Howard proposes fixed proportion of top grades
The Conservative Leader will today say that a Conservative government would change the examination system so that only a fixed percentage of pupils can gain the top grades.
This was standard practice in the 1980s, where exam boards awarded roughly the same number of grades each year, before the then Conservative government decided to move away from this approach to “criterion referencing” where exam boards set a defined standard for each grade.
But, the Conservatives now claim that referencing is now “nearly impossible” to do accurately, and claim that employers and universities are unable to be sure that those with the highest grades are the best and brightest.
The proposal has, however, been met with concern from teaching unions. John Dunford, general secretary of the Secondary Heads Association, described the proposals as an “incredibly backward step”.
Speaking on Sunday, Mr Dunford claimed such a move would be “condemning many young people to a system that failed to reflect their real achievements. Norm-referencing was rightly rejected by Sir Keith Joseph and the Conservative government 20 years ago. It should not be reinstated now.
“Several committees have compared examinations over time and there is no evidence that grade inflation exists. It is time that the Conservative Party and other critics recognised that young people and their teachers are doing better nowadays. This is a matter for congratulation, not for turning the clock back.”
Michael Howard’s key note speech on education comes on the same day that former inspector of schools Mike Tomlinson publishes his long-awaited report into 14 to 19 education.
Mr Tomlinson is widely expected to propose the creation of a European style diploma with an increased emphasis on basic skills, especially maths and English.
Speaking in Newcastle on Monday, Mr Howard will also promise to publish the marks, as well as the grades, of results so that universities and employers can chose between candidates who achieve the same level.
Mr Howard is expected to say that the “truth” in the debate about exam standards “lies somewhere in between” both camps, and that: “We must restore public confidence, strengthen the robustness of our exams, rebuild the international reputation of our exam boards, challenge the most able, and provide much more encouragement for those at all levels of ability.”
He will promise to scrap the AS system and return to a two year A-Level course, stop the practise of multiple module retakes and overhaul the system of exam regulation.
