ucas-qualification-provision-survey-june-2018_0

UCAS advisers UCAS qualification provision survey 2018 June 2018 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTLAND Executive Summary Contents Survey overview Executive summary Full report England 12 England AS and A level 14 England: vocational qualifications 22 England: GCSEs and the Extended Project Qualification 28 Scotland 34 Wales 42 Northern Ireland 50 Next steps 58 The qualification provision survey 2018 is the latest in a series of qualification reform surveys from UCAS, designed to understand how schools and colleges are responding to qualification reform Between November 2017 and February 2018, UCAS issued a survey to all registered schools (4133) and colleges in the UK using its services, and the results of the survey cover the 2017 – 2019 cohort of students There were 626 responses to the survey, of which 464 were individual and analysable The split by school type is detailed on the next slide The findings presented are not weighted by respondent type Prior to 2018, the survey was focused on A level and AS level reform in England, with the scope broadening year-on-year to include not only AS and A level provision, but also GCSEs and vocational qualifications This year, UCAS has expanded the survey further, to incorporate a wider range of provision, and cover all four nations of the UK The purpose of this survey is to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the response to qualification reform across the UK, and to provide recommendations for UCAS, higher education providers, and schools and colleges, based on this insight WALES NORTHERN IRELAND NEXT STEPS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTLAND WALES NORTHERN IRELAND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY NEXT STEPS Response rate by country and school type FULL REPORT ENGLAND Scotland AS and A level provision National qualifications ++ 14% are offering the AS in all reformed subjects, and 29% in some Our previous survey indicated that 29% would offer the AS in all subjects, and 30% in some Wales School type Respondents Percentage School type Respondents Percentage Academy 115 24% Further education college 15% Free school 2% Independent school 15% Further education college 29 9% Sixth form college 6% Grammar school 16 5% State school 22 65% Total 34 100% Independent school 100 30% Sixth form college 20 6% State school 48 14% Total 334 100% ++ 73% of respondents have changed their AS and A level provision since 2015 /16, and 59% since 2016 /17.24% of respondents intend to revisit this decision in the future Vocational qualification provision ++ 55% of respondents are delivering a reformed specification, however an additional 35% are dual running both reformed and unreformed specifications ++ 23% of respondents not feel that HE providers have a good understanding of these qualifications, a slight increase on 2016 /17 (22%) No respondents indicated that providers had no understanding, an improvement on 2017 ++ The majority of respondents to this section offer vocational qualifications awarded by Pearson (91%) However, schools and colleges also offer a range of vocational qualifications awarded by other bodies such as OCR, City and Guilds, and AQA and it is important for HE providers to reflect this diversity ++ The 360 GLH qualification is the most popular size of vocational qualification on offer, with 33% of respondents offering this, followed by the 720 GLH (25%) GCSE provision ++ Where respondents have a GCSE requirement in English and Maths to study post-16, the majority of respondents ask for a grade (55% English; 55% Maths) Scotland ++ 75% of respondents feel confident in identifying the standard that a student is performing at under the 9 –1 grading scale Northern Ireland School type Respondents Percentage School type Respondents Percentage Academy 2% Grammar school 28 58% High/Secondary school 28 58% State school 20 42% Independent school 14 29% Total 48 100% State school 10% Total 48 100% WALES England ++ 55% of respondents will not offer the AS at all in the 2017/18 academic year In the 2016 /17 survey, this was 36% England SCOTLAND Extended Project provision ++ 82% of respondents offer the EPQ, and 96% believe that universities and colleges have a good to reasonable understanding of the qualification Qualification reform in England ++ 54% of respondents have changed the range of subjects or qualifications offered as a result of qualification reform ++ 86% of respondents felt informed when making decisions about reformed qualifications, however the free text responses indicate that there is still confusion over HE entry requirements and offer making with regards to reformed qualifications NORTHERN IRELAND NEXT STEPS ++ 57% of respondents not have a policy for students bypassing National qualifications, and 38% allow bypassing by individual students Advanced Highers ++ 94% of respondents offer Advanced Highers ++ 67% of respondents collaborate with other centres or providers to offer a provision of Advanced Highers, with inter-school partnerships being the most common free text response Qualification reform in Scotland ++ 38% of centres have changed their qualification offering as a result of qualification reform ++ 81% of respondents felt that universities and colleges have a good to reasonable understanding of qualification reform in Scotland ++ 93% felt informed when making decisions about reformed qualifications EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTLAND WALES NORTHERN IRELAND Wales Northern Ireland Welsh Baccalaureate AS and A level provision ++ 85% of respondents offer the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate Of those respondents, 69% offer it alongside two A levels, and 24% alongside three ++ 69% felt that universities and colleges had a good to reasonable understanding of the Welsh Baccalaureate, with 3% feeling they have no understanding at all GCSE Maths and GCSE Numeracy ++ 79% of centres offer both GCSE Mathematics and GCSE Numeracy 59% of respondents offer both to all students, and an additional 9% offer both to more than half of their students Qualification reform in Wales ++ 41% of centres have changed their qualification offering as a result of qualification reform ++ 88% of respondents felt that