged? And what lessons has lockdown taught us about education? To discuss the challenges facing the education system in the next phase of the pandemic and Ofsted's role in the new academic year and beyond, Amanda Spielman, the Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills, was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Amanda Spielman has been Ofsted Chief Inspector since January 2017. Between 2011 and 2016, she was chair of Ofqual, the qualifications regulator. From 2005 she was a founding member of the leadership team at the academy chain Ark Schools. Previously she worked at KPMG, Kleinwort Benson, Mercer Management Consulting and Nomura International. #IfGOfsted See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/amanda-spielman-ofsted From closed schools to postponed exams, isolating teachers to bursting classroom bubbles, the last 18 months of education has been massively disrupted by the Covid-19 crisis. What can be done to help those students that have fallen behind? How can the gaps in attainment be bridged? And what lessons has lockdown taught us about education? To discuss the challenges facing the education system in the next phase of the pandemic and Ofsted's role in the new academic year and beyond, Amanda Spielman, the Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills, was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Amanda Spielman has been Ofsted Chief Inspector since January 2017. Between 2011 and 2016, she was chair of Ofqual, the qualifications regulator. From 2005 she was a founding member of the leadership team at the academy chain Ark Schools. Previously she worked at KPMG, Kleinwort Benson, Mercer Management Consulting and Nomura International.

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/amanda-spielman-ofsted From closed schools to postponed exams, isolating teachers to bursting classroom bubbles, the last 18 months of education has been massively disrupted by the Covid-19 crisis. What can be done to help those students that have fallen behind? How can the gaps in attainment be bridged? And what lessons has lockdown taught us about education? To discuss the challenges facing the education system in the next phase of the pandemic and Ofsted's role in the new academic year and beyond, Amanda Spielman, the Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills, was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Amanda Spielman has been Ofsted Chief Inspector since January 2017. Between 2011 and 2016, she was chair of Ofqual, the qualifications regulator. From 2005 she was a founding member of the leadership team at the academy chain Ark Schools. Previously she worked at KPMG, Kleinwort Benson, Mercer Management Consulting and Nomura International.

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/amanda-spielman-ofsted From closed schools to postponed exams, isolating teachers to bursting classroom bubbles, the last 18 months of education has been massively disrupted by the Covid-19 crisis. What can be done to help those students that have fallen behind? How can the gaps in attainment be bridged? And what lessons has lockdown taught us about education? To discuss the challenges facing the education system in the next phase of the pandemic and Ofsted's role in the new academic year and beyond, Amanda Spielman, the Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills, was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Amanda Spielman has been Ofsted Chief Inspector since January 2017. Between 2011 and 2016, she was chair of Ofqual, the qualifications regulator. From 2005 she was a founding member of the leadership team at the academy chain Ark Schools. Previously she worked at KPMG, Kleinwort Benson, Mercer Management Consulting and Nomura International.

From closed schools to postponed exams, isolating teachers to bursting classroom bubbles, the last 18 months of education has been massively disrupted by the Covid-19 crisis. What can be done to help those students that have fallen behind? How can the gaps in attainment be bridged? And what lessons has lockdown taught us about education? To discuss the challenges facing the education system in the next phase of the pandemic and Ofsted's role in the new academic year and beyond, Amanda Spielman, the Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills, was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Amanda Spielman has been Ofsted Chief Inspector since January 2017. Between 2011 and 2016, she was chair of Ofqual, the qualifications regulator. From 2005 she was a founding member of the leadership team at the academy chain Ark Schools. Previously she worked at KPMG, Kleinwort Benson, Mercer Management Consulting and Nomura International.

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/amanda-spielman-ofsted From closed schools to postponed exams, isolating teachers to bursting classroom bubbles, the last 18 months of education has been massively disrupted by the Covid-19 crisis. What can be done to help those students that have fallen behind? How can the gaps in attainment be bridged? And what lessons has lockdown taught us about education? To discuss the challenges facing the education system in the next phase of the pandemic and Ofsted's role in the new academic year and beyond, Amanda Spielman, the Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills, was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Amanda Spielman has been Ofsted Chief Inspector since January 2017. Between 2011 and 2016, she was chair of Ofqual, the qualifications regulator. From 2005 she was a founding member of the leadership team at the academy chain Ark Schools. Previously she worked at KPMG, Kleinwort Benson, Mercer Management Consulting and Nomura International.

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/amanda-spielman-ofsted From closed schools to postponed exams, isolating teachers to bursting classroom bubbles, the last 18 months of education has been massively disrupted by the Covid-19 crisis. What can be done to help those students that have fallen behind? How can the gaps in attainment be bridged? And what lessons has lockdown taught us about education? To discuss the challenges facing the education system in the next phase of the pandemic and Ofsted's role in the new academic year and beyond, Amanda Spielman, the Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills, was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Amanda Spielman has been Ofsted Chief Inspector since January 2017. Between 2011 and 2016, she was chair of Ofqual, the qualifications regulator. From 2005 she was a founding member of the leadership team at the academy chain Ark Schools. Previously she worked at KPMG, Kleinwort Benson, Mercer Management Consulting and Nomura International.

歡迎通勤家族週一晚上9pm，在Clubhouse上跟我與Peddy一同閒聊、練習英語！ 快加入 15Mins 通勤學英語直播室吧~     每日英語跟讀 Ep.K191: Record number of school leavers in UK snap up university places   Students in the UK found out their advanced level (A-level) exam results on Aug. 10. Nearly 45 percent of A-level entries across the UK have been awarded top grades in their exam results, a record-breaking return for students after more than a year of disruption and school closures during the pandemic. 英國高等考試A-level〔類似台灣的學測，可用來申請大學〕之成績於八月十日公佈，有近百分之四十五的學生得到最優等，比例之高創下紀錄，此前學校因疫情之影響，已關閉了一年多。 Education Secretary Gavin Williamson canceled national exams in England in January as a further lockdown closed schools to most students. Instead, grades are being awarded by teacher assessment, overseen by examination boards, and are expected to show a further acceleration in the proportion of higher grades being awarded. 教育部長蓋文‧威廉森在一月取消了英格蘭的A-level全國考試，因封城持續，學校關閉，大多數學生無法到校上學。考試之成績改由教師評量給分，並由考試委員會監督，預期會有更高比例的學生得到高分。 Last year, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) attempted to award qualifications in England using an algorithm that allocated grades to each school based on past results, but that was abandoned shortly after A-levels were published, following an uproar. 去年，英國政府「資歷及考試規例局」試圖在英格蘭運用一種演算法來授與學業能力證明，該演算法依據各校過去的成績表現來分配成績，但在A-level成績公布後引起一片嘩然，此做法隨之被捨棄。 This year, grading has been left in the hands of schools without restrictions, but Ofqual and Williamson have defended teachers from accusations of causing grade inflation. 今年，評分已完全掌握在學校手中，但對於教師遭指讓學生的成績虛胖，資歷及考試規例局和威廉森皆為教師辯護。 “Teachers know what their students can do and, in the absence of formal exams, there is no person or system better placed to fairly judge young people's abilities,” Williamson said. 「教師了解其學生之能耐，而且在沒有正式考試的情況下，沒有人或系統更能公平判斷這些年輕人的能力」，威廉森表示。 According to admissions experts, record numbers of A-level students achieved the grades required to take up the offer from their top-choice university, leaving few spaces available in clearing for the most popular courses, so competition for places is expected to be fierce. 根據招生專家之說法，有史上最多的學生人數，其A-level成績達到大學入學要求，並被其第一志願大學錄取，使得一些最受歡迎課程的補錄取名額所剩無幾。對這些名額的競爭將非常激烈。 Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/08/16/2003762656

Join the Tes team as we discuss controversial changes to teacher training, how schools will adapt to Covid safety changes and why the new Ofqual chief regulator isn't keen on changes to exam papers in 2022.

Christopher Vowles reflects upon the latest revelations from the Education Select Committee's hearing with the Secretary of State; examines Ofqual's account of the summer 2020 grading crisis, as described by ex-Chair Roger Taylor; and offers some advice to new teachers on supporting students with UCAS personal statements.

