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Curriculum, assessment and qualifications

 
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NAHT is working to ensure that the curriculum supports the learning, progress and success of all pupils. NAHT supports the principle that a broad and balanced curriculum promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils and prepares pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.

NAHT is campaigning to: 

Support schools to provide a broad and balanced curriculum for their pupils

  • Challenge the government policy, including EBacc, which may narrow the curriculum
  • Enable and support schools to successfully deliver statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education
  • Lobby for improvements to government policy which supports schools to deliver inclusive education and fulfil their responsibilities under the public sector equality duty
  • Support schools to deliver effective careers education for all pupils
  • Support schools to deliver high-quality Religious Education to all pupils
  • Provide guidance, materials and information to support schools in educating pupils about environmental issues.

Ensure a valid and proportionate approach to statutory assessment in primary schools

  • Lobby the government to reconsider the introduction of the multiplication tables check
  • Lobby the government to ensure changes to the Early Years Foundation Stage and Early Learning Goals are appropriate and relevant for the early years sector
  • Influence the development and implementation of the reception baseline assessment
  • Support members to implement the new statutory assessment for pupils with SEND
  • Identify and challenge the STA over any impact on members of the contract change to deliver statutory assessment in the primary phase
  • Engage with the STA to influence changes and improvements to statutory assessment including moderation and maladministration
  • Campaign for KS2 SPAG to be made non-statutory and oppose any additional statutory testing in the primary phase
 

Ensure the KS4 and KS5 qualification framework and examination system is fit for purpose

  • Press the government, Ofqual and exam boards to ensure that reformed qualifications, both academic and vocational, meet the needs of all pupils and schools
  • Explore the issue of grade reliability, identifying solutions and improvements which are supported by members and pressing the government and Ofqual for appropriate action
  • Inform members of the latest developments in secondary assessment through engagement with Ofqual, JCQ and awarding organisations. 

Latest updates and information from Ofqual

Latest updates and information from Ofqual

The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England and NAHT meet with Ofqual regularly.

Arrangements for awarding qualifications in 2022

All publications related to awarding qualifications in 2022 can be found here.

  • Ofqual and the DfE have published their response to the consultation on adaptations to GCSE, AS and A level exams in 2022. Advanced notice of exam topics will be published on February 7th 2022 at the latest.
  • Ofqual have announced their approach to grading in 2022. The aim is to return to a pre-pandemic grade profile in two steps with 2022 being a transition year with grading at a midpoint between 2021 and 2019.
  • Ofqual have published their response to the consultation on arrangements for non-exam assessment (NEA) and fieldwork requirements for students entering qualifications in 2022.
  • Ofqual have also published their response to the consultation on awarding VTQs in 2022 which confirms that exams will go ahead. You can find the detail of this consultation here.
  • Ofqual and the DfE have published guidance relating to contingency arrangements for the 2022 exam series. If exams are cancelled, grades will be awarded by using evidence collected throughout the year to inform a holistic centre awarded grade. Further details about contingency arrangements will be published later in the year.


VTQs

  • Ofqual have published guidance for centres on the awarding of VTQs in 2022.
  • Ofqual have published a summary of special consideration policies for awarding of VTQs in 2022.
  • Both OCR and Pearson have set out guidance on how to manage January exams, including what to do if a student is unable to attend. You can find the guidance from OCR here, and the guidance from Pearson here.


Latest updates

To receive email updates from Ofqual, sign up here.

If you need to get in touch with Ofqual regarding a complaint, you can find their complaints procedure here.

First published 22 February 2022
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