HAMSTEAD HALL Academy Success for all through hard work and harmony Controlled Assessment Policy Page 1
Contents: Page 3: Page 5: Page 7: Page 11: Appendices: Rationale Responsibilities Levels of supervision Risk Management process Controlled Assessment Log Controlled Assessment Notification Controlled Assessment Declaration of Authentication Page 2
Controlled Assessment Policy Rationale This Policy lists the responsibilities of the relevant staff in terms of organising, administering and overseeing controlled assessments. Controlled Assessment is a form of internal assessment which replaces GCSE coursework. It encourages an integrated approach to teaching, learning and assessment. It is intended to enable teachers to authenticate and confirm that students have carried out the assessment tasks set in accordance with their exam specification. Controlled Assessment applies control over internal assessment at three points: task setting; task taking and task marking. Three levels of control apply high, medium and low. 1. It is the responsibility of each Head of Department or Curriculum Leader to obtain the controlled assessment task details from the exam boards. 2. The Curriculum Leader should choose the most appropriate time for the controlled assessment to take place. 3. The Controlled Assessment may take place during timetabled class time. 4. Departments must plan when and how the assessment will take place, taking into account the accommodation and resources required. The Exams Officer and SLT link should be notified well in advance when a high level controlled assessment is taking place. Examinations Officer will make a notification entry on Assessment Calendar to track and monitor all controlled assessments. Notification for all internal assessments must be made well in advance so that exam attendance registers and invigilation sheets can be generated and distribute in time. 5. Relevant display materials must be removed or covered up. 6. All staff must be aware of the relevant level of control permitted (high, medium or low) as this will determine the level of permitted supervision e.g. high control means that students are under exam conditions. 7. Subject Leaders are to provide each member of staff with and internal assessment diary where they briefly note any information provided to the students and any guidance given to the students. This assessment diary is to be passed on to the relevant subject leader (who will need to file the records and their summary log with the assessment records). The summary log should summarise the key guidance points given to staff and it should also contain a record of all the information and guidance given to the students eg research extracts, diagrams, essay plans and bibliography etc 8. All assessment materials must be locked in a suitable secure cabinet at the end of each session. Subject leaders must keep a written note of the number of copies made and number of copies signed out and back in by each staff. 9. Separate candidate user accounts for exam use must be used for high control level work. These must have no access to internet or e-mail and must only be accessible during the controlled sessions. If work is saved on memory sticks these must be collected in after each session and locked away as in 8 above. Subject leaders must make necessary arrangements with the ICT technicians should separate user accounts are required. 10. If a student is absent, the teacher must allow that student the chance to make up the time if necessary. 11. For long absences, special consideration should be applied for. 12. Entries for controlled assessment must be made at the appropriate time in accordance to the relevant Specification and Awarding Body. Page 3
13. Attendance records from assessment sessions should be completed by the class teacher and passed on to the subject leader at the end of the assessment session. The Examinations Officer will provide the Subject Leader with candidate registers and an invigilation form requests must be made well in advance to ensure this happens. 14. Work may be handwritten in black ink or word processed. Printouts, charts and videos can be included where appropriate. 15. Where the specification permits students to work with others, e.g. during collection of data, any descriptions of the joint work must be in each candidate s own words. 16. Where work is assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the exam board, standardisation of marking must take place in the school if more than one teacher is involved in the assessing. Departmental time must be devoted to planning and implementing internal assessments prior to the examined session and standardisation after. 17. If suspected malpractice occurs, the Exams Officer and SLT link must be informed. 18. If a student s work is lost within the school, this must be reported to the exam board. 19. Authentication forms must be signed by the teachers and candidates (immediately after the completion). 20. Access arrangements do apply to controlled assessment. Subject leader must inform the Special Educational Needs (SEN) Coordinator of the assessment well in advance and necessary arrangements made. 21. The assessment marks must be submitted to the exam board by the appropriate date. 22. Candidates work must be securely stored as in 8 above until all results have been verified. 