The Centre for Progressive Policy talked to the former Chair of Ofqual, Roger Taylor, about what really happened during last year's exam debacle and what lessons we might draw on the future of algorithms, qualifications and fairness in education. Roger shared his thoughts publicly for the first time since stepping down from the regulator.In 2020 Covid closed 90 per cent of the world's schools. In the long list of harm caused by the pandemic, the disruption to the education of a generation may prove to be long lasting. One acute aspect of this was the difficulties countries faced in administering examinations. The UK and Ireland chose the unusual route of using co teacher assessments and predictions to estimate likely results. There was widespread agreement about the viability, even desirability, of the policy amongst education leaders before the event; and wholesale rejection by the people affected by it. There is much to learn from this.The episode has highlighted the tension between meritocracy and examinations. The Algorithm was rejected because it was intolerable that young people would have their futures determined by a prediction based on things such as which school they went to. Some were troubled by the extent to which some students would have done better than predicted. But others were equally troubled by the degree to which a child's circumstances could account for how they would perform in exams. This year exams won't be held because it would be unfair when children have had such different levels of access to education. But that leaves open the question of why they are fair in normal times, when pupils experience very different levels of educational support and the educational set backs that many children have suffered over the course of the pandemic will continue to affect them for years ahead.These events undermine public trust in the fairness of exams. Many employers have similar concerns, some of whom are turning away from exam grades as an indicator of employability and are instead using their own assessments which they claim give them a better understanding of their candidates and support more diverse hiring. In the past, the temptation for politicians has been to try to diffuse these tensions by degrading the quality of educational assessment, allowing grades to inflate or adopting untrustworthy forms of assessment. Rather than allowing this to happen, we need an approach that improves and expands the range of information that young people can use to demonstrate their skills.In this event, the former chair of Ofqual, Roger Taylor talked about fairness and quality in education and how the current system needs to change. Former Children's Commissioner Anne Longfield OBE and Chief Executive of the REC, Neil Carberry responded to the comments. The event was chaired by CPP's director Charlotte Alldritt.Key questions included: How can we create an education and assessment system that operates as a driver of social mobility? Or do we have unfair expectations about the degree to which education can tackle wider social and economic inequalities? How can the Department for Education ensure learning and assessment enhance children's opportunities and bridge young people's skills and potential with employers? In what ways can employers be further involved in these policies and in practice? How can we align the needs of measuring what a young person can do and assessing their potential whilst ensuring education standards? What is the role of data and digital technology in ensuring that robust assessment complements a meritocratic education system?Sign up here to receive invitations for future eventshttps://progressive-policy.us17.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=24e4a85116c5264bd2f871286&id=01d3d549a2 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

 The venomous letter in which MAT bosses demand answers from exam regulator Ofqual over the handling of year's exams, and why heads say they’ve been ‘thrown under a bus’ over masks decision