universities and colleges have a good to reasonable understanding of qualification reform in Wales ++ 74% felt informed when making decisions about reformed qualifications, and only 6% described themselves as ‘not at all informed’ NEXT STEPS ++ The qualifications open market in Northern Ireland means some students will take decoupled A levels, offered by AQA, OCR, Pearson, and WJEC (Eduqas), where the AS marks not contribute to the overall A level grade, while others will take A levels offered by CCEA and WJEC, which include a coupled AS level CCEA is the largest awarding body, with 98% of respondents offering CCEA accredited A levels ++ When offering non-CCEA A levels, 94% of respondents continue to offer the AS level in some form Qualification reform in Northern Ireland ++ 56% of respondents have changed their qualification offering as a result of qualification reform ++ 80% of respondents felt that universities and colleges have a good to reasonable understanding of qualification reform in Northern Ireland ++ 65% of respondents felt informed when making decisions about reformed qualifications The following full report is summarised by UK nation Findings are presented alongside country profiles offering an overview of qualification reform in that nation Full report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTLAND WALES NORTHERN IRELAND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY NEXT STEPS FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTLAND WALES NORTHERN IRELAND NEXT STEPS Full report UCAS qualification provision survey Qualification reform has led to considerable debate about how secondary schools and colleges might alter their 16 –19 curriculum UCAS has taken a central role in communicating intelligence regarding qualification reform UCAS sought to keep both the HE and pre-HE sectors informed of developments, and how qualification reform could, and would, impact both on the provision offered by schools and colleges, and applications to higher education To date, UCAS has published the results of two A level surveys – Unpacking Qualification Reform (2015 and 2016) – and one qualification provision survey (2017), encapsulating the wider range of qualifications in England We have also produced a range of resources to support all audiences with the changing qualifications landscape, including flyers, videos, and our qualification reform guide, providing a more detailed overview of qualification reform across the UK The higher education and secondary sectors have both found the intelligence gathered through these surveys valuable in understanding the national response to qualification reform, and, as a result, the qualification provision survey is now an annual publication This year, this has been expanded to cover all UK nations, to help them understand the wider impact of qualification reform across the UK The survey now covers a wide range of qualifications from across the UK, including AS and A levels, GCSEs, the Welsh baccalaureate, SQA qualifications, and vocational qualifications (England only) Overview of previous surveys UCAS qualification reform roundtable Qualification provision survey 2017 UCAS held a roundtable session in January 2018, to act as a forum to reflect on how the education sector was prepared for, and responded to, qualification reform It focused on what went well, where there were gaps in knowledge, and / or a lack of response, and sought to identify activities and resources that most supported the entire sector with the changes, and any that could be undertaken again in the event of future reforms ++ 59% of respondents indicated that they would offer the AS in all or some subjects, with 43% indicating that they intend to revisit the decision for the 2017 / 18 academic year ++ 23% of respondents were offering an unreformed vocational specification, and 22% felt that universities and colleges did not have a good understanding of vocational qualifications ++ 40% of respondents did not feel confident in identifying a student’s performance in the reformed GCSE grading ++ 70% of respondents felt that they had sufficient information regarding qualification reform, compared to 51% in 2016 Other key findings from the roundtable, some of which are mirrored in the findings of this survey, include: ++ recognition that there was an unprecedented level of change, but other changes on the horizon (e.g vocational qualification reform in England) would require careful preparation, communication, and support on both sides ++ other factors surrounding higher education increased competition, and the declining 18 year old population, may have mitigated some of the challenges The feedback from the qualification provision survey was noted as very useful, for both HE providers, and school and college representatives, in understanding how the pre-HE sector responds to qualification reform As a result of this feedback, the expanded survey will continue as a UK wide piece ++ there was a good understanding of both the HE and school and college response to qualification reform, and UCAS should continue to take a central role in communicating intelligence ++ qualification reform statements were cited as a key resource for schools and colleges Unpacking qualification reform 2016 ++ The AS was more prevalent in the 2015 /16 academic year than previously thought, with 74% of respondents indicating they would offer the AS in all or some subjects ++ 26% of respondents indicated that the range of qualifications they offer had changed as a result of reforms 2015 ++ 66% said they would offer the reformed AS qualifications in some or all subjects ++ A diverse range of influencing factors – funding, timetabling, performance measures, and university entry requirements, in addition to the belief that there is intrinsic value in a midpoint assessment Methodology UCAS emailed all registered Apply centres between November and February 2018, with information regarding the new qualification provision survey The questions were dynamic, and differed between UK nations Overall, the survey received 464 individual, analysable responses Due to the logic of survey questions and user engagement, different questions will have differing levels of participation The findings presented are not weighted by respondent type School type England Percentage split* Scotland Percentage split* Wales Percentage split* Northern Ireland Percentage split* Academy 115 34% 2% - - - - Free school 2% - - - - - - Further education college 29 9% - - 15% - - Grammar school 16 5% - - - - 28 58% High/Secondary school (Scotland) - - 28 58% - - - - Independent school 100 30% 14 29% 15% - - Sixth form college 20 6% - - 6% - - State 48 14% 10% 22 65% 20 42% Total 334 100% 48 100% 34 100% 48 100% Grand total 464 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 10 FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTLAND WALES NORTHERN IRELAND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY NEXT STEPS Has the range of qualifications or subjects you offer changed as a result of qualification reform? FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTLAND NORTHERN IRELAND WALES NEXT STEPS How informed did you feel when making decisions about reformed qualifications? 