In future only qualifications which are high quality, rigorous and provide access to a range of study and employment opportunities, will be recognised in School and College Performance Tables for 14- to 16-year-olds. This follows Professor Alison Wolf’s review of the current Performance Tables system, which she found inadvertently encouraged schools to put performance table positions above pupil’s future prospects.
Courses taught from September and reported in the 14-16 Performance Tables for 2014 will include:
- Full course GCSEs and established iGCSEs.1
- Level 3 qualifications accredited for pre-16 pupils and currently included in 14-16 Performance Tables: AS levels, Level 3 Free-standing maths qualifications, Level 3 Asset Language Ladder qualifications, and graded music examinations (grade 6 and above).
- Other approved qualifications that demonstrated the characteristics set out in the technical guidance published on 27 October 2011.
From 2014 onwards performance table measures will:
- Only include qualifications that are on this, and subsequent, lists.
- Only include qualifications that are the same size or larger than a GCSE.
- Count each qualification as being equivalent to no more than one GCSE.
Teachers can still use their professional judgement to offer other qualifications which reflect their pupils' interests and abilities. All other qualifications accredited by Ofqual for pre-16 teaching and with Section 96 approval can still be offered by schools, but will not count in Performance Tables.
The list will be updated in March 2012, to include any newly accredited versions of the qualifications that are already included on the list. It will then be updated annually each autumn.
1 Accredited versions of qualifications which were being offered as ’iGCSE’ and were being taken in independent and/or international schools before it was announced in June 2010 that accredited iGCSEs could be used in maintained schools.
