Summer 2013 - The Independent Schools' Modern Language ...

Letter to Glenys Stacey, Ofqual
23 May 2013
Dear Glenys
You will recall that ISMLA was in correspondence with you in the Autumn of
2011 (your last letter to us was dated 16 December 2011) over the severe
and unpredictable nature of grading in modern languages and, in particular,
the issue of the awarding of A*.
We note that you have, as was your stated intention in that letter, launched
a survey of teachers' experience of public examination marking. We hope
that you will be interested in our own collection of comments, made by heads
of department in independent schools –which, you will note, we have anonymised
to reassure participants and which we attach.
This survey is specifically to do with the A* issue at A level in modern languages.
We have attached the comments of all respondents, so that this is in
no way a selection. You will also be aware of the existing synopses of previous
surveys, available at www.ismla.co.uk, which led to our meeting with
both you and Nick Gibb, at that time Minister of State for Schools.
Our experience over the current Ofqual survey has been that teachers appear
to be unaware of the opportunity you have provided to make their comments
known. Heads of department and individual teachers seem not to know of the
existence of the survey. There is in addition the problem of its timing. Many
teachers who one might expect to contribute are involved in the final preparation
of A level candidates; a deadline one week later than the one you have
targeted would have allowed respondents to provide useful and accurate information,
given that examination candidates would by then be on study
leave and teachers would have more time. If we had been informed, we
would have been better able to encourage schools to respond.
We would welcome the opportunity to meet either formally or informally
since, as you will see from the contents of this letter, we believe we can provide
constructive input in this area. Such a meeting might include independent
schools - or, we would prefer, state schools and grammar schools too.
Yours sincerely
Nick Mair Chairman
Geoffrey Plow Vice Chairman
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