23. Re-sits of controlled assessment may be allowed in the next exam session but please check with the relevant Awarding Body if this is permitted. 24. After the results are published it may be possible to request a re-moderation of the work (please check costs with Awarding Body as these will be passed on to departments). 25. Internally controlled assessments must be retained in accordance with the guidance from the awarding body. Responsibilities (1) Head of Centre and Senior Leadership Team (SLT): a) Accountable for the safe and secure conduct of controlled assessments. To be familiar with Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) instructions for conducting controlled assessment and ensure assessments comply with JCQ guidelines and awarding bodies subject-specific instructions. b) In the Autumn term, begin coordinating with Heads of Department to schedule controlled assessments. (It is advisable that controlled assessments be spread throughout the academic Years of Key Stage 4 or as appropriate for GCSE courses studied in other Years). c) Map overall resource management requirements for the year. As part of this resolve: - clashes/ problems over the timing or operation of controlled assessments - issues arising from the need for particular facilities (rooms, IT networks, time out of school etc). d) Ensure that all staff involved have a calendar of events. e) Create, publish and update an internal appeals policy for controlled assessments. Page 4
(2) Examinations Officer (EO): a) To be familiar with JCQ instructions for conducting controlled assessment and other related JCQ documents. b) To be familiar with general instructions relating to controlled assessment from each relevant GCSE awarding body. c) In collaboration with Heads Of Department/Subject Leaders/Teachers in Charge of Subject, to submit controlled assessment marks to the relevant awarding body. d) In collaboration with Heads Of Department/Subject Leaders/Teachers in Charge of Subject, dispatch students assessments for moderation. e) In collaboration with Heads Of Department/Subject Leaders/Teachers in Charge of Subject, make appropriate arrangements for the security of controlled assessment materials. f) Enter students for individual units, whether assessed by controlled assessment, external exam or on-screen test, before the deadline for final entries. g) Enter students' 'cash-in' codes for the terminal exam series. h) To be responsible for receipt, safe storage and safe transmission, whether in CD or hard copy of confidential materials that are received directly by the exams office. i) Download and distribute marksheets for teaching staff to use, and collect and send marksheets to awarding bodies before deadlines. j) On the few occasions where controlled assessment cannot be conducted in the classroom arrange suitable accommodation where controlled assessment can be carried out, at the direction of the senior leadership team. (3) Heads Of Department / Subject Leader / Teacher in Charge (HOD): a) Decide on the awarding body and specification for a particular GCSE. b) To understand and comply with specific instructions relating to controlled assessment for the relevant GCSE awarding body. c) Ensure that at least 40% of overall assessment (controlled and/or external assessment) is taken in the exam series in which the qualification is certificated, to satisfy the terminal assessment requirement in accordance with the awarding body specification. d) To be familiar with JCQ instructions for conducting controlled assessment. e) Standardise internally the marking of all teachers involved in assessing an internally assessed component. To undertake appropriate departmental standardisation of controlled assessments where more than one teacher is responsible for the delivery of the subject. f) Ensure that individual teachers understand their responsibilities with regard to controlled assessment. g) Ensure that individual teachers implement for the appropriate access arrangements for SEN pupils. Page 5
h) Ensure that individual teachers understand the requirements of the awarding body's specification and are familiar with the relevant teachers' notes, and any other subject specific instructions. i) Where appropriate, develop new assessment tasks or contextualise sample awarding body assessment tasks to meet local circumstances, in line with awarding body specifications and control requirements. j) Supply to the Exams Officer details of all unit codes for controlled assessments. k) In collaboration with the Examinations Officer, to submit controlled assessment marks to the relevant awarding body for the specified date. l) In collaboration with the Examinations Officer dispatch students assessments for moderation. m) In collaboration with the Examinations Officer, make appropriate arrangements for the security of controlled assessment materials. (4) SENCO a) To be familiar with JCQ instructions for conducting controlled assessment with reference to special access arrangements. b) Co-ordinate requests from Heads of Department / Subject Leaders / Teachers in Charge of Subject for special access arrangements. c) Ensure access arrangements have been applied for. d) Work with teaching staff to ensure requirements for support