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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 information and updates from Ofqual - secondary

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

Ofqual has recently published their response to the consultation on arrangements for non-exam assessment (NEA) and fieldwork requirements for students entering qualifications in 2022. These include:

  • Allowing for a range of adjustments to NEA arrangements for certain qualifications to accommodate public health restrictions
  • A number of changes regarding fieldwork in Geography, Geology GCSE, AS and A Levels and Environmental Science AS and A Level to accommodate lost learning time.
  • Modifications to GCSE English Language and GCSE Modern Foreign Languages qualifications to account for lost learning time, with contingency assessment arrangements for spoken language to be published at a later date.

 

Arrangements for awarding qualifications in 2021

In January 2021, the government confirmed that in summer 2021, usual exams would not be going ahead. General qualifications and some Vocational and Technical qualifications (VTQs) would be awarded based on an assessment of evidence whilst other VTQs have other approaches.

  • Ofqual has launched a tool to explain the approach for individual qualifications.
  • Ofqual has also published a student guide to awarding for summer 2021.
  • Guidance for awarding general qualifications can be found here.
  • Ofqual's response to the consultation on the GQ Alternative Awarding Framework can be found here and guidance on the review and appeals process can be found here.

 

Latest updates

To receive email updates from Ofqual, sign up here.

Ofqual has recently published their response to a consultation on Non-Exam Assessment arrangements for 2022 which you can access here.

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

First published 09 July 2021
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