Developing A Levels with higher education
As part of its Higher Education (HE) engagement programme our UK exam board, OCR, has set up a central HE Forum with representation from across the sector from admissions tutors, managers and other personnel. In addition, eleven subject groups have been set up with over 70 institutions and nearly 200 HE staff, with learned societies, employers and teachers being involved in direct development discussions.
The exams regulator, Ofqual, launched a consultation on A Levels which closed in September 2012. OCR responded to the consultation using information gained from workshops about A Level reform as well as data received from The Great A Level Debate, a survey of more than 800 teachers which was conducted in partnership with TES. To read OCR’s submission to the consultation, please contact us at partnerships@ocr.org.uk
Cambridge Assessment’s Research Division is supporting OCR with a significant programme of research to provide evidence to support developments in qualifications and curricula.
OCR HE Consultative Forum
The purpose is to inform a strategic understanding of the requirements of qualifications designed to prepare young people for higher education.
OCR gathered a substantial range of views from HE about A Levels and the 16-19 curriculum (and wider) which it then tested out in a series of road shows aimed at those involved with first year undergraduates. Around 60 academics attended the events, which took place in January 2012.
A number of common themes and issues associated with the transition of young people to HE emerged. For example, differentiation is increasingly difficult due to the sheer increase in number of entrants combined with the volume of students achieving high grades. From this, OCR was able to identify key requirements such as skills being as important as knowledge and that HE wants students who are motivated, with the potential to succeed.
HEI members include: Aston, Bath, Bedfordshire, Birmingham, Cambridge, Cardiff, Coventry, De Montfort, Durham, East Anglia, IoE, Keele, Kent, Liverpool, Lancaster, Leeds, Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan, Nottingham, Oxford, Oxford Brookes, Queen Mary- University of London, Queen’s University Belfast, Reading, Sheffield, Strathclyde, Southampton, Surrey, University College London, Warwick, Winchester, York.
OCR Subject Forums
- These were set up to: identify key requirements and issues relating to qualifications in the subject area; and share and discuss relevant information about emerging policy developments which may impact on the future design and purpose of qualifications and the curriculum.
- The subject forums cover: Business, Economics, English, History, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Psychology, Science, IT & Computing and Health & Social Care. There is also a Humanities forum which is focussed on a specific qualification development.
- Members include HE institutions and staff, learned societies, employers and teachers.
To join OCR's partnership with Higher Education, please email sally.brown@ocr.org.uk
