National Assembly
for WalesÕ Children, Young People and Education Committee
Consultation
Provision of
textbooks and learning resources for pupils taking reformed general
qualifications (GCSEs and A Levels) in Wales
NAHT welcomes the
opportunity to submit evidence to the Children, Young People and
Education committee.
NAHT represents more
than 29,000 school leaders in early years, primary, secondary and
special schools, making us the largest association for school
leaders in the UK.
We represent, advise
and train school leaders in Wales, England and Northern Ireland. We
use our voice at the highest levels of government to influence
policy for the benefit of leaders and learners
everywhere.
Our new section,
NAHT Edge, supports, develops and represents middle leaders in
schools.
The invitation to
submit evidence to the National Assembly for WalesÕ
Children, Young People and Education Committee in relation to the
consultation focusing on the provision of textbooks and learning
resources for pupils taking reformed general qualifications (GCSEs
and A Levels) in Wales is welcome.
NAHT Cymru will
supply both generic and subject specific evidence supplied by
school leaders.
Introduction
- NAHT membership range Ð
Headteachers, Deputy Headteachers, Assistant Headteachers and
Middle Leaders across all school sectors.
Our newest section,
NAHT Edge, includes Heads of Departments, Heads of 6th
Forms and Assessment Lead Staff. Therefore, NAHT is well placed to
present evidence concerning the provision of textbooks and learning
resources for pupils taking reformed general qualifications (GCSEs
and A Levels) in Wales.
General
views
- Initial feedback from schools
suggested general concern about an apparent disconnect between
first teaching of new courses and the timely production of relevant
support materials and resources.
- In terms of
shortages of necessary Welsh-medium, or English medium, textbooks
or learning resources for pupils in Wales undertaking their GCSEs
or A Levels, it is an extremely variable picture.
- Certain subjects
have textbooks available but many of them were not available until
a significant period after the start of initial teaching of a new
course.
- This has resulted in some
significant frustration from school staff, a loss of confidence in
the ability to effectively implement qualification reforms in a
timely manner and the need to develop a more open and supportive
communication strategy for specific subject areas, particularly
during the transition / implementation period
Specific
detail:
- For example, some
schools have reported that although Mathematics AS teaching started
at the start of the school year, Unit 1 textbooks were not
available until January 2018 and Unit 2 not until March 2018 and
none are yet available for Units 3 or 4. One school reported that
Practice test materials for Mathematics AS are to be published in
June 2018 Ð if this is correct, it will be in the month
following the AS examination.
- A number of subject
practitioners have reported that some of the materials that have
been published appear to of variable in quality. For example,
English Language resources containing high-tariff question examples
do not have appropriate mark schemes, or suitable exemplars.
Furthermore, subject leaders suggest that the exemplars do not
reflect how examiners will actually award marks.
- Mathematics GCSE first teaching
began in 2015 and WJEC textbooks were published shortly afterwards,
however, practitioners report errors in the materials and have
suggested that the materials appear to be an adaptation of
materials from an England-based examination board and not produced
specifically for Wales.
- Geography textbooks for GCSE
have been described as overly ÔwordyÕ, not making it
as easily accessible as it should be for students.
- Media Studies AS textbooks share
both WJEC and Eduqas schemes of work producing significant
confusion between the two.
- Members report that Physical
Education, both GCSE and AS texts, are too brief and do not appear
to cover the entire course specification.
- There are a number
of subjects where schools continue to report that textbooks and
other relevant materials are still not available despite a
significant period after first teaching has passed.
- For example, NAHT
have received reports that Mathematics AS Unit 3 and 4, ICT for
both GCSE and AS, Media Studies GCSE and Geography A Level, have no
endorsed textbooks available yet. This means that from first
teaching, ranging from 8 months ago to a year and 8 months ago
(depending upon the specific subject and course), students and
staff have not had access to appropriate resources to support
study.
- It is unsurprising, given the
above evidence from schools concerning resources and support
materials, that there is genuine fear that students will be
disadvantaged during their studies. As a result there is also
significant danger of student outcomes being affected.
- Staff believe that in certain
subject areas, such as Mathematics, pupils will be facing the
unknown regarding how the content will be examined. The perception
previously was that the WJEC exams Ð on the whole Ð were
uniform in the way the content was examined. There is growing
concern that neither pupils or staff know what will constitute a
certain grade as the grade boundaries are unclear.
- NAHT evidence suggests that the
current situation will have a direct negative impact on pupil
outcome. Staff are reporting that they are less confident that they
are covering the full content with the required depth, knowledge
and understanding needed to fully support their students, due to
issues related to support materials and resources.
- For example, there appeared to
be a significant range of issues for ICT, Staff reported that,
Ôcurrent Year 12 students are effectively going in blind as
no real resources for new specifications have been issued. No new
textbook is available yet, nor any exemplar resources. A meeting
was held in September explaining the changes but little help was
forthcoming despite requests from numerous teachers on the
day.Õ Very little was able to be offered at that time in
terms of support or solutions. In addition, changes to the way
controlled assessment samples are to be uploaded (PDF format only,
no other formats allowed) will impact on how the studentÕs
work is moderated and this creates a huge administrative task for
staff. In addition, students have had to revisit work and produce
high numbers of screen shot evidence when marks were previously
awarded by viewing the actual products they had created. Changing
to this system was confirmed late.
- In Media Studies some sample
assessment materials are available but staff feel that a WJEC
endorsed textbook at GCSE would provide clearer guidance for a
vastly changed course. The current AS textbook is unclear due to
the two schemes of work included and will likely cause candidate
confusion.
- There appears to be a growing
disquiet amongst staff as a result of the current situation and
confidence that resource issues will be resolved and improved in
the future is relatively low in most of the subject areas we have
cited in our evidence. History textbooks appear to be somewhat of
an exception with a sense that the materials cover the
distinctiveness of the Welsh Curriculum in History particularly
well.
Conclusion
- There appear to be a number of
fundamental issues that need to be addressed in order to rebuild
the required school / staff confidence. This is true for both the
support materials themselves and in staff feeling confident that
they are delivering broad coverage, in depth and with full content
knowledge for all subject / course specifications.
- Clearly, textbook and support
materials need to accurately and fully reflect the full course
specification in ever subject. A broad range of exemplar materials
are required with accurate and relevant mark schemes. Assessment
material samples should reflect expectations required for the final
examination so that students understand and are able to aspire to
the highest of standards that reflect their true
potential.
- It would have been of great use
to all schools to know when all of the resources were to be
available and, whilst this may now be the case, ideally, the
timetable should have been mapped out to ensure everything was in
place prior to first teaching of all reformed subjects.
- Form a school subject staff
point of view, regular feedback and communication with the
examination board subject lead officers is invaluable and should be
an expectation in every subject area, and, at an increased level
for all newly reformed examinations.
- Bringing in such significant
changes to qualifications before ensuring all support materials
were in place has proven to be unfair for both staff and students.
A positive working relationship between WJEC, Qualifications Wales
and school-based teaching staff, with regular direct communication
must be the overall aim and is clearly in the best interest of
students.
Rob Williams
Policy Director Ð NAHT
Cymru