80% 80% 70% 70% Country 30% England 334 20% Scotland 48 10% Wales 34 Northern Ireland 47 England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland Country Yes Country 30% England 296 20% Scotland 45 10% Wales 31 Northern Ireland 37 Very informed 40% No Not at all informed 40% 50% Not very informed 50% 60% Moderately informed 60% Percentage of respondents Percentage of respondents Has the range of qualifications or subjects you offer changed as a result of qualification reform? Country Do you feel you have sufficient information about qualification reform when making decisions about future provision? England In 2016, 49% of respondents did not feel that they had sufficient information about qualification reform Do you feel you have sufficient information about qualification reform when making decisions about future provision? Percentage of respondents 100% 80% 60% Country 40% 20% England Scotland Wales Country Yes No Northern Ireland England 295 Scotland 45 Wales 31 Northern Ireland 37 Scotland Wales Northern Ireland 11 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGL AND SCOTLAND WALES NORTHERN IRELAND England For the 2017 / 18 academic year, what was your main qualification offer? For the 2017/18 academic year, what was your main qualification offer? A level and AS level only A level and vocational provision, such as BTECs A level and the Extended Project International Baccalaureate A level and Core Maths A level and Pre-U certificates Vocational provision only, such as BTECs Other England n=334 Total 10% Independent school 20% 30% Academy 40% 50% All other respondents 60% NEXT STEPS 13 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGL AND SCOTLAND NORTHERN IRELAND WALES NEXT STEPS England AS and A level Have you changed your AS provision since: Qualification reform in England Have you changed your AS provision since: 2015 /16 AS and A level reform Reformed A levels were first taught in 2015 and are two-year, linear qualifications, with exams taking place at the end of the course Non-exam assessment has been reduced, and UMS marks removed The introduction of reformed A levels has been phased by subject, and summer 2020 will see all A levels following this model Total Independent school   The AS has been decoupled so that they are standalone qualifications which not count towards the A level They are separately awarded and certificated, although students may be able to sit an AS qualification as part of their overall A level programme, if offered by their school or college AS levels have been designed to be co-taught alongside the corresponding A level All other respondents Academy 10% 20% 30%   England AS and A level 40% Yes Reformed science A levels in England will include a separate result for the practical element of the qualification (pass or not classified) This result does not contribute to the overall A level grade, however, practical skills will be referenced in the final written exams 50% 60% 70% 80% 60% 70% 80% No 2016 /17 Total The grading scales remain A* – E for A levels, and A – E for AS levels Independent school All other respondents Academy 10% 20% 30% 40% Yes Year 2015/16 285 2016/17 283 50% No 15 16 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ENGL AND FULL REPORT SCOTLAND WALES NORTHERN IRELAND AS levels: For the 2017/18 academic year, we are: “ We used to require all students to take three A levels and one stand alone AS level as their minimum sixth form programme We now only expect students to take three A levels as their minimum sixth form programme We have done this to save money, and because universities only require three A levels for entry 2% 29% EXECUTIVE SUMMARY NEXT STEPS ENGL AND FULL REPORT SCOTLAND What were the key drivers when making decisions about your AS provision? Ranked from 1 – 7, with being the most important What were the key drivers when making decisions about your AS provision (ranked from 1-7, with being the most important)? University and college entry requirements Grammar school Timetabling 55% School size Performance measures “ 14% Funding We offered it the first year to all, then last year only to those who underperformed at the mocks, and there was doubt about their ability to cope with the full A level Not offering AS at all Offering the AS in all reformed subjects Cohort ability Other Academy Offering the AS in some reformed subjects 20% 40% 60% Undecided about our AS provision n=271 n=292 “ There has been a significant increase in the number of centres not offering the AS (36% in 2017) Now that all subjects are linear, we feel it makes sense to embrace a linear approach It is also clear that AS qualifications have no impact on university decisions Independent school AS levels: For the 2017/18 academic year we are: Offering th AS in all reformed subjects Offering the AS in some reformed subjects Not offering the AS at all Undecided about our AS provision n=292 Total 10 Independent school WALES 20 Academy 30 40 50 All other respondents 60 80% 100% NORTHERN IRELAND NEXT STEPS 17 18 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGL AND SCOTLAND WALES NORTHERN IRELAND Do you intend to revisit your decision about AS provision in the future? ENGL AND FULL REPORT SCOTLAND NORTHERN IRELAND WALES NEXT STEPS As a result of A level reform, has the amount of teaching time available in your centre changed? “ 24% 