staff are met. (5) Subject Teachers a) Understand and comply with the general guidelines contained in the JCQ publication Instructions For Conducting Controlled Assessments. b) Understand and comply with the awarding body specification for conducting controlled assessments, including any subject-specific instructions, teachers notes or additional information on the awarding body s website. c) To undertake controlled assessments in accordance with specific instructions from the relevant GCSE awarding body (and pre-assessment planning discussion with Head of Department). d) To take part in appropriate departmental standardisation of controlled assessments. e) Obtain confidential materials/tasks set by awarding bodies in sufficient time to prepare for the assessment(s) and ensure that such materials are stored securely at all times. f) Supervise assessments (at the specified level of control). Undertake the tasks required under the regulations, only permitting assistance to students as the specification allows. Page 6
g) Ensure that students and supervising teachers sign authentication forms on completion of an assessment. h) Mark internally assessed components using the mark schemes provided by the awarding body. Submit marks through the exams office to the awarding body when required, keeping a record of the marks awarded. i) Retain candidates work securely between assessment sessions (if more than one). j) Post-completion, retain candidates work securely until the closing date for enquiries about results. In the event that an enquiry is submitted, retain candidates work securely until the outcome of the enquiry and any subsequent appeal has been conveyed to the centre. k) Ask the appropriate special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) for any assistance required for the administration and management of access arrangements. (A) Task Setting In accordance with specific GCSE awarding body guidelines, Heads of Department/Subject Leaders/Teacher in Charge of Subject will be responsible for the selection of controlled assessment tasks from an approved list or for setting appropriate centre specific tasks. Subject Teachers will ensure that students understand the assessment criteria for any given assessment task. (B) Task Taking Controlled Assessment tasks will be undertaken with three levels of supervision: Formal (high level of control) Informal (medium level of control) Limited (low level of control) Heads of Department/Subject Leaders/Teachers in Charge of Subject will be responsible for ensuring that an appropriate level of supervision is in place for each part of an assessment task. Levels of supervision are clearly outlined in each subject specification. Levels of Supervision (1) At Hamstead Hall formal supervision means: Candidates will be under direct supervision at all times in most cases, supervision will be undertaken by the class teacher. Use of resources and interaction with others will be limited to what has been specified by the GCSE awarding body. Tasks will be undertaken during normal timetabled lessons in the usual teaching base. Use of mobile phones and internet / email access will be prohibited. Page 7
If candidates have to use electronic storage devices for their assessment work or related resources, appropriate checks will be made to ensure only permitted material is accessible. Subject specific display material with direct relevance to an assessment task will be covered. A record will be kept of the time, date of each assessment together with the name of the supervisor(s) and all students present for the assessment session(s). A separate record of any incidents which occur during assessments will also be kept. (2) At Hamstead Hall informal supervision means: Interaction with others, including group work is permitted. The level of supervision applied ensures that the school is able to confirm that plagiarism has not taken place and preparation for a final / formal assessment is the candidates own work. Sources used by candidate are clearly recorded. (3) At Hamstead Hall limited supervision means: Some aspects of work may be undertaken completely without supervision / outside the classroom this may include research and data collection. Class teachers will make close reference to the relevant awarding body s specifications when applying limited supervision. (C) Task Authentication and Marking Each year, before the first controlled assessment is conducted in school, all students in Year 10 will be issued with a copy of the JCQ Notice to Candidates GCSE and Principle Learning: Controlled Assessments. Candidates will be reminded of the key points from this document before completing each assessment task. Before assessment tasks are submitted, candidates will be required to sign a declaration confirming that the work is their own and that assistance given / sources used have been acknowledged. Class teachers responsible for supervising and marking controlled assessments are also required to sign a declaration confirming that candidates have completed work under the appropriate conditions and they are satisfied the work has been produced solely by that candidate. This school will adopt the JCQ declaration of authentication for controlled assessments or a similar document provided by the relevant GCSE awarding body. If either the candidate or the assessor is unable to sign this declaration, zero marks will be awarded for the assessment task. If candidate malpractice is suspected, this will be referred to the relevant Subject Leader and Examinations Officer who will follow the guidance set out in the JCQ instructions for controlled assessment. Page 8