This podcast was recorded for end-point assessment organisations (EPAOs) who must apply for Ofqual recognition by 1 July in support of external quality assurance (EQA) reforms. Charlotte Bosworth, managing director of Innovate Awarding and chair of the Federation of Awarding Bodies' (FAB) End Point Assessment Organisation Group, Jessica Lewis-Bell, senior strategic relationships manager at Ofqual, and our own chief operating officer Rob Nitsch answer questions and provide guidance and insights. EQA monitors the end-point assessment that apprentices take at the end of their apprenticeship, to ensure that it is fair, consistent and robust across different apprenticeship standards and between different assessment organisations. Transcript Paul Offord Hello I'm Paul Offord I work in communications at the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education and I'm your host for this podcast. Today we are going to be talking about external quality assurance transition with Charlotte Bosworth, Jessica Lewis-Bell and our own Rob Nitsch. Welcome all, would you like to introduce yourself? Charlotte Bosworth Hi I'm Charlotte Bosworth, the managing director of Innovate Awarding and the chair of the end-point assessment organisations group for the Federation of Awarding Bodies. Jessica Lewis-Bell Hi I'm Jessica Lewis-Bell, I'm a senior manager in strategic relationships at Ofqual. Rob Nitsch And hello everybody I'm Rob Nitsch I'm the chief operating officer at the Institute and within that I have accountability for both external quality assurance and end-point assessment. Paul Offord Great stuff I'm glad you can all join me. Right let's get started, jess can you briefly explain what external quality assurance is? Jessica Lewis-Bell yeah of course so external quality assurance or EQA as it's widely known. Monitors the end-point assessment that apprentices take at the end of their apprenticeship to ensure that it's fair consistent and robust across different apprenticeship standards and between different assessment organisations. So Ofqual's role is as an EQA provider we regulate end-point assessment organisations to ensure that they work to a high standard and we also ensure that the end-point assessment is fit for purpose. Paul Offord Okay and rob what do we mean when we talking about the transition process? Rob Nitsch Yes thank you Paul. The institute announced plans to move to a new simplified system for eqa of apprenticeship endpoint assessment back in last august. these changes will see eqa delivered now by ofqual or the office for students for integrated degree apprenticeships. and that means that the institute will stop directly delivering eqa but will continue to oversee the system in line with our statutory responsibility and we've put in place a framework to do that. it also means that though those other organizations that deliver eqa will also be handing over responsibility to ofqual and the office to students and what this means in the first batch so that transition um of those for whom the institute provides a service for open awards is that there'll be a transition of over 260 apprenticeships over to ofqual and all related endpoint assessment organizations on the register will need to secure recognition from ofqual as part of that process. Paul Offord  i see and when do endpoint assessment organizations who currently have their eqa delivered by the institute need to apply for recognition by? Rob Nitsch well first of all i'd like to say that the institute ofqual and of course the agency understand the extraordinary challenges that covid-19 have brought to the sector and the impact of the lockdown and how that has affected end-point assessment organizations. but of course there's been a huge amount of pressure and uh you know we think that it's particularly important to listen, to show flexibility, to respond uh where we can. and we've listened to concerns about the previously uh announced timings around the eqa transition process or sensor timings around the processor and we've decided to address this by extending the timeline. um so end point assessment organizations involved in this first phase so those people whose eqa is delivered by the institute which is in turn we contract open awards to do that, those organizations will now have until the first of july to make formal applications for the recognition from Ofqual and then they will then have until the 16th of December to complete the recognition process.  And just a couple of notes to that if i could the first is that we really strongly recommend that all those that attend to imply begin the process as soon as possible so they're going to wait until the first of july we and ofual would like organizations to start applying straight away and and some are also um we're gonna transition transition standards as as soon as we're able to and at that point eqa billing will cease for that apprenticeship so we will cease billing from the date of transfer and the final point i'd make paul is throughout this process uh together with Ofual uh the agency we're absolutely committed to ensuring that quality is maintained and also very conscious of ensuring that apprentices are not prevented from sitting assessments during this transition process. Paul Offord great stuff and just to clarify when we're talking about standards we're talking about modern we're talking about apprenticeship standards the employer-led apprenticeship standards that have that have come in um in place of the old apprenticeship frameworks Rob Nitsch absolutely correct paul and um as as hopefully everybody's aware uh starts are now not permitted on to frameworks and those that are currently on their frameworks are um are running out and they're separate arrangements for those  Paul Offord okay and then i think this is one for ofqual to answer. what what will end-point assessment organisations need to do between the first july and the 16th of december so up to that second deadline that we mentioned Jessica Lewis-Bell yeah thanks paul so really this period is about as supporting epa's with their application. um so if an organization is successful first time um then we will recognize them and let them know when their standards will transfer to us and those standards will transfer on a monthly basis. um sometimes organizations don't get through our recognition process first time um i would say please don't take that personally it can be a challenging task but we're here to support you through that and the reason one of the reasons that we've extended the deadline is so that we can put more of that support in place so by enabling um a deadline of the first of july it gives us time for resubmissions up until the 16th of december. um so we've got a lot of support available and um there's someone from ofqual that can uh can talk you through that when you meet with one of us and as rob said we've had a lot of applications in already which is really good news and i think the the last point really that i'd make is that as rob said sort of the existing eqa provision continues up until that point of transfer over to us so really that that time period from july to december is about the support and engagement that you can access from ofqual Paul Offord  okay yeah i suppose it's important to to get the message across that we shouldn't view Ofqual and the recognition process as a as a kind of a scary thing it's a positive that that it's you are rigorous with your recognition process um but you want to help as many epaos as many people as possible to get through that you're doing all you can to do that Jessica Lewis-Bell yeah absolutely we've put a lot of resource in place um we have sort of regular webinars um we've got a lot of resources and support and guidance um so you know if an organization hasn't already been in touch with us then they should definitely sort of make that step but as you say it is a rigorous process so i think that the fact that we've got the deadline extension is helpful just in case people don't make their first submission Paul Offord i see and another thing i  know that's very important is uh is it the institute wants as many endpoint assessment organizations as possible. so that's large and small to make the transition why is this Rob Nitsch well that's thanks paul so it's probably one for me. um that is uh absolutely right Paul and i think there's a key point to be made here but there is absolutely no underlying agenda to skew the market um we're coming completely committed to that vision as is ofqual and as is the department for education um. and what we want is um as well as large providers we also want those um smaller specialists who were the choice of employers who have that great expertise and are really highly valued to add and this is not about controlling or influence the market in some machiavellian way um the whole of this process and you've heard already from jess about the support that ofqual putting in place the whole objective of this process is to get as many people as possible um through recognition so that we continue to operate a broad uh endpoint assessment organization, epao market which has large players as well as the hugely valued smaller specialists Paul Offord okay i think now i want to move on to the real bones of this podcast you know how can we help endpoint assessment organizations and what are the top five tips that oqfual could give to endpoint assessment organizations or epaos as they're often called who are looking to apply jess Jessica Lewis-Bell yeah sure so um so yeah absolutely we value that sort of market diversity and it's really um it's really great to see sort of the diverse number of organizations that are applying with us. um i think the first thing i'd probably say is don't underestimate the level of detail that we need. i think we're very aware that epaos have gone through different processes with either the esfa or different eqa providers so to really concentrate on what ofqual is looking for there's quite a lot of detail that we require within our application. and sort of linked to that is it's really important to explain how you do things. so we're really interested in how your organization is set up and run how you develop and deliver endpoint assessments and how you identify things like conflict of interest within your organization, so really a really important point is to consider to constantly think about the how rather than the that you have um policies and procedures in place. so really it's about bringing your application to life a little bit so that we can understand the type of organization um that you are and how things are delivered in the field. so i think uh i've sort of probably combined two top tips there in terms of the level of detail and making sure that you explain the the how. um i think other tips i would say would be to make the most of your ofqual engagement lead so once you register with ofqual you'll be assigned a contact that will support you throughout the process and that will be the same contact that is able to support you until you submit your recognition application. so you know really make the most of their expertise and all the resources that are available to you and they can signpost those to you. and i think the i think another really important point is to don't necessarily assume that we know your industry um so we're very much assessment experts we have a lot of assessment expertise in house we're not necessarily industry experts, so you know if there's sort of a lot of jargon in your assessment plan then you might need to consider explaining what some of those um some of that terminology means um or even you know sort of jargon in your sector that you might be quite familiar with some sometimes it helps to sort of provide a glossary um of of key terms or something like that. likewise you know if there's if there's certain things that are stipulated in the assessment plan and that's why you do things the way that you do, then tell us that so it's sort of drawing out things that are explicit there in the assessment plan. so whilst we sort of we use industry experts as part of our regulation and ongoing eqa the recognition team itself will be looking at your assessment capability so it's really important to consider that throughout your application and remember that. Paul Offord Okay Jessica Lewis-Bell and i think the last point i'd probably make um as rob's already said is don't leave it until the last minute to submit um i think you know we've got we've got a sort of steady number of applications coming through at the moment which is really good and so we'll continue to support organizations to make sure that happens Paul Offord okay and i'd like like just like to bring in charlotte now have you got you know any views on that anything that you could provide us the benefit of your experience with charlotte on this Charlotte Bosworth yeah so i suppose there's a regulated epao who's been through the process i'd say don't over engineer your application be thorough. i think the main thing is demonstrating your competence as part of the process i would say it's really important to be transparent on the way you work and operate. be able to articulate how you monitor and review assessments to ensure that fairness and consistency and quality. and also be clear where you have areas where you can feel you could do better and how you plan to improve. you know ofqual aren't necessarily expecting to see everything in place but if you can show actually you've pinpointed where there are areas of weakness and what you're actually going to be doing to improve them you know i think that's something they definitely would want to see. so the regulator is in place to ensure the quality is retained so be clear on how you do this and i think that's absolutely key in in applications. i'd also like to to come back to the point that both rob and jess have made around you know don't leave getting in your application until the last minute. the worst thing i think is a mad rush by everybody getting an application applications in july i think the sooner we can kind of get an idea of who's putting themselves forward then any extra support and advice and guidance can be put in place if there are people who need that support and to to maybe improve if they're not successful first time. Paul Offord  i see good advice thank you and um what is the actual process for endpoints say endpoint assessment organizations Jessica Lewis-Bell should i take that one Paul Offord  i think so yeah so what do they need to do what process do they need to follow Jessica Lewis-Bell so um so we have a portal where the application is tracked and we sort of coordinate all of our engagement through there so if you are an epao listening to this and you haven't already please register on our portal. if you're not sure where to find that you can email us at strategic.relationships@ofqual.gov.uk  and that's where we'll assign you to one of the team who will be able to sort of kickstart that engagement and support you um with your application Paul Offord okay and you can also con people can also contact the institute with questions at EQAQueries.IFA@education.gov.uk using the subject line eqa transition query. and uh okay moving to the next question um how will the actual transition process work in terms of when eqa changes over for each apprenticeship from the institute to ofqual. so what point will the the apprenticeships switch over Rob Nitsch yes great i'll i'll sweep that one up um the we're going to run this process apprenticeship standard by apprenticeship standard.  so we're going to do it um in a sort of in a mechanized way like that and that. um we will only transition a standard when all the endpoint assessment organisations on that particular standard have achieved recognition or they've missed one of the two critical deadlines and the reason that we're doing that is because we can't have two organizations providing eqa of a particular apprenticeship standard because there's certain empowerments to an eqa um and we need to make sure that those are exercised by only one organization Paul Offord i see and is there anything you'd like to add charlotte Charlotte Bosworth so um you know again i kind of come back to that point is just be honest, just be transparent in whatever you're doing within your application uh jess has already talked about a number of the resources and support that's available uh i'd also kind of signpost people to through the federation of awarding bodies, there is a whatsapp group which is there really just to kind of give that ongoing advice and support along the way so people you know can certainly access that if you uh go to the federation of awarding bodies website there's a link there called quality clinics and that's where you can access the the whatsapp group and you know just continue to engage with the institute with ofqual uh through their stakeholder relationship team and you know the federation are there to kind of help and support along the way as well Paul Offord great stuff and the nice thing about that whatsapp group as i understand is it's fast responses is that correct Charlotte Bosworth um when when it when it's not sent at two o'clock in the morning yes um but in in normal work days yes so so i'm the orchestrator of that group and you know what what we've found has been really helpful for people is we quite often see people are in the middle of completing their application there might be a question around governance where they just want a bit of clarity so we'll pop a message in their group and people who are also going through the process as well as those that are already regulated you know are very responsive and everybody wants to help everybody be successful in their applications Paul Offord i see yeah good stuff and so the transition process it's not just about transition from the institute to ofqual is the timeline being extended for all other endpoint assessment organizations that need to transition so to transition to ofqual from eqa providers other than the institute what are the new arrangements rob Rob Nitsch thanks paul and just to recap um the current situation is that eqa can be delivered by ofqual and office for students so some organizations are already in the um ofqual system so to speak uh eqa can also be delivered through the institute service that's what's provided by open awards and that's the group that we've been discussing so far but there's also another group of providers um and the other group of providers uh we're committed to announcing how the migration arrangements for those organizations uh will happen um and we're committed to making that announcement by the end of april and we're working for that timeline paul Paul Offord okay and and what other organizations are they you know what other groups are there you know within the existing system what are the other the other types of groups Rob Nitsch they're professional bodies um organizations which are linked particularly closely to sectors um and of course trying to bring all these together and to simplify it is what's fundamentally at the at the root of the um of the transition that we've we're trying to deliver here Paul Offord that's right you know i see okay and um where does it want on a more broader scale where can end point assessment organizations look up advice so can we go into a bit more detail about that please jessica and charlotte Jessica Lewis-Bell yeah so um there's quite a lot of information on on both of the ofqual website and the institute's website um we have regular webinars that we invite all endpoint assessment organizations to um the esfa's newsletter is a good port of information for signposting and as charlotte said we also run workshops through fab um and also aelp um so look out for those um i think if you're an epao and you don't really know where to start the best thing to do is probably to speak to your ofqual engagement lead or register on our portal if you haven't already and then they that that person will be able to sign post as to where all those resources are Paul Offord i see in this i know ofqual of i've produced videos case studies that there's all sorts of guidance out there isn't it and so the big message is you know use it as early as possible if you possibly can i would say Jessica Lewis-Bell i was just gonna say we even got a youtube playlist now of sort of that brings together all the previous webinar recordings that we've done um and some of those are where epao's who have been successful have sort of shared their experiences which is a really good learning opportunity so definitely want to check out Paul Offord good stuff and charlotte have you got anything to add Charlotte Bosworth yes yes so as jess has highlighted ofqual work to develop quite a lot of uh support resources but i think i think what we've recognized is sometimes organizations just want to kind of chat through some of the areas to check their understanding and get advice and jess has mentioned the relationship team uh within ofqual but there is also that whatsapp group we've also developed as part of the federation of awarding bodies a series of podcasts and these have come from the areas that we've seen as the most popular areas that people are questioning so it'll be around governance, demonstrating your technical ability, understanding what the cost of being a regulated organization is and then also once you are recognized what are the continual measures you need to have in place to to ensure that you retain that regulation. so as i said if you pop over to the federation of awarding bodies uh website on there there is a link of quality clinics that has that additional uh support. from a personal level as well i also want to see as many organizations successful it's in all our interest to retain quality so my email address is charlotte.bosworth@innovateawardng.org  and people can always reach out to me if i can also help them along the way Paul Offord thanks very much charlotte good stuff and what happens if endpoint assessment organizations aren't successful in gaining recognition from ofqual Rob Nitsch paul the um it's important to stress that these timelines are in phase one so that's people who currently are on the institute service um. so if an epao does not apply by the first of july first of july this year um who would currently eqa'd on the institute service uh they will be removed from the register of endpoint assessment organizations. for those who have applied by the first of July but are not that they need to achieve ofqual recognition by december the 16th and if they don't achieve that they will also be removed from the register. two points i would i would like to make the first one is that despite these timelines organizations uh are welcome to reapply for ofqual recognition and therefore membership of the agencies register um later but i would stress we're trying to get as many organizations through the um through this process as we want to we want as vibrant to market in terms of epaos that we can possibly um achieve and also that uh as you've heard and has been a key theme of this podcast is that um we're absolutely committed to working with endpoint assessment organizations to make sure that they're successful uh and that is ahead of the application and uh during the application for recognition Paul Offord i see and just to clarify as you said what we're talking about here these deadlines that's just for phase one isn't it Rob Nitsch correct that's phase one so that is the current eqa is provided by open awards on behalf of the institute Paul Offord okay and there'll be an announcement soon on in terms of what's happening with phase two Rob Nitsch yes we committed in um our engagements to announcing this by the end of april um and we're on track to do that Paul Offord good stuff okay and what will happen if no endpoint assessment organizations gain ofqual recognition by 16th of december for a particular apprenticeship so that's kind of capacity isn't it we're talking about there what's the contingency plan Rob Nitsch well the first point to make paul is that our absolute goal is to ensure full coverage um uh to that end it would be really helpful if our endpoint assessment organizations that decide they don't wish to pursue ofqual recognition could make that known as um as soon as possible and that will allow us to encourage um uh other organizations to to offer a service for or offer an epao service for those standards but we're also putting in place a sort of safety net mechanism that will ensure that no learners are left without an endpoint assessment organization but let's be a centrally provided service but i would underlie that this is in uh in extremis and uh we would prefer that it was done a different way but the absolute priority is to migrate as many endpoint assessment organizations as it's possible to do through the ofqual recognition uh process to provide this simplified eqa arrangement that we've been talking about Paul Offord okay and how confident are you that sufficient numbers of end-point assessment organizations will apply and that goes to jess at ofqual thanks paul so yeah we are confident we've been working with organizations since the transfer of standards began in august so we've been working with well over 100 epaos that are sort of in that phase one category. we're really committed to making sure that those organizations are successful um and we know that you know we know that there's still a lot of work to be done and it's really important that we keep on getting our messages out there through things like this podcast. um so really we just want to reiterate that what the deadlines are that to make sure that organizations are aware and that they can still work on our application and as has been said sort of throughout we've put in a really extensive plan of comms and engagement that began in august and we'll keep on supporting and talking to as many people as many organizations as we can through this first wave of transition and also on to phase two Paul Offord thanks very much uh just drawing things to a close then everybody is there anything else that that you would like to say that you would like to get out there to our listeners Rob Nitsch well i think i would just underlie please engage with the process as um as early as as you can and also to just absolutely reiterate that that this is not about some form of market control or uh machiavellian move it's it's actually about trying to get as many organizations as possible absolutely as many as possible through the Ofqual recognition process um so that we have a really decent sized vibrant high quality market moving forward Paul Offord good stuff Charlotte Bosworth i suppose from my perspective you know i think when people hear the word regulator they assume it's this scary non-facing organization but you know i can say from my own experience it's a really approachable team that just want to retain quality and do what's right for the system so so utilize the team there and recognize that they all want the same outcome as us which is high quality endpoint assessment Jessica Lewis-Bell so yeah thanks both i'd agree with that and it's in ofquals interest to be able to support apprentices and to support learners which is one of the reasons that ofqual was established um so as has already been said you know really encourage you to make the most of the resources out there and we're here to be able to support you through that recognition process as much as possible so please make sure you make the most of that and get in touch with us if you haven't already Paul Offord great stuff okay then that's all we have time for in today's episode. thank you all for joining me and i hope end-point assessment organizations have found it useful. don't delay do get in contact with ofqual and make sure you get your applications in as quickly as possible. thanks for listening and look out for the next episode. bye

