HIGHER EDUCATION ulletin SUMMER 2012 HOW PREPARED ARE STUDENTS FOR STUDY AT HIGHER EDUCATION? WHAT NEXT FOR A LEVELS? A LEVEL REFORM A VIEW FROM HE UCAS QUALIFICATION INFORMATION REVIEW A LOOK AT THE HOUSE OF COMMONS EDUCATION COMMITTEE REPORT www.ocr.org.uk
Welcome to the summer edition of OCR s Higher Education Bulletin. Since our last edition the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, has announced his intentions to reform A Levels and has asked that Higher Education (HE) be put in the driving seat for this. We have welcomed this news and as you will know have been actively seeking the engagement of HE over the last two years through our forum programme and research schedule. Much of this edition therefore focuses on A Level reform. Are they prepared? Research findings on the preparedness of new undergraduates for degree level study CONTENTS Paul Steer, Partnerships Director, shares with you our current thinking and on page 4 Harriet Jones from the University of East Anglia, who has an interest in the area of transition from A Level to university, puts forward her view. Dr Irenka Suto from the Assessment and Research Division of Cambridge Assessment updates you on the three areas of research we have completed that look at the view of HE on students preparedness for HE. We presented some emerging findings at the UCAS conference in April and the research received quite a lot of media attention. We use Higher Education Bulletin to keep you updated on new qualifications that are relevant to you and your Admissions team. On page 10 we showcase our new Cambridge Technicals. Cambridge Technicals have UCAS points at Level 3 allowing students to use them to help achieve a university place. We hope you enjoy this latest edition of Higher Education Bulletin and, as always, we welcome your feedback or suggestions for any items or discussion points you might like to include. 4 What next for A Levels? 8 UCAS Qualification Information Review Sally Brown Email: Sally.Brown@ocr.org.uk Telephone: 01223 558 329 Mary Brennan Email: Mary.Brennan@ocr.org.uk Telephone: 024 7685 6342 6 A Level reform A view from HE 9 House of Commons Education Committee report In the Spring 2012 edition of Higher Education Bulletin, we explained how researchers at OCR s parent organisation, Cambridge Assessment, have devised a series of linked research studies relating to HE. An important goal of the Higher Education Research Programme is to generate an evidence base to inform future redevelopments of A Levels. The research team worked closely with colleagues in OCR on the first three studies in the programme, which have now been completed. These studies are: A questionnaire survey of 633 university lecturers on the impacts of qualifications for 16 to 19 year olds on HE Focus groups on lecturers views about the effectiveness of curricula for 16 to 19 year olds as preparation for university A literature review of the pedagogical differences between A Level and university. The research focuses on mathematics, biology and English, as well as a range of other subjects, and has involved representatives from a wide range of universities. Both qualitative and quantitative methods have been used as part of a mixed methods approach. Several striking findings have emerged. There is a healthy appetite among lecturers for engagement in research exploring the transition from A Level to HE. Most lecturers think that academic writing, self-directed study, independent inquiry and research, and critical thinking skills are weaknesses of typical undergraduates when they begin degree level study. Depth of subject knowledge is also a concern for some lecturers. History, English and mathematics are the A Level subjects considered to provide the best preparation for degree level study by lecturers across a wide range of subjects. According to 60% of lecturers, their institutions provide additional support classes for underprepared first-year undergraduates. Classes often focus on writing and independent learning skills. 72% of lecturers have had to adapt their teaching approaches to teach underprepared first-year undergraduates. The research received considerable media attention in early April, when the initial findings were presented at a UCAS conference in Birmingham. The presentation coincided with an exchange of letters between the Secretary of State for Education and the national regulator, Ofqual, setting out a new policy in which Higher Education is to have more influence on the development of future A Levels. Summaries of the research are available at http://tinyurl.com/7zc7wbv and full reports can be requested from the same website. This research is an important means of restoring and strengthening links between qualifications developers and HE. Our next programme of research consists of two related studies; the first comparing A Level questions with firstyear undergraduate exam questions and the second looking in more detail at additional support classes. In our research 72% of respondents said they now provide additional classes. By understanding more about these classes it may help us as we consider the redevelopment of A Levels. If either of these areas are of interest to you and you would like to get involved please email Dr Irenka Suto on Suto.I@cambridgeassessment.org.uk. 10 New vocational qualification suite added to UCAS tariff Vocational qualifications Telephone 024 76 851509 Facsimile 024 76 851633 Email vocational.qualifications@ocr.org.uk General qualifications Telephone 01223 553998 Facsimile 01223 552627 Email general.qualifications@ocr.org.uk 12 Get involved Over half of lecturers think that new undergraduates are underprepared for degree level study. ICT, teamwork, presentation skills and intellectual curiosity are the skills and attributes most likely to be considered strengths of typical undergraduates when they begin degree level study. 2 OCR HIGHER EDUCATION bulletin Summer 2012 OCR HIGHER EDUCATION bulletin Summer 2012 3
