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G4EBT > EXAMS 02.08.08 19:30l 105 Lines 3940 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 858722G4EBT
Read: GUEST DL5XL
Subj: Mistakes get higher scores
Path: DB0FHN<DB0MRW<DK0WUE<DB0RES<ON4HU<ON0BEL<GB7FCR
Sent: 080802/1304Z @:GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU #:11472 [Blackpool] FBB-7.03a $:858722G4
From: G4EBT@GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU
To : EXAMS@WW
I mentioned in an earlier bull that a Chief Examiner had given guidance to
trainee examiners that "eff off" as an irrelevant answer to a question in
an English exam "describe the room in which you are sitting" merited
marks, and if an exclamation mark was added, that it showed an
understanding of punctuation so merited even higher marks.
I think that most would probably agree that such an answer shows complete
disdain for the examiner at whom the comment was aimed, and the exam
process itself.
Further to that, a head teacher is refusing to publish the results of some
national curriculum tests after discovering such poor marking that pupils
who performed strongly fared worse than poor students.
Janis Burdin, a primary school head in Chorley, Lancashire, described the
marking in numerous instances as "absolutely off the radar". She said that
the children's grades would not be published until the papers were
remarked.
An 11-year-old child who'd performed much better than a classmate in the
Key Stage 2 English test was marked lower. (Key Stage 2 covers the
National Curriculum learning over the four years from age 7 to 11).
The texts of two pupils is as follows, verbatim:
Child A wrote about Pip Davenport, a fairground inventor:
Quote:
"If he wasent doing enthing els heel help his uncle Herry at the funfair
during the day. And had stoody at nigh on other thing he did was invent
new rides". Becoues he invented a lot of new rides he won a prize. He
didn't live with his mum he lived with his wife".
This received one mark more than Child B who wrote:
Quote:
"Quickly, it became apparent that Pip was a fantastic rider: a complete
natural. But it was his love of horses that led to a tragic accident. An
accident that would change his life forever.
"At the age of 7, he was training for a local competition when his horse,
Mandy, swerved sideways unexpectedly, throwing Pip on to the ground,
paralysed."
End quotes.
Both children were awarded five out of eight for sentence structure. Child
A was given eight out of twelve for composition and effect while Child B
received only seven marks.
Ms Burdin, the head teacher of Moss Side Primary School, said:
"These two papers were both given Level 4. I would have given one a 5 and
one a 3. These are the most extreme differences but there are many more
discrepancies."
The concerns emerged as Ed Balls, the Schools Secretary, was questioned by
a committee of MPs about the administrative fiasco that has delayed the
results of national tests for millions of schoolchildren. The serious
concerns about the accuracy of marking could prompt thousands of appeals.
The American contractor ETS Europe failed to have results of this year's
national tests for 11 and 14-year-olds ready for publication on time.
ETS, which is being paid œ165 GBP million over five years to manage the
Key Stage 2 and 3 tests, has faced a barrage of complaints from parents,
teachers and markers. The results are being returned at least a week late.
Those ringing ETS to complain have been unable to get through, and e-mails
have gone unanswered.
The hearing coincided with the publication of the terms of reference of an
independent inquiry headed by Lord Sutherland of Houndwood into how the
QCA has managed its responsibilities.
Of the nine areas it will focus on, only one mentions the Department for
Children, Schools and Families, asking whether it monitored QCA's delivery
appropriately.
It remains to be seen what an American contractor is doing marking English
exam papers in the UK.
Quote of the day:
"Grammar"
"From now on, ending a sentence with a preposition
is something up with which I will not put"
(Winston Churchill).
Best wishes
David, G4EBT @ GB7FCR
Cottingham, East Yorkshire.
Message timed: 14:03 on 2008-Aug-02
Message sent using WinPack-Telnet V6.70
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