In the fifth episode of the third series of the #SkillsWorldLive Radio Show, Tom Bewick begins the show with an exclusive interview with interim Chief Regulator of Ofqual, Simon Lebus.In the second and third chat segments of the show, Tom delves into the recent research from WorldSkills UK, Learning & Work Institute & Enginuity: Disconnected: Exploring the digital skills gap.Tom speaks to special guests:Emma Roberts, Head of Research & Public Affairs at WorldSkills UKStephen Evans, Chief Executive at the Learning & Work InstituteLucy Thompson, Chief Operating Officer at Enginuity GroupDan McCabe, WorldSkills UK Competitor & Gold Medal Winner

Join Niki Tudge and Alex Pietraszko - Head of Marketing for Animals Courses Direct. Learn all about the great programs they offer to pet professionals and the new courses they are working on www.animalcoursesdirect.co.uk. Animal Courses Direct are the largest organisation in the UK offering Ofqual regulated animal care courses that meet rigorous government regulated standards. Their Ofqual qualifications comply with Animal Activity Licensing Regulation requirements and the animal courses are accredited and recognised by employers; they are designed to enhance career and employment prospects. Rated Excellent by Trustpilot. Established in 2005. Enroll today and study with confidence! You can reach them on Facebook here and at their website here

This episode welcomes Alex Tang to the show. Alex is a Sport Psychologist operating in Hong Kong with ER eSports, developing eye-tracking software, offering professional player training and the first eSports Academy in Asia recognised as a qualifcation centre under Ofqual. He is in the process of writing a book regarding how the parent-child relationship in Asian countries can be improved and developed using eSports. We talk about the similarities and differences in the High Performance environment for Sport and eSports and his approaches to teambuilding and developing positive cultures. #welcometothetribe #esports #sportpsychology Contact Alex: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-tang-679b29b2/ Contact us: Email: thedevelopertribe@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/developertribe Twitter: https://twitter.com/developer_tribe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/developertribe LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/developertribe Listen and subscribe: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3azHRzQuU37N2fWk3UfFHA Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-developer-tribe/id1534788239 Google podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zMWZlNGNkOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtJke54a4kG8z-o1qnGKDqQ Music by Bee Bee Feenix: https://soundcloud.com/fee-benbow-lee?ref=clipboard&p=i&c=1

