2. Edexcel Update August 2013
Dr David Davies
Education Consultant
Pearson
2
Curriculum reform update and International Advanced level
3. Largest awarding body in the UK
UK Government
Stakeholders
• Implement QCA standards
• Design and develop qualifications in
conjunction with employers,
professional associations and
educators
Establish objectives
and educational
policies
Determine
standards to
achieve educational
objectives
• Obtain accreditation from QCA for
qualifications
• Approve, train and support
educators to deliver our
qualifications
• Quality control educators and
learning programmes
• Accredit 3rd party qualifications
Educators
(schools, colleges
and universities)
National training
authorities
Professional
Associations
Employers
(business and Gov)
4. Edexcel qualifications: The Complete Solution
QCF Level
Framework for Higher Education
Qualifications (FHEQ)
Edexcel Qualifications
Academic
Vocational (BTEC)
Level 7
M (masters)
Masters degrees, postgraduate
certificates and diplomas
Level 6
H (honours)
Bachelor degrees, graduate
certificates and diplomas
BTEC Higher National
Graduate Diploma*
Level 5
I (intermediate)
Diplomas of higher education and
further education, foundation
degrees and higher national
diplomas
BTEC Higher National
Diploma
Level 4
C (certificate)
Certificates of higher education
BTEC Higher National
Certificate
Level 3
BTEC Nationals
Level 2
GCSE (A*-C) /
International GCSEs
BTEC Firsts
Level 1
GCSE (D-G) /
International GCSEs
BTEC Foundation
Learning
Entry Level
4
GCE (A) Levels (A* E)
Basic skills
BTEC Foundation
Learning
BTEC
Professiona
l
* Currently in development. First UK teaching September 2011.
BTEC
Specialist
5. Edexcel Academic Qualifications
•
Edexcel offers two main suites of academic qualifications- GCE A levels and
International GCSEs
•
GCE A levels are two-year courses designed for students aged 16-18
•
The first year of the GCE A level is known as the AS and can be separately
certificated if required
•
Edexcel’s GCE A levels are regulated by the UK Regulator Ofqual
•
GCE A levels are accepted for university entry by all universities in the UK
and many universities around the world, e.g. USA (Harvard, Yale), Australia,
New Zealand, Canada etc.
•
International GCSEs are two-year courses designed for students aged 1416 which prepare students for GCE A levels
5
12. Introduction of new International Advanced level
and AS Specifications from September 2013
12 Curriculum reform update and International Advanced level
13. New Advanced level and AS Specifications from
September 2013- continued
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14. New International Advanced level and AS
- Subjects Available
14 Curriculum reform update and International Advanced level
15. New International Advanced level and AS
Specifications - Timeline
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16. Students who need to complete their A levels in
January 2014
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Ofqual has agreed that we can offer the same exams we currently
offer in these subjects in January for one more sitting in January
2014 in the following subjects:
Mathematics
Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
Economics
Business Studies
Accounting
Students can cash in as planned to complete their A levels
NB The specification and assessment remain unchanged.
Students will be awarded an Edexcel International Advanced level,
regulated by Pearson.
For other subjects examinations will be available in June only.
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17. Students wishing to complete their Edexcel GCE A
levels in June 2014
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Students who are planning to complete their A levels in June 2014
will not be able to sit an examination in January 2014
They will be able to complete their courses in June 2014 as planned
Centres entering for Accounting, Law and the written paper options
for Biology, Chemistry and Physics will receive an International
Advanced Level in place of an A level.
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18. Edexcel GCE A level Mathematics and Edexcel
International Advanced level Mathematics
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The Edexcel International Advanced level Mathematics will have
three specifications: Mathematics, Pure Mathematics, Further
Mathematics
The following units will be available from January 2014:
Core Mathematics 1 and 2 (available as one unit)
Core Mathematics 3 and 4 (available as one unit)
Further Pure Mathematics 1, Mechanics 1, 2 and 3, Statistics 1 and
2 and Decision Mathematics 1
In addition, the following units will be available from June 2014:
Further Pure Mathematics 2 and 3 and Statistics 3
Further information is available at:
www.edexcel.com/quals/ial
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19. Edexcel International Advanced level Economics and
Business Studies
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There will be some new content added in the International
Advanced level Economics specification.
All four units in the International Advanced level Economics
specification will be equally weighted.
The content of the International Advanced level Business Studies
will be updated with an international synoptic unit.
All four units in the International Advanced level Business Studies
specification will be equally weighted.
Both specifications will be available in the January and the June
examination series with effect from January 2014
Further information is available on: www.edexcel.com/quals/ial .
