Webinar: Supporting the profession: Teacher assessed grades

In this webinar chaired by Professor Dame Alison Peacock (Chief Executive, Chartered College of Teaching), we heard guidance on teacher assessed grades in replacement of exams this Summer from Hayley White (Assessment Director, Pearsons), Ian Bauckham CBE (Chair, Ofqual), Dr Mick Walker FCCT (Vice Chair, CIEA), and Christine Fearon (Lead Assessor Programme and Vice Principal, St Paul’s High School).

Shared materials:

• Download the audio transcript
• Download Hayley White’s slides *coming soon
• Pearsons Summer 2021 Report
• Joint Council for Qualifications Guidance on the determination of grades for A/AS Levels and GCSEs for Summer 2021
• Herts CIEA Lead Assessor Programme
• Responding to the Ofqual consultation on awarding grades? Some issues from our members to consider
• In awarding grades, we must recognise the significant disruption students have faced
• Awarding qualifications in summer 2021: Urgent action required
• Summer exams: Clearing the path of uncertainty to clarity and consistency

About our speakers:

Hayley White, Assessment Director, Pearsons

As the Assessment Director Pearsons, Hayley is responsible for the assessment of all Pearson Edexcel GCE and GCSE qualifications, which sees over 17,000 examiners mark more than 7 million exam papers every year. Her remit extends from the strategic management and operational delivery of all assessment activities from the creation of question papers to the setting of grade boundaries.

Hayley has a proven track record of excellent operational delivery; ensuring – without exception – 100% completion of delivery activities within a highly regulated environment. She has extensive experience of organisational development, change management, and maximising business development opportunities. Hayley is responsible for supporting teachers in their understanding of the assessment approach and processes and is always eager to cease opportunities to raise awareness.

Hayley is passionate about maximising performance, be that through the coaching of individuals or motivating large groups of people, who are often required to deliver in a high-pressure environment.

Ian Bauckham CBE, Chair, Ofqual

Ian has worked in education since graduating from Cambridge University. He led a modern languages department and a sixth form before becoming headteacher of a large comprehensive in Kent. The school was graded outstanding and is a Teaching School and SCITT. Ian was president of ASCL 2013-14. He now leads a trust of 8 schools including a free school.

Ian chaired a review of Modern Languages in 2016 which led to the establishment of National Centre for Excellence in Languages Pedagogy at York University. He is the Department for EducationThe ministerial department responsible for children’s services and education in England advisor on RSHE and has led on the implementation of statutory RSHE in primary and secondary schools. He has been the Chair of Oak National Academy since it started in April 2020, and from January 2021 took over as chair of Ofqual. He is also chairing the DfE’s review of the ITTInitial teacher training - the period of academic study and time in school leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) Market. He has been a trustee of NFER, and remains a trustee of Sabre Education which supports kindergarten education in Ghana. He was awarded the CBE in 2017 for services to education.

Dr Mick Walker FCCT, Vice-Chair, Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors

Mick’s teaching career extended over eighteen years working in secondary, sixth form and Further Education institutions as well as work in Higher Education as an external examiner. He has worked as a local education authority adviser working with primary and secondary schools. Throughout his career, he has been closely associated with the assessment system holding the posts of chief examiner, senior moderator and external university examiner. Mick joined the National Curriculum Council in 1992 and worked on several iterations of the National Curriculum and non-statutory guidance.

A former acting Director of QCA and Executive Director of Education at the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA), Mick was accountable for National Curriculum assessments (2008-11), supporting the delivery of general qualifications and oversight of the National Curriculum. He was an adviser to the DfEDepartment for Education - a ministerial department responsible for children’s services and education in England Expert Group on Assessment (2009) and supported the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) Commission on Assessment in 2014. Mick was a member of the DfE Independent Teacher Workload Review Group and a member of the Joint Council for Qualifications’ (JCQ) Commission on Malpractice in Public Examinations. Mick is Vice-Chair of the Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors (CIEA) and Chair of the Evidence Based Education (EBE) Advisory Board.

Christine Fearon, Assessor Support Programme, Vice Principal at St Paul’s High School, Bessbrook, County Armagh

Having previously taught in St Patrick’s College, Dungannon, for nine years, Christine has been teaching in St Paul’s High School, a large school of over 1600 pupils, since 2005. Christine has both curricular and pastoral experience, having fulfilled duties as both a Head of Department and Year Head, before becoming a Senior Leader, responsible for Pastoral Care, in 2014. More recently, Christine was appointed Vice Principal, with responsibility for standards, and have had the poor luck to be involved in leading the CDG process this academic year!