Dame Glenys Stacey is charged with the job of keeping the government on track toward a greener future. She talks to Tom Heap in her first interview as the head of the new Office for Environmental Protection. If public bodies in England such as the Environment Agency, Natural England and local authorities fail to keep rivers clean and city air breathable then it will be Glenys Stacey who will try to make them to do better She was a well respected regulator of examinations at Ofqual and has plenty of experience of holding authorities to account, but does she have the powers and budget to keep the government green? Producer: Alasdair Cross

Time flies when you're having fun. But apparently, it also goes fairly quickly when gripped in a global pandemic, enduring various tiered lockdowns, and a feeling that we're not so much working from home as living at work. And let's no get started on remote learning…. It's hard to believe that it's been a whole year since we started this humble podcast. Back then the world was a different place. Students were studying to greater or lesser extents and parents often struggled to know how best to support them. Well, it's good to know that Covid hasn't altered everything, I guess. This week, in a special year-in-review episode, Nathan McGurl, founder of The Study Buddy, is taking a look back at some of the themes and topics that we've explored over the past 12 months and 44 episodes. Each expertly produced by the fantastic team at Pineapple Audio Productions. For the second only time in our history, Nathan is podcasting solo! Although, it'll feel like we're amongst friends as we remember some of the over 50 expert guests who've featured on the show. So, cue the wavey lines while I slip into a Noel Coward style jacket and stoke the fire, for this “Study Sessions” retrospective. From our very first episode with Dr Dominique Thompson looking at perfectionism and the fear of failure amongst our teens to the interview with Ofqual's Chief Regular, Simon Lebus, looking at the alternative arrangements for this year's students; Nathan explores the themes and topics we've covered and some of the invaluable lessons we've learnt. For more information about The Study Buddy's approach to organising revision, time management and study skills visit thestudybuddy.com  Produced by Pineapple Audio Productions.

In many subjects, it all hinges on the final exam. It's seen by many as the culmination of 2 or 3 years worth of study. It's a source of great anxiety in the run-up and often huge relief when they're finished. However, just like last year, the class of 2021 will not be sitting these terminal exams. Which leaves a rather significant question: just how will these students get a grade to move on to their next step? This week we're looking at exactly how students will be awarded their grades in GCSE, AS and A Level courses, following the decision to cancel exams.  Nathan McGurl, founder of The Study Buddy, is joined by Simon Lebus. Simon became the interim Chief Regulator – and Chief Exec -  of Ofqual on 1 January 2021. He has a wealth of experience in education technology and curriculum delivery, most notably as a former Chief Executive of Cambridge Assessment – who deliver, amongst other things, GCSEs, AS and A levels and iGCSE qualifications around the world. In January, Gavin Williamson – the Education Secretary – announced that exams wouldn't take place for GCSE and A Level students in England this year. Shortly after, Ofqual launched a consultation paper, jointly with the Department for Education, inviting opinions as to what the alternative arrangements might be. This is quite a divisive topic and so we can only imagine the variety that might have come from the more than 100,000 responses. However, at the end of February, the arrangements for this year's exam cohorts were confirmed. In this episode we take a look at the alternative arrangements that have been put in place to award students their grades. Simon explains the reasoning behind the decision and exactly why Teachers are best placed to make the assessment. We also touch on the appeals process and how it might apply. For more information about The Study Buddy's approach to organising revision, time management and study skills visit thestudybuddy.com  Produced by Pineapple Audio Productions.

GCSE's and A-levels cancelled in England by the pandemic will be replaced by grades decided by teachers, the exams watchdog Ofqual has confirmed. Students: are you pleased? This is a catch-up version of James O'Brien's live, daily show on LBC Radio; to join the conversation call: 0345 60 60 973

The million dollar question... Should I become qualified? Well what can I say apart from I think iPET Network just might be the new way forward!Fern and Sarah are forward thinking and are ticking all the right boxes in my opinion. Let’s be honest, they are groomers who have done all the hard work and now have a set of Ofqual regulated qualifications and that in its self is not an easy process.Education can be fun and there is no reason to be scared of progressing and bettering yourself. To find out more about iPET Network visit www.ipetnetwork.co.ukiPet NetworkFor People For Pets For the future

The latest Ofqual guidance plus England's ranking in international league tables and mass testing in schools.

Join the Tes news team as we discuss an imminent announcement from Ofqual as well as the latest on Ofsted inspections and DfE Covid guidance.

We are Back to School this week on the Legally Speaking Podcast!Schools have been a hot topic of conversation over recent months...Our host Robert Hanna was joined by Henry Price, the current Headmaster of Oakham School (Rob's former school!), a British co-educational independent school with around 1000 pupils aged 10 to 18.Henry discusses his inspiring journey to his second headship, and his views on the value of a 21st century education.Henry shares:His journey to headship at Oakham School.The impact of COVID-19 on education.This year’s A-Levels fiasco and legal action against Ofqual. Mental Health awareness in schools.How schools should measure success.How independent schools can give back to the wider community.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/KCPartners)

Join the Tes news team as we discuss revelations from Ofqual, what GCSE grading should look like next year and how schools are being discouraged from seeking help over Covid-19

Zoey and Bia discuss some of the mistakes that Ofqual made in their algorithm, how using “complicated” maths is not necessarily better, and share some anecdotes of their experiences with teachers and dealing with (un)conscious bias. Timestamps 00:20 – Introduction 01:54 – Initial thoughts 02:42 – Mistake #1 – Their approach 04:43 – Mistake #2 – Data leakage 05:15 – Mistake #3 – Emphasis on the rank 06:57 – Mistake #4 – Ignoring outliers 08:31 – Mistake # 5 – No peer review 09:16 – Mistake #6 – Too precise 11:14 - Mistake #7 –Disregarded unconscious bias. 12:53 – Mistake #8: Education system in the UK. 13:30 – Ofqual considered edge cases – (almost a positive thing!) 15:00 – How we might have handled this situation 17:39 – Another example of algorithmic bias – Accounting system the Post Office used. 18:53 – Challenge: “Prison Break”. This based on “Liar's paradox” attributed to Epimenides (amongst many other philosophers). For more challenges, presented in a more visual manner, check out our Instagram. 25:52 – Anecdotes of experiencing bias from teachers. Useful links: Ofqual's report Bristol University's study on unconscious bias - http://www.bris.ac.uk/media-library/sites/cmpo/migrated/documents/wp221.pdf Tom SF Haines' post (Lecturer in Machine Learning at Bath University) - http://thaines.com/post/alevels2020

What is a fair way to decide an exam result in the absence of being able to sit the exam? In this podcast we discuss the background to the controversial A-Level algorithm debacle. We also touch on the concept of fairness in examinations and consider the essence of what we are trying to measure through an exam. Finally, we look at the application of algorithms to other areas of performance assessment, such as sport. A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - Explanation of the OFQUAL algorithm: https://rpubs.com/JeniT/ofqual-algorithm - Accuracy of predicted grades: https://www.ucu.org.uk/media/8409/Predicted-grades-accuracy-and-impact-Dec-16/pdf/Predicted_grades_report_Dec2016.pdf - Earlier research on predictive accuracy: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/32412/11-1043-investigating-accuracy-predicted-a-level-grades.pdf Find more Cognitive Engineering episodes here https://link.chtbl.com/SQeIgc44 Image: dcJohn via Flickr

Ofqual tells MPs exam grading system was a fundamental mistake; Lockdown easing u-turn

Next year's A-level and GCSE exams in England should be pushed back to mid-summer to help cope with the impact of coronavirus, Labour has said. Shadow education secretary Kate Green said students starting Year 11 and 13 in September had "a mountain to climb", having missed months of schooling. Steve Chalke is founder of the Oasis Trust which runs 53 schools around the country, both primary and secondary. He told Justin Webb, "the government and Ofqual have got to wake up to the real issues," adding that they need a contingency plan for exams which takes into account the disruptions pupils may face throughout the year. He went on to say: "These results, if they are wrong, deal a huge blow to young people's life chances". With Dr Tina Isaacs, honorary associate professor at UCL’s Institute of Education who sits on Ofqual's standards advisory group. Credit: Press Association