What next for A Levels? 4 OCR HIGHER EDUCATION bulletin Summer 2012 The depth and breadth in A Levels is amongst the most demanding anywhere in the world. Paul Steer, Partnerships Director, outlines OCR s view The exchange of letters between the Secretary of State for Education and the exams regulator Ofqual, 3 April 2012, set out a broad policy of A Level reform. In essence, the Secretary of State has asked that the next round of A Level development should reflect the express requirements of HE, in particular, the Russell Group universities. Time is short with, at the very least, a requirement that the syllabuses for the core, facilitating subjects are available to schools in September 2013. We believe awarding bodies have a vital role to play in facilitating the essential input of university departments and academics. OCR has a good track record of HE engagement, but we will need to accelerate our activity considerably as we move into the full development phase The view of our current incarnation of A Levels suggests room for improvement our own Cambridge Assessment research tells us that many new undergraduates lack some of the writing and research skills they need, that they lack fully developed critical thinking powers and that they struggle with use of maths. Ofqual found something similar in an Ipsos Mori report 1 that it commissioned. Could this be partly due to the design of A Levels? These views are echoed in the Ofqual study 2 that compares A Levels with international programmes of study aimed at similar age groups in 13 countries. There are worries expressed in the report that A Levels don t encourage study skills, that they lead to over-specialisation at an early age and that the forms of assessment aren t varied enough. But the truth is that if you look at any this research closely, yes, there are criticisms, but the A Level remains robust and well regarded. When asked, lecturers will mostly argue that the A Level is basically sound, and the Ofqual work on international comparisons discovered that the demand and content of A Levels compares very favourably with programmes in other countries. The depth and breadth in A Levels is amongst the most demanding anywhere in the world. Teachers, parents and students (perhaps the most critical stakeholders of all) also show high levels of confidence in the A Level, reflected in Ofqual s own annual stakeholder surveys. The activity of securing HE engagement is crucial to OCR. Unless we are able to demonstrate wide and deep engagement with the requirements of HE, the regulator will not accredit our A Levels. Ofqual has launched a consultation on A Level reform, which runs until 11 September 2012. In it, Ofqual sets out key proposals for change. From September 2013, existing resits should be curtailed with exams only available at the end of the year: No January session. Assessments will be at the end of the first and end of the second year of study. Only one opportunity to resit AS or A2 at the end of the year. That from September 2014, new A Levels should have revised approaches to assessment: A Levels should have a minimum of 60% external assessment 3. A broadly similar approach to assessment across all A Levels with the introduction of, multiple choice, extended writing and a greater emphasis on synoptic assessment. 1 Fit for Purpose? The view of the higher education sector, teachers and employers on the suitability of A Levels. Ipsos Mori Ofqual April 2002 2 International Comparisons in Senior Secondary Assessment Ofqual May 2012 3 Subjects such as art and design may require a greater percentage of internal assessment The future of AS From 2014 three options are proposed. 1. Abolishing the AS qualification a return to two-year linear course. 2. Making the AS a standalone qualification. AS could be completed in one year. The A Level would remain a two-year course of study and assessment as in option 1. 3. Retaining the AS qualification and its relationship to A Level, but with limited resits. Support for qualifications ensuring HE involvement in the design and sign off of new A Levels. To support Michael Gove s request that HE plays a much greater role in the design of A Levels, Ofqual is proposing a process of sign off which would require awarding organisations to have the support of 20 universities, of which 12 are highly respected in their field. There is currently much debate about how universities can lead on A Level development and how they can sign off syllabuses as meeting their requirements. Given the tight timelines, this debate is growing increasingly urgent. The consultation can be found on the Ofqual website and is open until 11 September 2012. Naturally, we welcome any efforts on the part of leaders in the HE community to encourage academics to participate in our development programmes and for leaders to recognise and acknowledge this participation. However, our experience shows that there is no lack of willingness on the part of HE to engage with awarding bodies. We are grateful for the support and commitment demonstrated by so many individuals from the HE community. OCR HIGHER EDUCATION bulletin Summer 2012 5