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20. University Recognition of International Advanced
Levels
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A large number of universities in the United Kingdom and elsewhere
have recognised International Advanced Levels for entry purposes
in the same way that they accept Edexcel A levels, including the
following:
Hong Kong: The University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong
University of Science & Technology
United Kingdom: University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh,
King’s College, London, and more than 40 others
Also leading universities in the United States, Australia, Canada,
New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland etc
More universities are being added to the list on a weekly basis
The full list of university recognition is available here:
ial-recognition4.pdf
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21. Recognition of International Advanced Levels by UK
NARIC
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UK NARIC, the National Recognition Centre for the United Kingdom,
is the national agency responsible for providing information and
expert opinion on qualifications and skills worldwide
UK NARIC has compiled a draft Report on ‘Benchmarking the
Edexcel International A level against the GCE A level’
The study looked at the following IAL subjects: Accounting,
Business Studies, Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Law, Physics and
Mathematics
Using NARIC’s well-established methodology for benchmarking
qualifications, the Report considered: programme design, entry
requirements and progression, course content and structure,
learning outcomes, assessment framework, including assessment
objectives, methods and performance descriptors
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22. Recognition of International Advanced Levels by UK
NARIC- 2
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A review of quality assurance processes was also conducted, taking
into account external marking, standardisation, certification, and
examination and assessment development.
The study found that the assessment frameworks in Biology,
Chemistry and Physics align with Edexcel GCEs in these subjects,
the core content of the Mathematics aligns to that covered in the
Edexcel GCE Mathematics, and that the design and structure of the
IALs in Law, Accounting, Economics and Business Studies, related
closely to the Ofqual Subject Criteria, but also included additional
topics appropriate for international candidates
The study concluded overall that ‘the Edexcel International A levels
is considered comparable to the overall GCE A level standard’
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23. Our promise to you
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24. Pearson GCE and IAL Helpdesk
• Tel
number: 8129 0100
• Email: peial@pearson.com
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Ofqual has decided that there will be no further opportunities for examinations in the January examination series after January 2013. Students who started a two-year A level course in September 2012 will be able to take examinations in June 2013 and June 2014 only. AS and A2 examinations for existing specifications will be available in June 2013, June 2014, June 2015 and June 2016.
Edexcel A levels will be revised for teaching from September 2015. The first assessment of the revised specifications will be in June 2016 for revised AS and in June 2017 for revised A2. Revised specifications will be introduced initially in ‘facilitating’ subjects. i.e. those which are most commonly required for university entry.
Universities will provide advice on content in facilitating subjects
The following specifications in facilitating subjects will be introduced in September 2015:
Mathematics and Further Mathematics
English (Literature)
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
History
Geography
Languages (Classical and Modern).
A revised suite of Edexcel A levels in facilitating subjects will be introduced for first teaching from September 2015 and first assessment in June 2017.The revised Edexcel A levels will be designed for schools in England and in international schools. The specifications will be ‘linear’- i.e. all examinations will be taken at the end of the course. The specifications will be examined in the June examination series only. A full suite of A level and AS specifications will be available
All specifications will be regulated by Ofqual and will carry the Ofqual logo on certificates
AS specifications will become ‘stand-alone’ qualifications which can be taken over one or two years. AS specifications will not contribute to A level results. AS specifications will cover half the A level content. AS specifications will be examined at the same standard as A levels.
The first assessment of the new AS will be in June 2016.
A suite of Advanced level and AS specifications for international centres for first teaching in September 2013 and first examination in June 2015 will be introduced in key subjects. The specifications will be designed to meet the specific needs of international centres with content relevant to international centres where appropriate. They will be examined on a ‘modular’ basis with examinations in June and January of each year from September 2013. Both Advanced level and AS specifications will be available. AS will contribute to the A level results
There will be an opportunity to re-sit individual units.
Flexible entry of units will be available.
It will be possible for schools to enter students for a combination of Edexcel A levels and the new Advanced level suite. Progression routes will be available for students who wish to proceed to universities in the UK, USA, Australia etc. The specifications will be accepted by universities in the UK, US, Australia etc in the same way as Edexcel A levels.
The following subjects will be available for first teaching from September 2013:
Mathematics, Pure Mathematics and Further Mathematics- 6 units
Biology- 6 units
Chemistry-6 units
Physics- 6 units
Economics- 4 units
Business Studies- 4 units
Accounting- 2 units
Law- 2 units (linear)
Other subjects will be added to the suite at a later stage.
It is possible to teach a combination of Edexcel A levels and International Advanced levels at the same time. For example, a student wishing to take Mathematics, Science and Geography, could take the Advanced Level Mathematics and Science and the Edexcel A level in Geography.
The Mathematics and Science A levels will be available in January and June and the Advanced level Geography will only be available in June.
Many other similar combinations are also available.