Do not miss out on listening to this free and informative episode in which Hatti Suvari and experienced Barrister, Emma Waldron discuss the Ofqual algorithm exam marking fiasco, and the crisis that it has brought on for thousands of students and education centres. Hatti and Emma talk about the various challenges that lye ahead, and how to look at finding a way forward either as a student, or as the education centre in trying to fix the problems that you may be faced with. Find out the legal avenues that can be considered, if litigation has to be thought about and much more. #exams #ofqual #algorithm #educationlaw #university #schools #college #legallearning #getlegallyspeaking

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson joins Julia to discuss face coverings U-turn for England's secondary schools. Steve Chalke, Founder of The Oasis Trust which incorporates 52 academies in England on Ofqual chief Sally Collier steps down after exams chaos. Julia is also joined by Matthew Syed, Columnist for The Times & Author of Dare To Be You. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A BIG Change is coming for the Podcast! - What's Happening for the next two weeks? Tune in to find out. Bradley's Bangers -Jonno introduces Elt to the concept of 8D music. Find out more and take a listen here > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrRpYEytIHGyDgNWO6VbHlQ -Caity's Beltas - Elt is inspired by a global Bang the Table colleague's Beastie Boys playlist, here > https://open.spotify.com/album/0nA01XOVBUoi1zDVVYKz4i?si=731fyYGJQ3iaxTF2mNMZBQ Emerging Trends & Themes in Online Public Consultation and Community Engagement Never before has moderation been more important to give people a safe space within which they can feel comfortable to express their opinions.  Jonno & Elt are inspired by the innovation and ingenuity shown by new client East West Rail among many others, who came up with a fantastic introductory statement for their new Community hub to be launched soon in EngagementHQ.  Project Launch of The Week in EngagementHQ The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham have really inspired Jonno with their approach to digital engagement. Check out their "Help us to enhance the heritage of Barking Town Centre" project here > https://oneboroughvoice.lbbd.gov.uk/consultation-on-the-barking-town-centre-conservation-area Statkraft's "Greener Grid Park near Neilston" project catches Elt's eye this week. Have a look here > https://projects.statkraft.co.uk/neilston?tool=survey_tool&tool_id=feedback-form#tool_tab Stats of the Week Jonno announces the possible "end of statistics" as his son William told him this week. Elt has a whole range of impressive stats relating to Indian Cricketing legend Virat Kohli. Meldrew Moments Both hosts are super grumpy about Ofqual and the UK Government's handling of the A-Level and GCSE grading system, and total lack of engagement and forward planning. They are equally grumpy about the sheer pointlessness of gas BBQs. It reminds Elt of a Food Standards Agency TV Ad, which you can see here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CIORN9pIg4 Jonno provides a Valuable History Lesson Read about the Battle of Nantwich here > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Nantwich

This week the Art Pros Podcast about the impending algorithm crisis, Epic vs the App Store, Paris Hilton Paintings, and our Mongolian Horde. UK students' futures are in the hands of the treacherous Ofqual automatic grading protocol, how far can an equation go? In true David and Goliath fashion, Fortnite challenges Tim Apple, the CEO of IPHONES. The Art Pros explore the pop art work of Paris Hilton (kinky sticker-play FOR CHARITY) and the Art Pros pitch the most advance performance art work in the history of 501 c 3 non-profit foundation art initiatives: THE MONGOL HORDE. ALERT: Cybervote Patriotista Chapter 1 is out now at artprospodcast.com/cyber-vote-patriotista [More on www.artprospodcast.com • follow us on IG @paid.artists • donate to our patreon at patreon.com/artprospodcast • email us artprospodcast@gmail.com] Music Intro - Shinigami by @gravybeats, Samurai Showdown by Sir CutworthFireflies Cover by @buffcorell

UK school students will now receive the grades their teachers predicted for them in their critically-important A-level and GCSE exams, after regulators announced a dramatic U-turn following a national controversy and protests over exam results.English, Welsh and Northern Irish regulators said Monday that A-levels, which determine university entrance and are usually taken by 18-year-olds, would no longer be determined by a controversial algorithm.After the exams were cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, students were instead graded based on an algorithm -- the results of which were announced last Thursday.This saw close to 40% of students' A-level grades in England downgraded from those predicted by their teachers, according to the Office for Qualifications and Exam Regulation (Ofqual).More than 200,000 results were downgraded, changing the futures of tens of thousands of students who needed set grades to get into university.Many students lost out on places at their chosen universities because they were not given the grades they were predicted. Campaigners say that the downgrading disproportionately affected students from more disadvantaged and diverse schools.The widespread downgrading left young people heartbroken and sparked mass protests, with students seen burning their results in London's Parliament Square.In an interview after the U-turn was announced on Monday afternoon, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said he was "incredibly sorry for all those students who have been through this."Williamson said the government had tried to "ensure that we have the fairest possible system," but that there were "unfairnesses" in the way the grades were allocated."Over the weekend it became clearer to me that there were a ... number of students who were getting grades that frankly they shouldn't have been getting," he said, adding that it was "apparent that action needed to be taken.""We understand this has been a distressing time for students, who were awarded exam results last week for exams they never took," said Roger Taylor, Chair of the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual), in a statement."The pandemic has created circumstances no one could have ever imagined or wished for," Taylor said. "We want to now take steps to remove as much stress and uncertainty for young people as possible -- and to free up heads and teachers to work towards the important task of getting all schools open in two weeks.""After reflection, we have decided that the best way to do this is to award grades on the basis of what teachers submitted," he added.Center assessment grades (those predicted by students' schools) will now be used for final-year A-level students, and for GCSE results that younger (usually 16-year-old) students will receive later this week.Taylor said that Ofqual had been asked by the government to develop a system for awarding grades that maintained standards, but recognized "that it has also caused real anguish and damaged public confidence."Thomas Chandler, from Richmond in North Yorkshire, was predicted three A*s by his teachers. He needed an A* in English or German to get into Cambridge University to study Classics, but both were downgraded to As and he was rejected."It's incredibly frustrating and upsetting," he told CNN. "It could quite negatively impact my mental health. Financially, obviously it's also very hard."He said the way the UK government had handled the situation had been "atrocious."A document released by Ofqual showed that 40% of students received results one or two grades lower than their advance grades, according to the non-profit Good Law Project; 3.5% of A-level results -- more than 30,000 -- were reduced by two or more grades.U-turn too late for some?Ofqual initially said that students would be able to appeal their results for free, before saying on Sunday that the new criteria would need to be reviewed. This was followed by the about-turn on Monday....

When schools in England closed in March in response to the coronavirus pandemic, it meant students could no longer take their final exams. Instead, computer modelling was used to assign grades. But when results were unveiled, there was shock and anger at what looked like clear injustices. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

After ghosting, we're back with something that has sparked a lot of outrage, our A-Level results. Topics discussed: Advice to GCSE students Be grateful for the results you got (if you got into uni) Praying and trusting God in everything Gavin and Ofqual and the sudden U-turn Hope in our generation ―――――――――――――――― General concerns/questions: Why did Gavin not follow Scotland's example? Why were private schools seen to have a huge boost in A*-A entries? Is the U-turn going to save everyone? What new systems within education should we have? What next for thousands of medical students who are being rejected? If you've been affected or just want to discuss educational concerns in future episodes, feel free to email/message us on the following platforms: ✧ Instagram: visionspod_ ✧ Twitter: visionspod ✧ Facebook: visionspod ✧ Email: visionspod@gmail.com