A Level reform a view from HE Harriet Jones, from the University of East Anglia, has spent 12 years looking at issues of transition and runs a preuniversity skills programme. Harriet Jones puts forward her view on the consultation What is your overall initial response to the consultation proposals? A real concern for me is that the timescale is just too tight. I worry that we have such a short time to get this right and if we don t get it right for the first round of redevelopment, what are the consequences for those students who sit the first set of redeveloped A Levels? the risk for A Level students is greater than for any other group of stakeholders. I am also worried that we might not be addressing key problems with the current system in this reform. I think the system within which the A Level sits also needs revisiting. Until we link this reform to the incentives of league tables and objective marking criteria we may not change some of the real issues around A Levels that go beyond core content those of academic skills and teaching to the test. I believe that there are some very positive features of current A Levels but the positive features do not allow assessment of skills associated with HE. It is extremely difficult to combine the two. What challenges do you think your organisation faces in implementing the proposals? The most obvious ones are incentives, time and personnel. Currently within my organisation individuals have very differing levels of involvement with schools, A Levels and awarding bodies. I personally have a lot of exposure to this issue through running a pre-university skills course, where I work with teachers and students of A Levels. For some in my organisation however, this isn t such a priority and they would not see themselves as being actively involved. HE has its own issues, only some of which have links to pre-university matters. Depending on the outcome of the consultation, the expected level of commitment needs careful consideration because the idea that we would have lots of time to work on this is completely unfounded. The issue of who will fund this type of commitment is crucial to the whole reform. The other area where there is challenge is for the admissions officers. It is difficult to understand the impact on A Level reform on admissions at the moment but there will need to be some good clear communications between parents, students and HE Institutions (HEIs). With different subjects being reformed at different times it is going to make the whole process a lot more complex. How is your organisation planning to respond? We have had internal meetings and have identified a need to audit individuals involvements with A Levels across the organisation. But other than that it is a bit wait and see and respond to the various consultations that are happening mostly on an individual basis. In terms of the plan to ask universities to sign off A Levels, it really doesn t matter which universities are asked to do this, as long as it is a number which represents the different groups of universities. We would not be happy if the involvement of HEIs was just from one representative mission group. On the specific proposal of AS, do you have view on the AS options? Do you think the AS should stay or go? AS qualifications do allow students to take a wider range of subjects in their first year of sixth form, and this is really valuable, especially for those who take exclusively arts or science subjects in their A2 year. AS levels also give universities an indication of the students abilities and so help when making their offers. The downside is the time taken up at the end of year 12 in exams, which could be spent in further study time. More crucial though is the debate over resits. I think it is a brave school that doesn t use the current resit position to enhance its students grades. There are some schools out there who believe in a more linear form of testing and a skills-based approach to teaching. I think the position of multiple resits has led to a culture of not having to do your best because you can always have another go. This is often a problem when students come into HE where resitting an exam means having a capped result. It can also impact on their attitude to revision. They are not fully briefed in what a resit in HE really means, in terms of capped results and having only one opportunity. On the proposal that HE should have particular role in determining what should be taught and assessed, within your subject area, do you think core content will be easy to define? Absolutely within my subject of biology. In the past I have been involved with something similar and it has been easy to define the core. But I don t think content is