‘Exam boards need tougher measures’

Teachers ‘still allowed to write papers’

EDUCATION: Teachers will still be able to write exams under proposals that follow a review sparked by allegations of leaks.

But exam boards will have to take tough measures to “protect the integrity” of assessments – including keeping records of any conflicts of interests relating to teachers who have seen confidential materials.

TEACHERS WILL still be able to write exams under new proposals that follow a review sparked by allegations of leaks.

But exam boards will have to take tough measures to “protect the integrity” of assessments – including keeping records of any conflicts of interests relating to teachers who have seen confidential materials, according to Ofqual.

The watchdog announced a review of rules allowing teachers to set question papers last autumn in a move that came after two high-profile private schools became embroiled in a controversy over exam breaches.

Under proposals published today, teachers will still be able to write assessments and have access to confidential materials. It says that exam boards will have to keep up-to-date records of all conflicts of interest linked to teachers involved in setting exams and put in safeguards to limit the risk of using teachers in this process – such as making sure they do not know if or when any assessment they have been involved in developing will be used.

Boards will also have to put in place tough measures to detect malpractice, such as by sampling the work of teachers who have written papers to look for unusual responses from their students.

Ofqual chief Sally Collier said: “Almost universally, respondents to our call for evidence emphasised the importance of retaining a strong link between teaching and examining, and the benefit it brings to assessment design.

“Our rules on confidentiality and malpractice are already demanding. The proposals we have put forward today build on them and provide greater clarity about our expectations and the implications for awarding organisations if information about an assessment is disclosed by a teacher who has been involved in its development.

“There is no one-size-fits-all solution to the challenge of maintaining confidentiality. However, the events of summer 2017 showed how public confidence in assessments and, in turn, qualifications, can be damaged if confidential information is wrongly used. It is essential that those who take or otherwise rely on qualifications have the utmost confidence in the outcomes.”

Last summer, it emerged a senior staff member at Eton College had left the prestigious boys’ school amid allegations that he had shared confidential information in relation to an upcoming Pre-U economics exam with other teachers.

The Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) exam board was also investigating concerns about irregularities surrounding Pre-U art history at both Eton and Winchester College.

A statement issued by the Joint Council for Qualifications, on behalf of its member exam boards as well as school and college associations, said: “Malpractice undertaken by assessment setters involved in the production of question papers seriously damages the integrity of the entire examination system and undermines public confidence. The very low number of such instances is due to the professional integrity of the vast majority of assessment setters (and others involved in the preparation of examination papers) and the current system of support and safeguards.

“We welcome Ofqual’s review into teacher involvement in the setting of examination questions and handling of confidential materials and look forward to responding in detail to the consultation published today.

“We endorse Ofqual’s position of supporting the continuing involvement of practising teachers in the examination system. Removing teachers from the process would have significant detrimental effects and expose the examinations system to unacceptable risks.”

Last December, Ofqual said that incidents where the integrity of exams were brought into question by the behaviour of teachers or examiners was “very small”.

It is essential that (people) have confidence in the outcomes.

Sally Collier of Ofqual