30% EXECUTIVE SUMMARY NEXT STEPS “ As a result of A level reform, has the amount of teaching time available in your centre changed? All students previously sat AS levels at end of Year 12 Changed due to prohibitive cost, and the fact that grades were not needed for university entry Lesson allocation remained the same, but gained time through not taking AS examinations in the summer term 5% 21% Independent school Academy “ 47% Stopped offering AS in reformed subjects, as not always easily co-teachable with A level Yes No Undecided “ 9% We used to provide less teaching time in Year 13 to each A level than in Year 12, now we have raised the teaching time in Year 13 to match that in Year 12 for each A level 65% Grammar school Academy n=289 In 2017, 43% of respondents intended to revisit their decision about AS provision in the future “ We no longer offer AS, as we not have the staffing capacity or the number of students to accommodate separate courses at A and AS level Increased Decreased Remained the same Not yet clear “ At the moment, the teaching time has not changed However, it is becoming more and more clear that more time is needed to fulfil the practical side, as well as the theory side of the sciences n=294 State school Independent school Do you intend to revisit your decision about AS provision in the future? As a result of A level reform, has the amount of teaching time available in your centre changed? Increased Yes Decreased No Remained the same Undecided Not yet clear Total n=289 10% 20% Independent school 30% Academy 40% 50% 60% All other respondents Total n=294 10% 20% Independent school 30% 40% Academy 50% 60% 70% All other respondents 80% 19 32 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ENGL AND FULL REPORT SCOTLAND WALES NORTHERN IRELAND NEXT STEPS What information or support would you like from universities and colleges to assist your centre in relation to qualification reform? “ One issue was university faculties (especially medicine) not appreciating the scale of reforms in schools, and trying to demand AS grades or four A levels when this was becoming unrealistic Most amended their policies, but not until after a great deal of anxiety and pressure was caused to students and schools trying to handle the reforms EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGL AND SCOTLAND NORTHERN IRELAND WALES NEXT STEPS What information or support would you like from UCAS to assist your centre in implementing and navigating qualification reform? “ Ongoing clarity of information regarding the ‘value’ of a qualification for HE entry Further education college Independent school “ “ Be clear on whether they are accepting or for GCSE English and maths, and be able to be confident they are not changing their minds “ More information on their attitude to vocational qualifications and mixed vocational-academic pathways Statements from the universities are very useful,and to be able to find them all in one place rather than hunting is great Independent school Academy “ Continue to provide a central point for information from diverse sources Independent school State school “ Assurances to the parity of BTECs versus A levels in being relevant and suitable qualifications for entry into HE The whole process is centred around A level provision, and I feel that BTECs are the poor relation Further education college “ Clear admissions statements on acceptable sixth form provision – e.g three or four subjects etc Independent school “ Confidence that universities are dealing equally with students who are not taking any AS qualifications and relying on fully school predicted grades against students whose schools take decoupled AS in the L6 “ Working with universities to understand the value of skills learnt via vocational courses Sixth form college “ Regular, short briefings with simple information Sixth form college Independent school “ To be clear about entry requirements for varied qualifications State school “ Maybe an update on how certain vocational qualifications are regarded by HE establishments Are they changing their entry requirements based on reforming Level qualifications? If BTECs have been ‘brought in line’ with A levels, are any more institutions accepting them for entry? Further education college 33 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTL AND WALES NORTHERN IRELAND NEXT STEPS Scotland Qualification reform in Scotland Scotland Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) National and Curriculum for Excellence aims to provide a coherent, flexible, and enriched curriculum from three to 18, which enables young people to gain the knowledge, skills, and attributes needed for learning, life, and work Students generally begin Nationals at the start of S4, following a broader general education at S1, S2, and S3 National students are assessed internally throughout the year, using externally quality assured SQA assessments National qualifications contain external assessment, and are of the same standard as qualifications previously offered at SCQF Level 5, such as Standard Grade (Credit) National 5s previously included internally assessed unit assessment, which did not contribute to the grade, however, this was removed in August 2017 The introduction of the Curriculum for Excellence brought new qualifications (the National and 5, in place of the Standard Grades and Intermediate and 2) and reformed existing Highers and Advanced Highers to better reflect the principles and aims of CfE One of the main objectives of the Curriculum for Excellence was to introduce curriculums tailored for the individual student This means there is an increased flexibility in the delivery of qualifications, and greater diversity in the way qualifications are taken, with the aim being that study is tailored to the specific student or cohort For example, while a student is undertaking the National or syllabus in S4 (fourth year of secondary school), they may not undertake the actual qualifications and summative assessment, allowing them to move directly to their Highers at some stage in S4, using the National or syllabus as foundation knowledge for Highers Equally, some applicants may take a mix of National and 5s, Highers, and Advanced Highers in a single year Highers and Advanced Highers Highers are the primary