In a U-turn after days of criticism, the British government on Monday scrapped an exam-grading policy that was set to deprive thousands of graduating high school students — especially more disadvantaged ones — of places at universities.Roger Taylor, chairman of U.K. exam regulator Ofqual, said the use of an algorithm to predict the results of exams that were canceled by the coronavirus pandemic had caused “real anguish and damaged public confidence.”“It has not been an acceptable experience for young people,” he said. "I would like to say sorry."Universities in the U.K. offer final-year high school students places based on grades predicted by their teachers. Admission is contingent on the results of final exams, known as A Levels.This year, with schools largely shut since March and no exams, education authorities in England ran the predicted grades through an algorithm, intended to standardize results, that compared them with schools’ past performance. That meant high-achieving students at under-performing schools, many in deprived areas, saw their marks downgraded, while students at above-average schools kept their predicted grades.Hundreds of students have held protests, calling the results an injustice, and lawmakers were inundated with complaints from angry parents.Kay Mountfield, head teacher at a school in Marlow, west of London, said 85% of her students had received lower than predicted grades.“Seventy of my students have not had their first choice of university,” she said. “Normally that would be about five, or 10 maybe, students.”The reversal means students in England will receive the grades estimated by their teachers, unless the ones generated by the algorithm are higher. Education authorities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have made similar moves.The same policy will apply to GCSEs, the exams taken by 16-year-old students. Those results are due on Thursday.The U-turn is an embarrassment for Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government, but had come to appear inevitable as criticism of the policy spread, even within the ranks of the governing Conservative Party.“This group of young people have lost out on so much already; we must ensure that bright, capable students can progress on their next step,” Paymaster General Penny Mordaunt said before Monday's announcement.Defense Minister Johnny Mercer said there were “clear injustices” in the system.In Scotland, authorities quickly reversed course after a similar fiasco last week, saying students would get their predicted grades. That increased pressure on Johnson to do the same for England.Johnson, who is on vacation, chaired a call on the crisis Monday with Education Secretary Gavin Williamson and senior officials.Williamson had previously insisted that there would be “no U-turn,” though he said students who had been downgraded could appeal or retake the exams.But on Monday he acknowledged that “the process of allocating grades has resulted in more significant inconsistencies than can be resolved through an appeals process.”“I am sorry for the distress this has caused young people and their parents but hope this announcement will now provide the certainty and reassurance they deserve,” he said.The announcement did not end the uncertainty for all students, however. Many are scrambling to get in touch with universities to see whether they can now get in.“I’ve been on hold for an hour, said Testify Anyahamiwe, who hopes to study medicine at Queen Mary University of London.“Although I'm happy that my grades are definitely going to be higher than what they gave me, I still don't know if I'm going to get my uni place," she said.Amy Kirkham, from High Wycombe, northwest of London, missed the grades needed to secure her place studying economics at Cambridge University when the algorithm downgraded her in two subjects.Now she has the required marks, but doesn't know whether there is space for her. If not, she might wait until next year to star...

Exams row: Gavin Williamson and Ofqual divided over grades | Politics liveblog: Government policy changing 'every 12-24 hours' | Camilla Tominey: 'If fiasco continues, Williamson will have to go' | Quarantine: Which countries could be next for UK's 'red list' | Supermarkets: Death knell ringing for the 'bag for life' | Health lessons: Six things we have learnt from lockdown | Holiday feeling: Tips for ensuring memories stand test of time | Read all these articles with a Telegraph subscription. Take advantage of our summer sale and you can save 50pc - just £1 a week for six months. Sign up here.

As the backlash to the government's exams fiasco continued over the weekend, Gavin Williamson has been steadfast in not U-turning. But with GCSE results out later this week and Ofqual's algorithm revealing significant inequalities, is this position sustainable? John Connolly talks to Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson.

Coming up in this week's episode of the GDPR Weekly Show: Salesforce and Oracle to be sued over their involvement in contextual advertising tracking, South Wales Police facial recognition ruled unlawful by UK Court of Appeal, Ofqual investigated by ICO over algorithm used for calculation of Covid-19 affected exam grades, Elizabeth Denham in Canada during Covid19 raises concerns about UK ICO effectiveness, More-ish launches new Covid19 tracking app, OTC driver conduct hearing publicity puts it in conflict with GDPR, IBM Annual Cost of Data Breach Report, Instagram retaining data after deletion by user leaving it in breach of GDPR, Bletchley Park Trust affected by Blackbaud data breach, Walgreens Pharmacy data breach after stores hit by looting, 2020 - a bad year for everyone but especially for Canon,  Effect on transfer of genetic data following Schrems II ruling

Qatari-American artist, writer, and filmmaker Sophia Al-Maria discusses her screenplay for the latest big release from Sky Atlantic. Inspired by Anaïs Nin’s collection of erotic stories, Little Birds is set in the famous 'international zone' of Tangier. New York heiress Lucy Savage (Juno Temple) is fresh off the transatlantic steamer and ready for love and marriage in exotic climes. But when her husband Hugo (Hugh Skinner) does not receive her in the way she expected, she spins off into a new surprising, diverse and sexually liberated world. Poet Laureate Simon Armitage responds to today's decision by Ofqual, the exams regulator, that students taking English Literature GCSE next year will not be required to study any poetry. They will be assessed on a Shakespeare play, but have the option to cover a 19th century novel or a post-1914 work of British fiction or drama, or poetry. This summer, many of us are holidaying at home so rather than recommending books to take on holiday, tonight we're recommending books about holidays or set in holiday locations. Clare Allfree, books editor at The Metro Newspaper, guides us through her selection of vacation-themed literature. All this week on Front Row, creative individuals from the arts are choosing one Lockdown Discovery, a cultural find that gave them pleasure in the dark months being stuck at home. Today it’s the turn of the architect Tara Gbolade, whose lockdown was significantly improved by accidentally stumbling upon a book which captured her architectural imagination: Vernacular Architecture of West Africa: A World in Dwelling. Presenter Tom Sutcliffe Producer Simon Richardson

The "new normal" is just another way of saying "weird" as far as we're concerned. In this episode, we range around the emergency assessment routines that OFQUAL have put into place, reflecting on the humanity and fairness that they have managed to salvage from what is a stressful and potentially difficult end to our GCSE and A-level students' studies. It is interesting to contrast with CPAC, as this time of year also sees us tidying up and finishing of this traditional aspect of A-level assessment. Thomas talks about his experience as an exam board moderator, and we discuss whether this model of accountability has somehow lost its way.

ARE YOU BEING CONVINCED TO WASTE YOUR MONEY ON USELESS DRONE COURSES?!?

Tonight's guests include:Catherine Sezen - Senior Policy Manager FE at Association of CollegesJenifer Burden - Director of Programmes at The Gatsby Charitable FoundationDr Paul Phillips CBE - Principal at Weston CollegeAndrew Kaye - Principal and CEO at Fareham CollegeJulie Hyde - Executive Director Education and Training Strategy at NCFE and CACHE Episode 4: Would it be better to delay T-Levels by a year? - 24th April 7-8pm (BST)Presented by the Chief Executive of the Federation of @AwardingBodies, Tom Bewick, #SkillsWorldLIVE is a new radio show that builds on the popular #SkillsWorld podcast series, where Tom interviews leading figures shaping the post-compulsory education and skills systems, including apprenticeships in the UK, and across the world.News Bulletin:Simplify the Ofqual application process for End-point Assessment Organisations without impacting qualityBowled Over: Alex’s Cricket JourneyDon't miss Episode 5: Are too many apprenticeships in England low quality?We are looking for industry experts to get involved with the debate, and to offer their views, advice and recommendations to help support the education sector at this time of disruption and change.If you are keen to get involved, or you know others that are, please let us know, and send your questions and comments to:Email: skillsworld@fenews.co.ukCall: 020 32 900 111Twitter: #SkillsWorld @FENewsPlease let us know if there is an important topic you would like to debate that we haven’t included yet!Tune in to #SkillsWorldLIVE 7-8pm on Weekdays, Monday to Friday

In this episode, Simon Toyne and Simon Williamson give summaries of recent MTA online meetings, Dave Lowe introduces an overview of his online teaching course and projects, and Patrick looks at the most recent Ofqual announcement regarding Year 11s' and 13s' grades. Presented and produced by Patrick Johns

