Levels of trust and confidence in general qualifications are higher than in previous years, according to Ofqual’s annual survey on the perceptions of qualifications.  Confidence in the maintenance of standards has also improved.

Other findings from the survey, taken during a period of major reform, include:

• Compared to previous years, higher proportions of stakeholders agreed that GCSEs “are a trusted qualification” (65% to 72%), that “standards are maintained year on year” (30% to 40%), and that “marking of GCSEs is accurate” (26% to 38%).
• A higher proportion of stakeholders also agreed that “AS and A Level standards are maintained year on year” (37% to 47%), and that “the marking of AS and A levels is accurate” (31% to 41%).
• Whilst the proportion of stakeholders who were aware of the new 9 to 1 GCSE grading system was higher than the previous year, Ofqual expects this to improve further as a consequence of its communications campaign around the new grading system.
• Parents, young people and the general public strongly agreed that the systems used by schools and colleges to review the marking of GCSE, AS and A Level results are fair but that more information about the processes could be provided.  Awareness of the systems for appealing vocational qualification results was much lower, with only half of head teachers and a quarter of teachers responding that they knew about the process.