Internally assessed tasks will be marked by the class teacher according to the requirements of the subject specification. Work will be annotated according to subject specification requirements. Internal standardisation will be completed before external moderation to ensure all work has been marked to the same standard. If a teacher teaches his / her own child, this will be declared as a conflict of interest and assessment work will be sent to the moderator whether it has been requested as part of the sample or not. If a controlled assessment task is to be externally assessed, all work and authentication declarations will be submitted according to awarding body requirements and deadlines. (D) Factors affecting individual candidates If a candidate misses part of a controlled assessment task through absence, an alternative supervised session will be organised by the Head of Department/Second In Department /Subject Leader/Teacher In Charge of Subject/Class Teacher. The school will follow the procedures set out in JCQ guidelines if assessment tasks are lost or accidentally destroyed at the school. Special Access Arrangements will be agreed according to the published JCQ guidance on Access Arrangements. This will be co-ordinated by the SENCO. The school will consider requests to repeat controlled assessment tasks if they are made before marks have been submitted to the relevant awarding body. Decisions will be made on an individual basis, by SLT in consultation with Subject Leaders. If a controlled assessment task was completed under formal supervision, a completely new task must be set under a new period of formal supervision. (E) Schedule for Controlled Assessment The school will produce a schedule showing periods of controlled assessment for each subject. This will be linked to the whole school calendar and extra curricular events in order to prevent candidates from missing important assessments. As far as possible the school will adhere to the published schedule of assessments. Page 9
Document: Controlled Assessment Policy released November 2010 Approval Date: Achievement and Learning Governors Sub Committee November 2010 Review Date: September 2015 Responsibility: This policy is compliant with the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) publication Managing GCSE Controlled Assessment. It is the responsibility of the Governors to review the policy at regular intervals and monitor its implementation. Approval date November 2010 Amended Date for next review Autumn Term 2015 Page 10
Risk Management Process Risks and issues Possible remedial action Staff Forward planning Action Timetabling Assessment schedule clashes with other activities Plan/establish priorities well ahead (e.g. start of academic year) for all subjects or lines of learning Plan dates in consultation with school calendar negotiate with other parties SLT, EO and Too many assessments close together across subjects or lines of learning Plan assessments so they are spaced over the duration of the course Space assessments to at least allow candidates some time between assessments SLT, EO with Accommodation Insufficient space in classrooms for candidates Insufficient facilities for all candidates Downloading awarding body set tasks Once group sizes are known at the start of the year, HOD to flag instances where regular classroom space may not be suitable to conduct controlled assessment Careful planning ahead and booking of rooms / centre facilities Use more than one classroom or multiple sittings where necessary SLT, EO,, SLT, EO,, ICT Team IT system unavailable on day of assessment Teaching staff unable to access task details Download tasks well ahead of scheduled assessment date in all cases Test secure access rights ahead of schedule every year and every session Book IT equipment well ahead and download tasks before scheduled date of assessment Ensure teaching staff have access rights for correct area of awarding body secure extranet sites ahead of time Validity of assessment Check task validity date Make sure task is still valid for the year of entry of the unit (with EO and ICT Tech) HODs
Loss of task details in transmission Download tasks well ahead of scheduled assessment date Report loss to awarding body for replacement; download again Absent candidates Candidates absent for all or part of assessment (various reasons) Plan alternative session(s) for candidates Candidates have a scheduling clash for exams or assessment Always consider candidate timetables well ahead and decide on priorities in advance to scheduling clashes Check before booking the date; provide an alternative date, where necessary and consult awarding body procedures for dealing with timetabling clashes SLT, EO and N.B. retakes of controlled assessment are limited and check validity dates Control levels for task taking Assessment is undertaken under incorrect level of control (time, resources, supervision and collaboration) Ensure teaching staff know what level