'No evidence' that A-levels were downgraded - watchdog

The investigation into allegations that A–level coursework was unfairly downgraded has found "no evidence to substantiate" the claims, testing watchdog the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority said today.

But immediately the authority was accused of attempting a whitewash of the problem.

Coursework in English literature, history and psychology exams set by the Oxford and Cambridge and RSA (OCR) exam board "has not been graded more severely", QCA chief executive Dr Ken Boston told a press conference in London.

The distribution of coursework grades was similar to those for written exams and there was "much confusion about the level of AS and A2 standards, especially in coursework, and some confusion in the use of bands to establish grades," he said.

Dr Boston concluded that OCR chief executive Dr Ron McLone had "acted within his powers in setting boundaries between grades".

The QCA investigation began last week after independent school headteachers accused OCR of deliberately downgrading coursework in order to counter claims that A–levels have been dumbed down.

Yesterday, Education Secretary Estelle Morris announced a separate inquiry independent of the QCA to be headed by former schools' chief inspector Mike Tomlinson, which will produce its initial report on the row next week.

The results of the QCA investigation are unlikely to satisfy headteachers, who will be angry at the implication that they misunderstood the grading process.

The QCA did, however, conclude that the next part of its investigation would look at the "circumstances at the small number of centres where there appeared to be a disproportionate number of able candidates who were awarded a grade U (unclassified or fail) in the coursework element of their A–level examinations".

The report said: "The QCA directs OCR to check the accuracy of externally marked coursework marks for A–level candidates who were ungraded in coursework but achieved grade A in their other units by Friday September 26."

The QCA looked at exam results from a total of 565 schools and colleges where candidates had got two A grades and one unclassified in the second part of their A–levels, known as A2s.

They found that, for English, history and psychology exams set by OCR there was no statistical correlation to suggest that those who did well in one unit should automatically have performed at the same level in another.

The QCA interviewed Dr McLone on September 18, when he told the regulator that he had not been pressurised by either the QCA or Government sources to breach the exam code of practice and artificially depress the number of A grades.

Dr Boston's report said: "At this stage of the investigation, no evidence has been found to the contrary."

The report said Dr McLone had told investigators that some schools had "set ideas on A–level coursework standards and did not make the necessary adjustment required by the new specifications."

The report said that some teachers may not have realised that mark bands were not the same thing as grade boundaries.

It said: "Each band represents and describes a level of performance.

"The marker is required to judge the candidate's work and then find the best match between it and one of the descriptors.

"Each band includes a narrow range of marks. Once the marker has determined the best band, the most appropriate mark in the range is selected. Each of these bands has a label, either a number or a letter."

The report continued: "It was not intended by the awarding bodies that these bands should relate directly to the final grades.

"Nevertheless, this might not have been made clear to some teachers, who might have drawn on previous experience and outdated information to relate the marking bands to grades, rather than using the descriptors as the basis for marking."

That finding was likely to be greeted with fury by independent schools represented by the Headmasters' Conference, who have dismissed claims that they misunderstood the requirements of the new sixth form curriculum as "outrageous".