TES - 6 March 2015
We need plus-size prep for ‘big fat GCSE’, teachers say (p12) – Maths teachers are asking for the launch of the new 9-1 graded GCSEs to be delayed by a year to allow for sufficient preparation time, as no sample materials have been released to schools in advance of the GCSEs.
The new ‘Big fat GCSEs’ will be rolled out from September 2015, and because of a row over standards, the practice and sample materials won’t be rolled out until April at the earliest. The Association of Teachers of Mathematics has written to Ofqual requesting that "it would be prudent to delay the introduction of the new GCSEs by a year."
Ofqual is conducting a large scale investigation after allegation that "specimen papers from AQA were too easy."
FE Week - 16 March 2015
Providers escape ‘£2m’ bill as fee plan dropped (p1) – The Federation for Industry Sector Skills and Standards (FISSS), who certificate Apprenticeship achievement, are looking to ‘simplify their process for applying for an Apprenticeship certificate & reduce the rejection rate (which stood at 29% a couple of years ago).
FISSS is also looking at moving the application forms online, as incorrectly completed forms count for about 50% of Apprenticeship certificate rejections.
Government identifies ‘potential risks’ for Trailblazer programme (p6) – a Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) led report by the Institute for Employment Studies into the Apprenticeship Trailblazer programme has found "potential risks ... that require national attention in coming months."
The pace of development of the new standards, and the switchover to a new funding system (announced in the recent Budget) are among the key concerns highlighted by the report.
The report does later concede that !the ability to manage these risks and set up a structure and process that allows Trailblazers to truly take ownership of their development is the key challenge for the national policy team…[and the] structure for a steady state has begun to emerge."
FE Week - 23 March 2015
Level 2 English and maths ‘Needed outside of GCSEs’ (p2) – A review of non-GCSE English and maths qualifications led by the Education and Training Foundation has highlighted the need for an alternative route to GCSEs for some young people and adults.
Review Chair Professor Ed Sallis set out that: "while GCSESs are very important…there is for some young people and many adults, the need achieve a level 2 in English and maths in a different way"
Although the review calls for Functional Skills standards to be reviewed, Professor Sallis did not state whether GCSE alternative qualifications should be the Functional Skills as they exist, or an entirely new qualification. This will be something (else) the new government will have to decide after the General Election.
Why not check out our Level 2 English and maths qualifications? We've got your Functional Skills needs covered, as well as a number of single-unit English and maths awards.
Question mark over the future of trailblazer reviews (p3) – the question of how trailblazer-written Apprenticeships standards will be reviewed has come to the fore, as a BIS report has revealed concern amongst employers who developed the first wave of standards.
The standards that are currently being published are required to be reviewed within 3 years, but there are worries about the uncertainty of who will actually review the standards – especially if the original employers do not get involved in keeping them up to date. BIS has declined to comment on how it would address these continuity issues.
Are we about to see things go full circle, with the introduction of Standards Setting Councils to maintain the Apprenticeship Standards?