qualification used for progression to HE by Scottish domiciled students, although some students may also take Advanced Highers The aim of both qualifications is to provide a solid basis for progression into higher education, while developing those students with a more mature approach to study Advanced Highers are not available to all students and are at SCQF Level 7, the same as year one undergraduate study in Scotland Currently, Highers and Advanced Highers include internally assessed unit assessment, which does not contribute to the grade, however, this will be removed from August 2018 for Highers, and 2019 for Advanced Highers Further information on qualification reform in Scotland can be found in the UCAS qualification reform guide 35 36 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTL AND WALES NORTHERN IRELAND To what extent you feel universities and colleges understand qualification To what extent you feel universities and colleges understand the Extended Project Qualification? reform in Scotland? 19% 15% EXECUTIVE SUMMARY NEXT STEPS “ “ Scottish Universities understand the changes well, but I fear that English universities not understand the Scottish System NEXT STEPS Bypass National qualifications in some subjects Bypass National qualifications for all subjects Allow individual learners to bypass National qualifications My centre does not bypass any National qualifications High / Secondary school Good understanding 10% Total Reasonable understanding n=48 NORTHERN IRELAND WALES Does your centre… Independent school Not very good understanding SCOTL AND ENGLAND Does your centre… [No] Even within Scotland, and certainly not in other parts of the UK 67% FULL REPORT 20% 30% 40% Independent school 50% 60% 70% 80% All other respondents n=47 “ Institutions not always appreciate that students may sit Highers in S4 and S5, rather in one sitting in S5 High / Secondary school “ This is true for only one or two pupils where they excel in one subject area High / Secondary school “ This is variable, dependent upon the admissions tutor and his / her past experience in dealing with Scottish schools High / Secondary school “ Only in extreme circumstances, i.e if the pupil was on track to achieve an A / B, but circumstances prevented them from either sitting or passing the exam, and parental approval Academy 37 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 38 FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTL AND WALES NORTHERN IRELAND Does your centre offer Advanced Highers? 50 100% 40 80% Number of respondents Number of respondents FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTL AND NORTHERN IRELAND WALES NEXT STEPS Do you collaborate with other centres or providers for the provision of Advanced Highers? Do you collaborate with other centres or providers for the provision of Advanced Highers? Does your centre offer Advanced Highers? 30 20 60% 40% 20% 10 Yes Total n=48 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY NEXT STEPS Independent school No Yes Total All other respondents “ Currently, we have 12 subjects offered to our S6 cohort, but we already know that this will not be the same picture next session, due to pupil and staff capacity n=48 Independent school No All other respondents “ Students can travel to other schools in the authority There is also a ‘virtual campus’ provision High / Secondary school High / Secondary school “ We have partnership agreements with other local schools, so as to allow students to study a subject with them if we are unable to run it due to uptake numbers We also accept students from other schools if we are running courses they cannot High / Secondary school “ We offer space to state schools Independent school 39 40 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTL AND WALES NORTHERN IRELAND NEXT STEPS What information or support would you like from universities and colleges to assist your centre in relation to qualification reform? “ Too often, some universities make decisions midway through an academic year, and we only find out about this from discussions with our pupils or other anecdotal sources Greater clarity to ensure there is no change that schools are not aware of EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT SCOTL AND ENGLAND NORTHERN IRELAND WALES NEXT STEPS What information or support would you like from UCAS to assist your centre in implementing and navigating qualification reform? “ Qualification reform in Scotland began several years ago and is now bedding down, they may be able to assist in educating universities south of the border as to the comparative value of Scottish Qualifications Independent school High / Secondary school “ “ Universities should ensure that decision makers throughout their organisation are well briefed Support for Advanced Highers in principle, so they not disappear from state schools Independent school High / Secondary school “ Possibly visits from tutors to schools, to discuss changes and their effect on applications through UCAS High / Secondary school “ Continued sharing of expectations to schools and school pupils High / Secondary school “ “ I am happy and understand what is required for young people to enter university Update on the reform would be useful Executive summary of what the key reforms are, and what is being looked for from applicants now that is different to previously High / Secondary school High / Secondary school “ Executive summary of what the key reforms are, and what is being looked for from applicants now that is different to previously No significant concerns, as long as some institutions don’t make changes part way through the session High / Secondary school High / Secondary school “ “ “ A focus on Scottish-specific issues High / Secondary school “ ‘We would like information earlier Continued regular updates, information, and support Independent school High / Secondary school 41 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTLAND NORTHERN IRELAND WALES NEXT STEPS Wales Qualification reform in Wales AS and A level reform The Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Since 2014, there have been three variations of the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Level: the pass / fail model (final award in summer 2014), the interim A* – C graded model (final award in 2016) and the fully reformed model (Skills Challenge Certificate graded A* – E) The 2017 Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate was first awarded in 2017 It incorporates: ++ a Skills Challenge Certificate qualification, which is the same size as an A level and is graded A* – E ++ a minimum of two Level qualifications (e.g A levels) ++ GCSE maths or maths numeracy, and English language or Welsh language Wales The Skills Challenge Certificate comprises four components: an individual project (50%), an enterprise and employability challenge (20%), a global citizenship challenge (15%) and a community challenge (15%) Revised AS and A levels were first taught in Wales from September 2015 Reform is largely around content A levels offered in Wales continue to have an embedded AS qualification, however, the weighting has been reduced to 40% Practical or controlled assessment will be retained in subjects where it plays an important role in assessing the subject, including science A levels In subjects where there is no Wales-specific A level available, state-funded students can choose from the A levels that have been reformed for England, as long as Qualifications Wales has designated them as eligible for use on publicly funded learning programmes in Wales GCSE reform GCSEs in Wales will continue to be graded A*– G In addition to some content revisions and change in focus for some GCSE subjects, GCSE mathematics – numeracy has been introduced as a new subject It is expected that most young people in Wales will study both GCSE mathematics qualifications As per A levels, where there is no Walesspecific GCSE available, state-funded students can choose from those that have been reformed for England, as long as Qualifications Wales has designated them as eligible for use on publicly funded learning programmes in Wales Further information on qualification reform in Wales can be found in the UCAS qualification reform guide To achieve the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate, students must complete the Skills Challenge Certificate and the supporting qualifications: Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (grade A* – E): ++ Individual project ++ Enterprise end employability challenge ++ Global citizenship challenge + Level qualifications: GCSEs: Two A levels (grade A* – E) English or Welsh language or (grade A* – C) equivalent Level qualifications totalling at least 600 GLH ++ Community challenge The Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate + and Maths or maths – numeracy (grade A* – C) 43 44 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTLAND WALES NORTHERN IRELAND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY NEXT STEPS To what extent you feel universities and colleges understand the Welsh ToBaccalaureate? what extent you feel universities and colleges understand the Extended Project Qualification? 28% ENGLAND SCOTLAND NORTHERN IRELAND WALES NEXT STEPS Do you generally offer the Skills Challenge Certificate alongside To what you feel universities and colleges understand the Extended Project Qualification? two or extent three A levels? 3% 21% FULL REPORT 7% “ 24% “ This is varied Universities in Wales, and some in England, have a good understanding of the value of the qualification, but many universities outside Wales have little or no understanding of this Most applicants will complete three A levels alongside the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate, but the minimum is two A levels Sixth form college Sixth form college 48% Good understanding Reasonable understanding Not very good understanding No understanding at all 69% “ Two It has improved a lot in the last two years, but some universities still don’t seem to understand it fully Three Other “ Any number of Level qualifications from to State school State school n=29 n=29 “ An improving picture Most HEPs we deal with understand the value of the Skills Challenge Certificate, and are now including the correct name of the qualification in admissions criteria State school “ We allow students to four and the Skills Challenge Certificate, but most students take three and the Skills Challenge Certificate State school 45 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGLAND WALES SCOTLAND NORTHERN IRELAND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY NEXT STEPS Most centres in Wales will be offering GCSE mathematics and GCSE numeracy Approximately what proportion of your students will be taking both qualifications? FULL REPORT 12% SCOTLAND NORTHERN IRELAND WALES NEXT STEPS 15% “ 70% A statement from universities about the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate to allow College’s to make decisions about WBQ provision and whether it should be compulsory (due to its benefits) to facilitate applications 60% 50% 40% Sixth form college 30% 20% 10% 73% Good understanding Total Independent school Reasonable understanding All students More than half of our students We are not offering both qualifications Less than half of our students n=34 ENGLAND To what extent you feel universities and colleges understand qualification To what extent you feel universities and colleges understand the Extended Project Qualification? reform in Wales? 80% Percentage of respondents 46 Not very good understanding n=29 “ Still a lack of understanding about the Welsh Baccalaureate State school All other respondents “ WBQ and the Skills Challenge Certificate acceptance is variable across universities and across admissions tutors in universities Further education college 47 48 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGLAND WALES SCOTLAND NORTHERN IRELAND NEXT STEPS What information or support would you like from universities and colleges to assist your centre in relation to qualification reform? EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTLAND NORTHERN IRELAND WALES NEXT STEPS What information or support would you like from UCAS to assist your centre in implementing and navigating qualification reform? “ “ I have seen a number of offers asking for practical grades in sciences, which have panicked students somewhat, because it comes as part of the UMS marks in their grades If offer conditions could be personalised, it would appease some anxieties Pleased that