Reform of the GCSE

The Oxford University Centre for Educational Assessment (OUCEA) has published a report entitled “Research evidence relating to proposals for reform of the GCSE”.

The Secretary of State for Education in England has launched reforms of the examination system at age 16. The report summarises research relating to aspects of the reforms:

• How England competes in international tests
• The claim that there has been grade inflation
• The proposals to raise the level of challenge in examinations
• Familiarity with examination materials
• The desire to increase students’ motivation
• The plan for students only to be tested at the end of the course, rather than within a modular system
• The proposal that the use of controlled assessment should be restricted
• The proposal that examinations should not be tiered

For more information and to download the report, click here.