Hundreds of students were entered for Maths GCSE with more than one exam board in 2016
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Exam
boards have launched a GCSE “double entry” investigation amid claims
that schools are breaking the rules to boost their league table
position.
Hundreds of students were entered for Maths GCSE with more than one exam board in 2016, figures from the Department for Education (DfE) and Ofqual, the exam regulator.
More than 50 schools “double entered” pupils for Maths GCSE
in summer 2016, according to data obtained under freedom of information
laws by the Times Education Supplement (TES).
Hundreds of students were entered for Maths GCSE with more than one exam board in 2016, figures from the Department for Education (DfE) and Ofqual, the exam regulator.
The practise is banned,
but schools but there is concern that schools are attempting to
increase their standing in league tables by giving pupils two attempts
at the Maths GCSE and then submitting the best mark.
Separate
data, obtained by maths teacher Mel Muldowney from Ofqual, revealed
that 172 centres – including settings other than schools – entered
students twice for maths GCSE, sometimes in different tiers.
“Double entry is going on,” Ms Muldowney, a maths teacher at Alcester Academy in Warwickshire, told TES. “I can understand why – the pressure of accountability and desire to want to get the best result for students.”
The DfE uses a system of discounting to ensure that where a pupil has taken two subjects that have an overlap in curriculum, the performance tables only give credit for one.
“Double entry is going on,” Ms Muldowney, a maths teacher at Alcester Academy in Warwickshire, told TES. “I can understand why – the pressure of accountability and desire to want to get the best result for students.”
The DfE uses a system of discounting to ensure that where a pupil has taken two subjects that have an overlap in curriculum, the performance tables only give credit for one.
The
performance table rules were changed in 2013, so that only the first
qualification taken in any subject was counted in the tables, but if
qualifications are taken on the same day, then the best result is used.
The
discounting guidance states: "However, schools should not vary the
published starting time for an examination if there is a clash between
papers of different awarding bodies or specifications in the same
subject."
A spokesman for JCQ said: "The awarding organisations will carry out an investigation into any possible GCSE double entry by centres in the summer season 2016.
"Malpractice remains rare and cases are usually identified through the rigorous JCQ Inspection Service visits, whistleblowers and data analysis.”
“The small number of potential GCSE double entries that have come to light are being reviewed carefully and JCQ will continue to monitor this in the future."
A spokesman for JCQ said: "The awarding organisations will carry out an investigation into any possible GCSE double entry by centres in the summer season 2016.
"Malpractice remains rare and cases are usually identified through the rigorous JCQ Inspection Service visits, whistleblowers and data analysis.”
“The small number of potential GCSE double entries that have come to light are being reviewed carefully and JCQ will continue to monitor this in the future."
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