the value of the Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate is being recognised much more widely, but the message still needs to be driven forward State school Independent school “ More clarity in their requirements for GCSE and A level, from Welsh exam boards specifically We are afraid that the use of 9-1 will worry our students who still provide A* – G, so clear sections on websites and / or other literature to clarify their stances would be appreciated “ “ “ Existing information is sufficient Where we have individual questions, we approach the HEP’s directly Updated information on any changes or impacts on offers made by universities Bulletins and reminders of resources available / CPD for staff State school Further education college Further education college “ “ Independent school “ “ Information about how the qualification reform can be directly beneficial to our school and the links with universities Independent school Understanding of the new Welsh Baccalaureate alongside vocational Level qualifications which have also changed State school Information on how subject reforms will directly reflect degree choices Support in educating universities about the new qualifications in Wales Independent school Further education college 49 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTLAND WALES NORTHERN IREL AND NEXT STEPS Northern Ireland Qualification reform in Northern Ireland AS and A level reform: The open market GCSE reform In Northern Ireland, schools are free to choose AS and A level qualifications offered by any of the following awarding organisations: AQA, CCEA, OCR, Pearson and WJEC (Eduqas), with the exception of science A levels As with A levels, for GCSEs there is also an open qualifications market in Northern Ireland, which means that schools are free to choose GCSE qualifications offered by any of the following awarding organisations: AQA, CCEA, OCR, Pearson and WJEC (Eduqas), with the exception of English language as only the CCEA specification that include marks for speaking and listening has been accredited for delivery in Northern Ireland Therefore, some students will take decoupled A levels, offered by AQA, OCR, Pearson, and WJEC (Eduqas), where the AS marks not contribute to the overall A level grade, while others will take A levels offered by CCEA and WJEC, where the AS marks contribute 40% to the overall A level grade Northern Ireland As GCSE grading is changing, this means some students will take GCSEs, offered by AQA, OCR, Pearson, and WJEC (Eduqas), which are graded – 1, while others will take GCSEs offered by CCEA From summer 2019, CCEA GCSEs will be graded using a new alphabetical grading scale The new alphabetical scale introduces a C* grade aligned to the 5, and a new A* grade aligned to grade Students in Northern Ireland taking science A levels must follow a course where the marks for the assessment of practical skills contribute to the overall grade This means students must take either CCEA or WJEC science A levels The introduction of the grade C* will reduce the number of students achieving the new grade B The grade B will align with the grade in the numeric scale The A* will be repositioned to align to a grade Proportionally fewer students will achieve an A* from 2019, and the grade will fall between A* and A AS and A levels delivered by CCEA Revised CCEA AS and A levels were first taught in Northern Ireland from September 2015 Reform is largely around content A levels offered in Northern Ireland continue to have an embedded AS qualification, however, the weighting has been reduced to 40% Marks for science practical skills continue to form part of the overall grade for science A levels offered by CCEA, and there is no separate grade A grade comparison table is provided on the next page Further information on qualification reform in Northern Ireland can be found in the UCAS qualification reform guide CCEA GCSE grading from 2019 New A*-G Structure (summer 2019) A* A 9-1 Structure (awarding phased in from 2017) C* C E F G A* B D Old A*-G Structure (phased out from 2019) A B C D E F G 51 SCOTLAND Which organisation offers the A levels that your centre delivers? 20 WALES NORTHERN IREL AND NEXT STEPS 50 15 40 12 10 0 Awarding organisation n=48 n=48 Accounting Ancient history Ancient languages Art and design Biology Business Chemistry Chinese Classical civilisation Computer science Dance Design and technolgy Drama and theatre Economics Electronics English language English language and literature English literature Environmental science Film studies Further maths Geography Geology History history of art Italian Law Maths Media studies Modern foreign languages (Fresnh, German, Spanish) Music Music technology Philosophy Physical education Physics Politics Psychology Religious studies Russian Sociology Statistics All of the above None of the above 30 Numberof respondents ENGLAND WJEC qualifications OCR qualifications FULL REPORT Pearson qualifications EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AQA qualifications CCEA qualifications Number of respondents 52 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTLAND WALES NORTHERN IREL AND NEXT STEPS Which A level subjects you offer that are not awarded by CCEA? Subject provision from 2017/18 53 54 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTLAND When offering non-CCEA A levels, we: WALES NORTHERN IREL AND NEXT STEPS FULL REPORT ENGLAND To what extent you feel universities and colleges understand qualification reform in Northern Ireland? 