the issue. It is much more about academic skills and this needs addressing as much as content. For biology this would be mathematical skills and academic writing in particular. I believe the best way forward with this is to embed numerical aspects of biology in the curriculum and assessment and encourage the take up of the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). The other area is ensuring that students have the opportunity to be curious about their subject. I wouldn t want to see content so heavy that it ruled out the possibility for intellectual curiosity. I really value the EPQ and would like to see this take a more prominent role in A Level reform. At the moment the EPQ allows to address many of the academic skills that seem to be missing from studying A Levels alone. One suggestion is that each new qualification has sign off from 20 universities, of which 12 must be highly respected. How do you see this working? To me, this seems over the top. I can t really understand why 20. I would have thought one or two from each of the representative mission groups would be sufficient. There is trust amongst academics. We are pretty much all saying the same things about A Level reform. I also believe strongly that teachers really need a voice. I am concerned that it appears they are not being consulted enough. What would you most like to see as a result of this reform of A Levels? For me the biggest problem is the inability to distinguish between students achieving A grades. I would like to see this initiative address the problem by splitting the A grade so that we don t have 25% of students getting an A grade. It would really help in selection across all universities so that those who most deserve it get places at the top institutions. It would allow the sector as a whole to plan their programmes more effectively. I would like all students who plan to go to university to do the EPQ and this to be a requirement for entry to university so that schools can allocate enough funds for it. This qualification, in combination with subject-based A Levels would prepare students well for HE. I would also want to see some of the system issues addressed and don t really see how we can reform A Levels without doing this. I would like this process to be thought out over several years so that exam boards can address all issues, schools can prepare, and the pupils should have confidence in the qualifications they are taking. And finally, I would like to see improved information, advice and guidance, to address intellectual readiness. More information about the preuniversity skills course can be found at www.preuniversityskills.com and www.skillsforuni.com. 6 OCR HIGHER EDUCATION bulletin Summer 2012 OCR HIGHER EDUCATION bulletin Summer 2012 7
UCAS Qualification Information Review Findings and Recommendations Following an extensive consultation that closed in April this year UCAS has published their report detailing the outcomes entitled Qualifications Information Review Findings and Recommendations Reporting on each of the six recommendations set out in the initial consultation document, the report confirms that there is a need for further consultation with key stakeholders before any further action can be taken on many of the changes they had initially proposed. A more detailed timeline of further activity is due in Autumn this year Recommendation 1 Develop UCAS Qualification Information Profiles (QIPS) this had been widely supported but it was recognised that work with qualification regulators and awarding organisations was needed to scope and populate such documents. Recognition that as development is reliant upon UK qualification regulators, that their existing external policy agenda may have a critical influence as to when this work is undertaken and completed. Recommendation 2 Gradual withdrawal of UCAS Tariff points to set entry requirements. whilst there was strong support for a move to grade /qualification based entry requirements, there was also recognition that just short of 20% of HEIs who would wish to see use of the Tariff to remain in place. UCAS are therefore proposing maintaining a tariff system for the short to medium term for further work to be undertaken to develop good practice / guidance in this area. Recommendation 3 Development of rigorous means of comparing qualification demand the need for a comparison metric in terms of demand strongly supported by respondents however the over concentration on academic demand alone was questioned. UCAS will work with the qualification regulators to capture the range of skills and achievements valued across HE, in addition to academic demand. Work to commence in Autumn 2012, but again recognition of external policy factors that may influence any final timeline. The suggestion that CRAS should be used within this context also questioned as it was recognised that this had been devised to enable item level comparison and was therefore not suitable for use at qualification level. Recommendation 4 Provision of simple qualifications metric for management information purposes - again there was support for such a metric which will need to reflect demand and size of qualifications but recognition that this is dependent upon achievement of recommendation 3 above - until this is