Dame Glenys Stacey has spent 40 years in public service, including high profile work as a regulator in key areas of national life. She has just stepped down after her five year term as Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Probation during which she criticised the decision to privatise the Probation service calling it “irredeemably flawed”. Glenys was born in Walsall Wood in the West Midlands, where her father was a painter and decorator for the council and her mother worked full time in Union Locks. She left school at 16 and her first job was in an explosives factory. She became a legal executive before deciding to take A levels and then study law at the University of Kent. She was the founding CEO of the Criminal Cases Review Commission, set up by the government in January 1997, after the miscarriages of justice in the cases of the Birmingham Six and the Guildford Four. As Chief Executive of Animal Health, she oversaw the management of the outbreak of foot and mouth in 2007 and then led Ofqual for five years, during the reform of GCSEs and A levels. She was awarded a Damehood in 2016 for her services to education and earlier this year she became a founding Board Member of the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation, an advisory body established by the government. DISC ONE: Loch Lomond – Sir Harry Lauder DISC TWO: Harry Belafonte - Scarlett Ribbons (For Her Hair) DISC THREE: T.REX –Ride a White Swan DISC FOUR: Peter Gabriel – Solsbury Hill DISC FIVE: Wagner - The Ride of the Valkyries DISC SIX: Second movement of Saint Saen’s Piano concerto number 2 in G minor DISC SEVEN: Bob Marley and the Wailers - I Shot the Sherriff DISC EIGHT: Soave sia Il vento from Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte BOOK CHOICE: Oxford Book of English Short Stories LUXURY ITEM: A selection of seeds CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Cathy Drysdale Photo: BBC / Amanda Benson

The Bafta winning writer Danny Brocklehurst tells Front Row about the new Sky One comedy drama Brassic. It focuses on Vinnie O’Neill whose incompetent criminal crew is involved in everything from illegal boxing matches to an underground fetish club and stealing a Shetland pony. How did he shape some of lead actor Joe Gilgun’s teenage experiences into a six-part series? Photographer Craig Easton discusses his new exhibition, Fisherwomen, which opens this week at the Hull Maritime Museum. From Shetland to Great Yarmouth, he has focused on the unsung workforce in fishing – the women - in the past and the present, including a series of new portraits he’s taken of women working in the industry today. Today is GCSE results day. For the students who’ve got the results they need, the next stop is A levels. There has been a 13% decline this summer in entries for all types of English A level. Teachers groups have suggested the decline in numbers is due to the teaching of the subject being turned into a “joyless slog” but is that fair? Dr Jenny Stevens, an Ofqual subject expert in English teaching and a member of the English Association and Mark Lehain, director of the Parents and Teachers for Excellence campaign, discuss. Presenter: Kirsty Lang Producer: Sarah Johnson

Join the Tes team for a special podcast analysing A-level results day 2019.We explore reasons for the drop in English entries, how more girls than boys took science subjects, and how Spanish has overtaken French as the most popular modern foreign language.We also examine a startling announcement from exams regulator Ofqual about A-level maths in 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tom spoke to Rob Halfon MP for this episode of #SkillsWorld. Listen here to find out what Rob said about Ofqual, the Institute, and apprenticeship quality assurance:

Join the Tes team as we discuss what the exams regulator Ofqual had to say about exam stress and iGCSEs this week.We also consider what Philip Hammond's Spring Statement did - and did not - mean for schools, and get the lowdown on cortisol, dopamine, testosterone and oestrogen. Tune in and enjoy! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week for Skills World, Tom Bewick is joined by Phil Beach CBE, Executive Director for Vocational and Technical Qualifications, Ofqual and Paul Eeles, Chief Executive, Skills & Education Group, to discuss, Qualifications, EQA and T-Levels.

TTS Ep6 with a very special Mindfulness guest Rachel Louise John. Rachel is OFQUAL accredited Meditation & Mindfulness Teacher who has trained with the BSOM (British School of Meditation) and the Mindfulness Association based at the Cardiff Tibetan Buddhist & Mindfulness Centre in Cardiff. In TTS6 will be discussing the role mindfulness meditation plays in spiritual connection and development.

Jane Gratton, BCC's Head of Business Environment, interviews Phil Beach CBE, Executive Director for Vocational and Technical Qualifications at Ofqual, to discuss the changes to GCSE's and other issues that affect businesses.

Jo­ Anne Baird, Director of Department of  Education, University of Oxford and Dennis Opposs, Ofqual, give a seminar for the Department of Education public seminar series. Processes of standard setting and maintaining within  curriculum­ related assessments form a key strand of educational assessment policies and programmes, and  debates about standards are often at the heart of  educational reform. Many countries use curriculum­ related examinations to select  learners for higher education, work and other study options.  Some countries also use these examinations as tools to  measure school system performance. Given the high stakes nature of these examinations, it is  surprising that the ways in which examination standards are  conceptualised and operationalised differently across nations  has not been given sufficient attention. This is an interesting  area because globalisation has begun to impinge on  examination systems, but public examination standards are  still largely a bastion of the local. The meaning of standards  varies between countries and the stated value positions and  processes relating to examination standards differ markedly.  Additionally, the processes used to set examination standards  vary greatly between countries. The public seminar will present some of the findings from a  joint project on Setting and Maintaining standards in national  examinations. As part of the project, a three­ day symposium  was held in Brasenose College, Oxford in March of this year.  Experts from around the world came together to discuss the  setting and maintaining of standards in national  examinations. The project aims to illuminate similarities and  differences in conceptual bases and operational approaches to  examination standards. In this presentation, we will focus  upon the different ways in which examination standards have  been defined and outline current work on an ecological model  that shows promise in making the current literature more  coherent.

Amanda Spielman succeeded Sir Michael Wilshaw as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector at the start of the year. Prior to becoming the new Ofsted chief, Amanda was chair of Ofqual and she was also a founding member of the leadership team at Ark Schools. NAHT Edge director, James Bowen, met with Amanda at the Ofsted Headquarters in central London.

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has announced Amanda Spielman is set to take over as chief inspector of schools in England. But the decision has provoked some controversy. Teaching unions have pointed out that Amanda Spielman has never been a teacher herself. But others have defended her, saying her experience setting up a successful academies chain - and most recently at exams regulator Ofqual - mean she's well-placed to take on this important role. Mark Coles has been finding out what makes Amanda Spielman tick.

Join the TES team as we discuss the week's biggest education news and views. This week we hear how Ofqual's clampdown on grade inflation could mean students are being given inaccurate results, the exam watchdog has also come in for some serious flak for its decision to make it harder for students to have their exams re-marked. And after hearing the many cases against the importance of grammar, we have a very eloquent argument in favour of it. Tune in and enjoy.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join Richard Vaughan as he discusses Ofqual's recent decision to consult on removing practical assessments from overall GCSE grades. He travelled to the Association of Science Education's annual conference to get the views of Dr Hilary Leevers of the Wellcome Trust and ASE president and Reading University vice chancellor Sir David Bell. He also caught up with physics teacher and author Alom Shaha to hear his thoughts on the matter, and he heard from Janet Holloway, association director standards for design,development and evaluation of general qualifications at Ofqual to get the reason behind the decision.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Angela Goddard is AQA Lead Developer for A Level English Language, and English Language and Literature. Adrian Beard is AQA Lead Developer for A level English Literature. It is recommended that you download the accompanying PDF (found separately in this collection) in order to reference whilst watching this video. This talk covers: - The new Ofqual subject criteria for English Language, English Literature, and English Language and Literature A levels - Structural and regulatory aspects of the new A Levels and AS Levels - Implications for teaching and issues of transition - Approaches being taken by AQA in developing new specifications

On 7 June, after discovering six exam paper errors, the examination regulator OFQUAL wrote to all the examination boards to ask them to double check the remaining exam papers to make sure there were no more errors. The boards replied assuring the regulator that thorough quality checks had been done to "make sure there are no undetected errors in the remaining papers". The regulator then made a public statement to students that "everything that can be done has been done to prevent any further errors on question papers". Following this statement, four more errors were discovered. Ten mistakes in total, affecting up to 100,000 students. The Report asks what is going on with the UK exam system and how can students be reassured that in August they will get the grades that they deserve?

After ghosting, we're back with something that has sparked a lot of outrage, our A-Level results. Topics discussed: Advice to GCSE students Be grateful for the results you got (if you got into uni) Praying and trusting God in everything Gavin and Ofqual and the sudden U-turn Hope in our generation ―――――――――――――――― General concerns/questions: Why did Gavin not follow Scotland's example? Why were private schools seen to have a huge boost in A*-A entries? Is the U-turn going to save everyone? What new systems within education should we have? What next for thousands of medical students who are being rejected? If you've been affected or just want to discuss educational concerns in future episodes, feel free to email/message us on the following platforms: ✧ Instagram: visionspod_ ✧ Twitter: visionspod ✧ Facebook: visionspod ✧ Email: visionspod@gmail.com