6% 13% 20% “ We are unsure that universities will understand our new GCSE grading and be able to compare it with the new English one, particularly as many teachers here not yet understand 53% Grammar school 40% 67% n=47 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Offer the AS in all A level programmes Good understanding Offer the AS in some subjects Reasonable understanding Not offer the AS at all Not very good understanding n=46 “ Some have a good understanding, but one or two haven’t Grammar school SCOTLAND WALES NORTHERN IREL AND NEXT STEPS 55 56 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTLAND WALES NORTHERN IREL AND NEXT STEPS What information or support would you like from universities and colleges to assist your centre in relation to qualification reform? EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTLAND NORTHERN IREL AND WALES NEXT STEPS What information or support would you like from UCAS to assist your centre in implementing and navigating qualification reform? “ A confirmation that they understand GCSE grades awarded up to 2018 will use different grade boundaries to those awarded 2019 onwards In particular, the fact that less A*s will be awarded, and that the B grade boundary will be moved up Grammar school “ “ Detail as to whether or not qualifications are accepted, and if / when change of policy has taken place Clear statements about the qualification reform, relating to each area of the UK State school Grammar school “ Continue to keep us informed of the changes, and the consequences/implications of them for university courses, and selection “ More for pupils State school Grammar school “ “ “ Continue to keep us updated regrading how they are using qualifications in selection process / making offers More specific information about the acceptance of BTEC qualifications and other non-A level qualifications Convincing universities on the worthiness of new subjects Grammar school Grammar school Grammar school “ Clear guidance and easy access to information across all areas of the UK, and all universities Grammar school “ The key concern is comparability, and how universities will make decisions on to whom they make an offer Grammar school 57 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FULL REPORT ENGLAND SCOTLAND WALES NORTHERN IRELAND NEXT STEPS Next steps Universities and colleges UCAS With the ever-changing nature of provision in schools and colleges, and cross-border differences, clarity of entry requirements and position is the key feedback from this survey As a result, universities and colleges should: UCAS will continue to take a central role in communicating intelligence regarding qualification reform, and keep both the higher education and pre-higher education sector informed of developments In addition, UCAS should: ++ continue to produce and / or update existing qualification reform statements, ensuring these take in to account the latest developments and differences in provision across the UK ++ ensure entry requirements are clear and transparent Where there are differences depending on where or when a qualification is taken, these should be clearly articulated, to ensure that any student understands what is expected of them from the qualification they are taking, wherever they are taking it ++ ensure that offers made are clear and relevant to the individual student ++ provide clear entry requirements and supporting information for vocational qualifications, both as standalone qualifications, and in combination with others ++ continue to engage with schools and colleges to understand how they are responding to curriculum reform, and the breadth of qualifications on offer Next steps ++ ensure that any changes to the suitability of qualifications for entry are clearly communicated Based on feedback from the qualification round table and this survey, schools and colleges should: ++ continue to engage with universities and colleges, to understand how they are responding to curriculum reform, and the breadth of qualifications on offer ++ ensure the qualification shortlist in UCAS Apply is accurate, to help students select the right qualifications in their application, and continue to improve the quality of data sent to higher education providers ++ continue to use the UCAS reference to provide additional information on curriculum provision, creating a webpage wherever possible to reduce the number of characters used Further guidance can be found here ++ continue to work with UCAS to provide insight into curriculum provision across the UK ++ continue to provide a comprehensive series of information regarding a broad range of qualifications, in particular vocational qualifications Where possible, this should have a country specific focus ++ continue to produce resources to support schools and colleges and higher education providers ++ continue to issue the qualification provision survey on an annual basis, and use feedback to expand coverage to include other qualifications across all UK nations ++ ensure the range of qualifications available is reflected in current and new UCAS services, and any differences between qualifications are clearly shown ++ ensure that qualification reform and changes to qualifications are a paramount consideration in the development of new products and services, including the new application management service (AMS) Further support UCAS has produced a range of materials to support schools, colleges, and universities in the changing qualifications landscape, including: ++ a qualification reform guide, providing a high-level overview of reforms across the UK ++ a qualification reform timeline, showing dates for first teaching and first entry to higher education ++ a guide to reformed Applied General and Tech level qualifications, to help consider the impact of vocational qualification reform in England on applying to higher education, and support students and advisers entering qualifications in to UCAS Apply ++ qualification information profiles (QIPs) for a range of regulated reformed and legacy general and vocational qualifications, offering objective, comparable information that providers can use to inform decisions about the admission of students ++ qualification reform statements from a number of higher education providers, outlining how they will accommodate qualification reform ++ videos and FAQs to support advisers, and students applying to higher education with reformed qualifications Further resources can be found on the UCAS qualification reform webpage 59 © UCAS 2018 All rights reserved UCAS is a registered trade mark UCAS, a company limited by guarantee, is registered in England and Wales number: 2839815 Registered charity number: 1024741 (England and Wales) and SC038598 (Scotland) MD-4071 We have made all reasonable efforts to ensure that the information in this publication was correct at time of publication We will not, however, accept any liability for errors, omissions or changes to information since publication Wherever possible any changes will be updated on the UCAS website (www.ucas.com)