in place the existing tariff to remain. Recommendation 5 Publication of annual report welcomed UCAS to scope and then action and publish annual report (timeline to be set out in Autumn 2012). Recommendation 6 Development of optional admissions tools feeling that this is contingent upon achievement / outcomes of work in respect of recommendations 1, 3 and 4. UCAS will work with those expressing an interest to determine what tools could be provided. UCAS s decision to continue to work on this project is to be welcomed. The areas of concern highlighted replicate many of the concerns that OCR had raised in its response to the consultation. Key areas that we think still require further work, are the potential for the proposals for narrowing of the curriculum and defining the concept of academic demand. (a) potential to narrow the curriculum The fact that a qualification attracts UCAS points is a key factor, sometimes disproportionately, on the uptake of technical and vocational programmes aimed at 16-19 year olds. Their gradual withdrawal in particular would impact on the patterns of uptake of vocational qualifications with a shift over time towards A Levels. (b) defining academic demand The concept of academic demand needs to be considered in greater depth. There is a need to take account of variability between units, grades and subjects. In this context it is worth quoting from Michael Gove s recent letter to Ofqual on the reform of A Levels: I would not wish standards in any particular subject to be constrained artificially as a result of any concept of comparability between subjects. An effective measure, if such a thing could be developed and used on an industrial scale, would need to show up variations between subjects within A Levels and not just between qualification types or families. Policy update House of Commons Education Committee The Administration of Examinations for 15 19 year olds in England The House of Commons Education Committee report on the administration of examinations for 15-19 year olds in England has recommended retaining the current system of competing awarding bodies, but subject to a series of reforms, including the creation of national subject committees and national syllabuses. The background to the report includes concerns raised by Higher Education and employers, errors in exam questions and issues of grade inflation. 73 submissions were received from a range of interested parties and Ofqual and the Department for Education. The main recommendations include: Retention of competition between examination boards for A Levels and GCSEs The report rules out the introduction of a franchise system (one exam board per subject). It claims that such a model would be a one way street that it might be costly and bureaucratic and that it could introduce the kind of systemic risks seen in the franchising of national tests. A study by the Welsh Institute of Social and Economic Research, Data and Methods (WISERD), suggests graduates completing the Welsh Baccalaureate course fare less well than those who have not. Professor Gareth Rees, Director of WISERD, who led the study said, The results we have, at a minimum, raise a question mark over how effective the Welsh Bacc core is in preparing students for studies in higher education. The Welsh Bacc was introduced under pilot conditions almost a decade ago. Its framework brings together mainstream qualifications (general and/or vocational) with a core made up of small modules including team enterprise activities, community participation and consideration of Wales s place in Europe and the world. On 31 May, Welsh Government published a major consultation that seeks views on qualifications taken by 14 to 19 year olds in Wales. This is a key and public phase of the review. The review aims to identify the qualifications that are most relevant, and will consider ways in which qualifications can be designed and managed so that they are valued, understood and are available to learners. These considerations include the assessment of GCSEs, A Levels and vocational qualifications, and issues such as qualification size, performance measurement and programme design. Jeff Cuthbert AM, Deputy Education Minister in Welsh Government, confirmed that its Review of Qualifications for 14-19-year-olds would include a number of considerations specifically about the Welsh Bacc, including introducing grading students at the Advanced (Level 3) Level to replace the current pass/fail arrangement. In recommending that the current competitive model is maintained, however, it recommends some significant changes to: the roles of exam boards the creation of national syllabuses and national subject committees a strengthened, more focussed role for the regulator. Introduction of national syllabuses and national subject committees The committee believes that there is evidence that the current system encourages boards to develop syllabuses which schools will choose, not because of their inherent educational value, but because of the likelihood of getting good grades. The report recommends that national subject committees, overseen by Ofqual, the examinations regulator, should develop single, national syllabuses, upon which all exam boards must base their exams. National subject committees would