is applicable and understand what is involved. Provide training if required Seek guidance from the awarding body and relevant teachers Supervision Student study diary/plan not provided or completed. (Not all controlled assessment will require the completion of a study diary or study plans.) Ensure teaching staff are aware of the need for study diary/plans to be completed early in course Ensure candidates start, continue and complete study diary/plans that are signed after every session Teaching staff do not understand supervision of controlled assessment is their responsibility Ensure teaching staff understand nature of controlled assessments and their role in supervision HODs, EO Suitable supervisor has not been arranged for an assessment where teaching staff are not supervising A suitable supervisor must be arranged for any controlled assessment where a teacher is not supervising, in line with the awarding body specification. Page 12
Task setting Teaching staff fail to correctly set tasks Ensure teaching staff understand the task setting arrangements as defined in the awarding body specification. (All tasks whether set by the awarding body or the centre/consortium must be developed in line with the requirements of the specification.) Seek guidance from the awarding body SLT, EO and Assessments have not been moderated as required in the awarding body specification Check specification and plan required moderation appropriately Seek guidance from the awarding body with SLT and EO Security of materials Assessment tasks not kept secure before assessment Ensure teaching staff understand importance of task security Request/obtain different assessment tasks Candidates work not kept secure during or after assessment Define appropriate level of security, in line with awarding body requirements, for each department as necessary Take materials to secure storage Insufficient or insecure storage space Look at provision for suitable secure storage early in the course Find alternative spaces Deadlines Deadlines not met by candidates Ensure all candidates are briefed on deadlines/penalties for not meeting them Mark what candidates have produced by deadline and seek guidance from awarding body on further action. and teachers, HOYS and LWDs Deadlines for marking and/or paperwork not met by teaching staff. Ensure teaching staff are given clear deadlines (prior to awarding body ones) to complete marking/paperwork so the exams office can process and send off marks ahead of Awarding Body deadlines Seek guidance from awarding body Page 13
Authentication Candidate fails to sign authentification form Ensure all candidates have authentication forms to sign and attach to work when it is completed before handing in Find candidate and ensure form is signed Teaching staff fail to complete authentication forms or leave before completing authentication Ensure teaching staff understand importance of authentication forms and the requirement of a signature Return form to staff for signature. Ensure forms are signed as work is marked, not at end of season and teachers Marking Teaching staff interpret marking descriptions incorrectly Ensure appropriate training and practicing of marking. Plan for sampling of marking during the practice phase. Arrange for remarking. Consult awarding body specification for appropriate procedure Centre does not run standardisation activity as required by the awarding body Plan against the requirements for standardisation for the awarding body when and how this activity will be conducted. Check with the awarding body whether a later standardisation event can be arranged. (with SLT) Page 14
HAMSTEAD HALL Academy Controlled Assessment Log Assessment Title Subject Date: Period and Time Teacher Teaching Group Guidance and Information given to students
HAMSTEAD HALL Academy Controlled Assessment Notification If a venue other than the usual classroom is required please make a request to LWS For SEN students that are entitled to additional access arrangements, please liaise with SENCO for support and further information Department Head of Department Date : Controlled Assessment Title Control Level: High Medium Low Controlled Assessment Request Date Day Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Period & Time Year Group Year 10 Year 11 Teaching Groups Page 16
Students requiring additional access arrangements Venue Page 17
HAMSTEAD HALL Academy Declaration of Authentication Controlled Assessments Each candidate is required to sign a declaration, before submitting their work to their subject teachers/assessors, stating that the work is their own and that any assistance given and/or sources used have been acknowledged The work you submit for assessment must be your own. If you copy from someone else, allow another candidate to copy from you, or if you cheat in any other way, you may be disqualified from at least the subject concerned. Declaration by candidate I have read and understood the Notice to Candidates (GCSE and Principal Learning: Controlled Assessments). I have produced the attached work without assistance other than that which is acceptable under the scheme of assessment. Candidate s name: Form:. Candidate s signature: Date: Declaration by teacher I confirm that: 1. The candidate s work was conducted under the conditions laid out by the specification; 2. I have authenticated the candidate s work and am satisfied that to the best of my knowledge the work produced is solely that of the candidate. Teacher s name: Teacher s signature:.date:.. 2010 Page 18
