Ofqual responds to BCS concerns over grading in GCSE Computer Science

Ofqual responds to BCS concerns over grading in GCSE Computer Science

Following evidence provided by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT and our CAS community that GCSE computer science was being graded too harshly, the professional body for computing is proud to see that Ofqual have announced changes for this year’s students.

Following the concerns raised within the Computing At School (CAS) Community and statistical analysis carried out by Peter Kemp, the BCS  School Curriculum and Assessment Committee wrote to Ofqual in 2021 scac-letter-ofqual-chief-regulator-plus-annex.pdf (bcs.org) expressing concerns that GCSE Computer Science was being too severely graded.

Ofqual responded positively to the request for a review, but the arrangements during the pandemic prevented them carrying out the necessary research. 

Niel McLean, Head of Education at BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT said: “We’re delighted that Ofqual has now published its findings at A review of standards in GCSE computer science - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and adjustments are planned for the cohort that took the GCSE this summer.  In essence Ofqual have advised awarding bodies that the statistics that underpin key grade boundaries should be adjusted by around 2%. As always, the final grade boundaries will be decided based on students’ performance, but Ofqual have sent a clear message about expectations. We recommend reading the full report to understand the approach Ofqual took and the reasons for its decision."

“This is good news and means candidates are more likely to get the grades they deserve.  It is also good news because the perceived difficulty in getting a good grade discourages schools from offering the subject.   We’d like to thank those teachers in CAS who raised the issue in the first place and provided expert advice to Ofqual throughout their analysis.  It has taken time to get there, but it demonstrates that the voice of teachers can make important changes happen.”