also play a role in the ongoing monitoring of GCSEs and A Levels. Reduction in role of exam boards in providing support for teachers and the endorsement of support materials Greater controls are recommended to prevent conflicts of interest in the roles of examiners as trainers and authors of support materials. It is recommended that Ofqual prevents any exclusive arrangements between publishers and boards, and floats the idea that learned bodies, rather than exam boards, should endorse text books. Strengthened, more focussed regulation The report asks government to clarify which is the main imperative for Ofqual its duty to secure comparability with the best of international standards, or to secure comparability of standards in England over time. It also asks for attention to be paid to the potential divergence of standards between England, Wales and Northern Ireland due to the effect of devolved education policies, especially in relation to the structure of GCSEs. What s happening to qualification reform in Wales and Northern Ireland? The deadline for responding is 1 September. The Review Panel will submit its recommendations to Welsh Ministers in November. Northern Ireland s Education Minster, John O Dowd, has met with his Welsh counterpart Leighton Andrews and discussed the similarities between the two education systems. Mr O Dowd stated he would not be considering a change to GCSEs in Northern Ireland but that he was looking into the proposed A Level reform in England and confirmed that he has tasked officials to engage with the vice chancellors of Queen s University and the University of Ulster, and with school principals, to explore the issue of A Level reform. 8 OCR HIGHER EDUCATION bulletin Summer 2012 OCR HIGHER EDUCATION bulletin Summer 2012 9
Qualification update Cambridge TECHNICALS New vocational qualification suite added to UCAS tariff The OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technicals in IT, Business, Health and Social Care, Sport, Art and Design, and Media have been launched. They ve been developed to prepare students for HE by assessing practical application of knowledge and understanding, in addition to providing opportunities to demonstrate selfdirected learning and extended writing skills. And with the assessment being task based, there are many opportunities for students to undertake research independently as they work through a particular task. Adrian Murray, OCRs Curriculum leader for Business talks about the Cambridge Technical in Business. The Cambridge Technical uses a taskbased approach to assessment, which is particularly relevant to the business world. The tasks are not set, enabling teachers to adapt their delivery to suit the local environment. This enables the use of a real investigative approach and offers opportunities for learners to develop a range of research skills that will prepare them for Higher Education. One mandatory unit requires learners to gain and demonstrate knowledge of business organisations. They are encouraged to independently select, compare and contrast two local businesses by arranged visits or by direct communication with the businesses they have chosen. This practical application not only develops independent research and self-directed study, but will seek to help learners to develop their thinking skills within the business context. There are also numerous opportunities for learners to demonstrate the ability to undertake extended writing for example within the Business and Economic Environment unit, learners are required to evaluate the consequences of fiscal and monetary policies on a selected business. Learners are therefore provided with the opportunity to undertake an extended piece of writing based upon detailed research into a business chosen by the learner. Within the Level 3 IT Cambridge Technicals a learner could, for example be asked to research three different types of organisation and their usage of e-commerce and to report back on this to a client; they might examine the risks associated with the way these organisations are using e-commerce and compare the pros and cons of using e-commerce for the organisations researched. They could then be asked to produce a strategy for e-commerce in a particular kind of business or a business in a particular sector and provide support for their chosen strategy. The focus throughout the units is on the application of knowledge to real businesses which should enable learners to develop a broader and deeper understanding across the range of business topics that they study. All or our Cambridge Technicals are available in the following sizes: Certificate: Introductory Diploma: Subsidiary Diploma: Diploma: Extended Diploma: 180 GLH 360 GLH 540 GLH 720 GLH 1,080 GLH The achievement of a Cambridge Technical is graded, with candidates being able to achieve a pass, merit, distinction or a distinction*. To achieve the higher grades, students are required to demonstrate greater depth and breadth of knowledge alongside evidence of analytical and evaluative skills within the subject area. A twiceyearly moderation visit underpins the internal assessment methodology. The Cambridge Technicals have been reviewed by the UCAS expert panel and have been awarded the following UCAS points in line with comparable 