This notice has been produced on behalf of: AQA, City & Guilds, CCEA, Edexcel, OCR and WJEC Information for candidates GCSE and Principal Learning: Controlled Assessments This document tells you about some things that you must and must not do when you are completing your work. Before you submit any work for marking, you will be asked to sign an authentication statement confirming that you have read and followed these regulations. If there is anything that you do not understand, you must ask your teacher or lecturer. Controlled Assessment will provide you with an opportunity to do some independent research into a topic. The research you do may involve looking for information in published sources such as textbooks, encyclopedias, journals, TV, radio, and on the internet. Using information from published sources (including the internet) as the basis for your assignment is a good way to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of a subject, but you must take care how you use this material - you cannot copy it and claim it as your own work. The regulations state that: the work which you submit for assessment must be your own ; you must not copy from someone else or allow another candidate to copy from you. If you use the same wording as a published source, you must place quotation marks around the passage and state where it came from. This is called referencing. You must make sure that you give detailed references for everything in your work which is not in your own words. A reference from a printed book or journal should show the name of the author, the year of publication and the page number, for example: (Morrison, 2000, pg.29). For material taken from the internet, your reference should show the date when the material was downloaded and must show the precise web page, not the search engine used to locate it. This can be copied from the address line. For example: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/16/sosteacher/history/49766.shtml, downloaded 12 February 2011. You may be required to include a bibliography at the end of your work. Your teacher or lecturer will tell you whether a bibliography is necessary. Where required, your bibliography must list the full details of publications which you have used in your research, even where these are not directly referred to, for example: Morrison, A. (2000) Mary, Queen of Scots, London: Weston Press. If you copy the words or ideas of others and don t show your sources in references and a bibliography, this will be considered as cheating. Page 19
Preparing your work good practice If you receive help and guidance from someone other than your teacher, you must tell your teacher who will then record the nature of the assistance given to you. If you worked as part of a group on an assignment, for example, undertaking field research, you must each write up your own account of the assignment. Even if the data you have is the same, the description of how that data was obtained and the conclusions you draw from it should be in your own words. You must meet the deadlines that your teacher gives you. Remember - your teachers are there to guide you. Although they cannot give you direct assistance, they can help you to sort out any problems before it is too late. Take care of your work and keep it safe. Don t leave it lying around where your classmates can find it. You must always keep your work secure and confidential whilst you are preparing it; do not share it with your classmates. If it is stored on the computer network, keep your password secure. Collect all copies from the printer and destroy those you don t need. Don t be tempted to use essays from online essay banks this is cheating. Electronic tools used by awarding bodies can detect this sort of copying. Plagiarism Plagiarism involves taking someone else s words, thoughts or ideas and trying to pass them off as your own. It is a form of cheating which is taken very seriously. Don t think you won t be caught; there are many ways to detect plagiarism. Markers can spot changes in the style of writing and use of language. Markers are highly experienced subject specialists who are very familiar with work on the topic concerned they may have read the source you are using (or even marked the essay you have copied from!). Internet search engines and specialised computer software can be used to match phrases or pieces of text with original sources and to detect changes in the grammar and style of writing or punctuation. Penalties for breaking the regulations If your work is submitted and it is discovered that you have broken the regulations, one of the following penalties will be applied: the piece of work will be awarded zero marks; you will be disqualified from that unit for the examination series in question; you will be disqualified from the whole subject for that examination series; you will be disqualified from all subjects and barred from entering again for a period of time. Your awarding body will decide which penalty is appropriate. REMEMBER IT S YOUR QUALIFICATION SO IT NEEDS TO BE YOUR OWN WORK 2010 Page 20