When qualifications fail: reforming 14-19 assessment

This paper argues for a radical re-think of the way to approach 14-19 curriculum and assessment. The comparability framework has obscured and undermined the essential purposes of assessment, and constrained exam boards' ability to develop meaningful assessments for young people that meet both their own and the nuanced requirements of further/higher education and employers. The UK government's programme aims to challenge low expectations and make assessment more demanding, but its increasingly top-down, one-size-fits-all approach looks likely to discourage participation, and reduce the scope for young people to explore and demonstrate their aptitude for subjects beyond the core. To develop the skills Britain needs to succeed, there must be greater scope for innovation and diversity than the present proposals allow. A competitive market for qualifications is crucial.

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