16+ vocational qualifications. Overall, the take up for centres looking to teach any of our Cambridge Technicals in September 2012 is looking positive. Our next phase of development will cover Science and Performing Arts, with the aim of launching for first teaching in September 2013. You can find out more about Cambridge Technicals, including access to all relevant scheme documentation, at cambridgetechical.org.uk. Level 2 Qualification Credit GLH OCR Level 2 Cambridge Technical Certificate 15 90 OCR Level 2 Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate 30 180 OCR Level 2 Cambridge Technical Diploma 60 360 Level 3 Qualification Credit GLH UCAS Points OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Certificate 30 180 D* = 70 D = 60 M = 40 P = 20 OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma 60 360 D* = 140 D = 120 M = 80 P = 40 OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Subsidiary Diploma 90 540 D*D* = 210 D*D = 200 DD = 180 DM = 160 MM = 120 MP = 100 PP = 60 OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Diploma 120 720 D*D* = 280 D*D = 260 DD = 240 DM = 200 MM = 160 MP = 120 PP = 80 OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma 180 1080 D*D*D* = 420 D*D*D = 400 D*DD = 380 DDD = 360 DDM = 320 DMM = 280 MMM = 240 MMP = 200 MPP = 160 PPP = 120 We would also be more than happy to answer any questions you may have either by email or by telephone if you would find this helpful. Please email partnerships@ocr.org.uk, or telephone 024 7685 6006. 10 OCR HIGHER EDUCATION bulletin Summer 2012 OCR HIGHER EDUCATION bulletin Summer 2012 11
Interested in getting involved? OCR runs a series of consultative forums, a Higher Education (HE) strategic forum and eleven subject consultative forums. The forums allow OCR to consult with key subjectbased stakeholders so that their requirements and expertise can inform OCR s plans and developments. The HE forum runs three times a year and the subject forums twice a year. The HE forums membership is solely from HE while the subject forums membership comprises a range of people from across the subject community, including teachers, representatives from subject and professional associations, learned societies, charitable organisations and employers. We want to hear and listen to a wide range of views if you are interested why not join us at one of our forums: OCR Consultative Forum Timetable 2012/13* HE Strategic Forum 15 November 26 February 27 June Modern Foreign Languages 19 September 6 March Maths 27 September 12 March Psychology 2 October 19 March Economics 12 October 16 April Business 18 October 23 May Geography (NEW) 23 October 23 April IT and Computing 17 October 25 April English 14 November 30 April Science 22 November 2 May Health and Social Care 20 November 20 May History 28 November 15 May * Please note, some of the dates for 2013 have changed since the printing of the HE Bulletin Summer edition If you would like to know more please do not hesitate to contact Sally Brown on Sally.Brown @ocr.org.uk or Annette Allen on Annette.Allen@ocr.org.uk Who we are OCR (Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations) is a leading UK awarding body, committed to offering qualifications that engage learners of all ages, at school, college, in work or through part-time learning programmes to achieve their full potential. OCR is a not for profit organisation so success, for us, is measured through the impact and reach of our activities and the scale of our contribution to helping learners realise their aspirations. Our purpose is to work in partnership with others to provide qualifications that support education in ways which enable all learners to reach their full potential and to recognise and celebrate their achievements. Each year more than three million students gain OCR qualifications, which are offered by 13,000 centres including schools, sixth form colleges, FE colleges, training providers, voluntary organisations, local authorities, and businesses ranging from SMEs to multinational organisations. OCR is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, a department of the University of Cambridge The Cambridge Assessment Group incorporates three major exam boards: University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE), Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR) and University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL). In the UK, the Cambridge Assessment Group are the only public examination boards affiliated to a university. It plays a leading role in researching, developing and delivering educational assessment to eight million learners in over 150 countries every year. OCR Customer Contact Centre Vocational qualifications Telephone 024 76 851509 Facsimile 024 76 851633 Email vocational.qualifications@ocr.org.uk General qualifications Telephone 01223 553998 Facsimile 01223 552627 Email general.qualifications@ocr.org.uk For staff training purposes and as part of our quality assurance programme your call may be recorded or monitored. OCR 2012 Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations is a Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England. Registered office 1 Hills Road, Cambridge CB1 2EU. Registered company number 3484466. OCR is an exempt charity. 5037037398