What is Controlled Assessment?
Controlled assessment is internal assessment that replaces GCSE coursework from September 2010 and it also contributes to principle learning in the Diploma. It has been introduced by the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency to address some of the issues raised in coursework, such as plagiarism, teacher assistance and parental intervention.
Preparing students for Controlled Assessment:
The requirements for each subject are different and the Specifications give more detail about what preparation is required and appropriate. Generally teachers will need to
· teach an overview of the chosen topic/task before students set to work
· give students the context they need to understand the topic
· teach students any skills they will need for their tasks, such as research skills
- support and guide students throughout the research, drafting and write-up stages
Levels of control:
As the name suggests, it applies increased control over assessment of students’ work at three critical points:
- Task setting
- Task taking
- Task marking
Each stage has a level of control (high, medium or low) to ensure reliability and authenticity and to make assessments more manageable for teachers and students.
Teachers will ensure that the correct level of control is enforced at the appropriate time by following the instructions given in their chosen Specification.
Formal supervision (high level of control):
Students must be in direct sight of the supervisor at all times
The use of resources is tightly prescribed, normally only research folder/diaries
Students must complete all work independently
No assistance can be given to students
Informal supervision (medium level of control):
Students do not have to be directly supervised at all times but there must be adequate supervision to ensure that work can be authenticated
Teachers must ensure that
· the students’ work is their own
· plagiarism does not take place
· the contributions of individuals are recorded accurately
Students have access to resources
Students can work together
Students can receive limited oral and written guidance but model answers and writing frames are not permitted
Limited supervision (low level of control):
· Some work can be completed without supervision, outside the classroom/centre
- Students have access to resources
- Students can work together
- Students can receive guidance from teachers
Research diary/folder:
Each student should have a research diary/folder in which to record their research, planning, resources etc. It provides evidence that each student’s final assignment is their own work and that the ideas are their own. It should contain a note of all the sources used such as books, websites, DVDs etc (bibliography). It should also record all teacher feedback given to students. It may contain an essay plan but should not contain any lengthy passages of prose that can be copied out in the final assessment. It is perfectly acceptable for teachers to produce a simplified ‘student-friendly’ version of the assessment criteria to be stored in the diary.
Students may have access to their diary during the high control write-up phase but once this phase has started, no new material can be introduced into the research diary.
Storage of work:
Throughout the assessment period, all assessment materials (including mark schemes and student work) must be stored securely, usually in a locked cabinet/cupboard. Work produced over several sessions must be collected at the end of each session and stored securely, including, if appropriate, research folders/diaries. Work produced electronically must be saved securely to ensure it cannot be amended between sessions. Work stored on memory sticks etc should also be collected in after each session.
In some cases, where students are producing artefacts in Design & Technology or artwork in Art & Design, the locked classroom, studio or workshop will count as secure storage.
Test marking:
Teachers will mark work using the marking descriptions and other guidance provided by the Examination Board. The work will be standardized internally and prepared for external moderation in line with the requirements set by the Examination Board. Departments must not release or dispose of students’ work until after the closing date for enquiries about results or any subsequent appeal. Any concerns about malpractice should be discussed with the Examinations Officer. Guidance is provided in the Joint Council for Qualifications booklet “Instructions for conducting controlled assessments”, which has been given to all Heads of Department or Teachers in charge of subjects, together with Form JCQ/M1. Copies of the booklet and form can be found at www.jcq.org.uk.
Access arrangements:
These apply equally to controlled and external assessments, for example use of practical assistants, readers or additional time. Further details are available on the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) website (www.jcq.org.uk/exams_office). The SENCO will identify students requiring special consideration and applications will be made on behalf of these students by the Examinations Officer.
Outlining staff responsibilities - GCSE controlled assessment
Senior leadership team
· To ensure that the Heads of Departments they line manage are accountable for the safe and secure conduct of controlled assessments. Ensure assessments comply with JCQ guidelines and awarding bodies’ subject-specific instructions.
· At the start of the academic year, begin coordinating with Subject Leaders to schedule controlled assessments. (It is advisable that controlled assessments be spread throughout the academic years of key stage 4).
· 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.)
· Ensure that all staff involved within the line managed departments have been provided by the SL with a timetable of when controlled assessments are to be conducted within the academic year.
Subject Leader
· Decide on the awarding body and specification for a particular GCSE.
· 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.
· Standardise internally the marking of all teachers involved in assessing an internally assessed component. Ensure staff involved have been on appropriate training courses for the new specifications or that SL is satisfied that training/information has been cascaded down following their own attendance at training.
· Ensure that individual teachers understand their responsibilities with regard to controlled assessment and, in particular, the security and safe storage of materials and completed work.
· 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.
· Where appropriate, develop new assessment tasks or contextualize sample awarding body assessment tasks to meet local circumstances, in line with awarding body specifications and control requirements.
· Undertake and oversee the safe, secure storage of all controlled assessment materials within their department and report any malpractice or breach of security to the Examinations Officer and their SLT line manager.
· To report to the facilities team any additional requirements relating to additional secure storage and to give any materials to the Examinations Officer for secure storage, should there be insufficient or unsuitable storage facility.
· Supply to the exams office details of all unit codes for controlled assessments and confirm the examination entry list of students to be entered on each examination session are correct.
· 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.
Teaching staff
· Understand and comply with the general guidelines contained in the JCQ publication Instructions for conducting controlled assessments.
· 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.
· 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.
· Supervise assessments (at the specified level of control). Undertake the tasks required under the regulations, only permitting assistance to students as the specification allows.
· Ensure that students and supervising teachers sign authentication forms on completion of an assessment.
· 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.
Retain candidates’ work securely between assessment sessions (if more than one)
· Ask the appropriate special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) for any assistance required for the administration and management of access arrangements.
Exams office staff
· Enter students for individual units, whether assessed by controlled assessment, external exam or on-screen test, before the deadline for final entries, as confirmed by Subject Leaders.
· Enter students' 'cash-in' codes for the terminal exam series.
· Where confidential materials are directly received by the exams office, to be responsible for receipt, safe storage and safe transmission, whether in CD or hard copy format.
· Distribute marksheets for teaching staff to use, and collect and send marksheets to awarding bodies before deadlines.
- On the few occasions where controlled assessment cannot be conducted in the classroom, on request from the department, arrange suitable accommodation where controlled assessment can be carried out, at the direction of the senior leadership team.
· Ensure access arrangements have been applied for, as requests and evidence are provided by Special Educational Needs Dept.
Special educational needs coordinator/additional learning support
- Work with teaching staff to ensure requirements for support staff are met.
· Co-ordinate the assessment of students to establish whether examination access arrangements are required.
· Provide evidence and request for access arrangements to the Examinations Officer.
Further references:
Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (www.qcda.gov.uk)
The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) (www.aqa.org.uk)
OCR Examination Board (www.ocr.org.uk)
Edexcel Examination Board (www.edexcel.org.uk)
