Ofqual to 'health check exam system'

The new examinations watchdog has said it is impossible to provide "absolutely accurate" marks in tests, it has been reported.

Kathleen Tattersall, chair of Ofqual, told the Press Association that the public believes that the exam marking should be "perfect" - a view which the regulator believes is "simplistic".

Ms Tattersall pointed out that some forms of tests, including multiple choice, have a definite right or wrong answer, while the issue becomes more complicated when essay-style answers for subjects such as English or history are considered.

"There is a precision expected of the system," she said to the news provider.

"We need to explore whether that sort of expectation is well-founded, or whether within the system there are some trade-offs between absolute reliability of that nature and the validity of the way in which we go about assessment," Ms Tattersall explained.

It was also revealed that Ofqual will carry out a "health check" of the examination and coursework system to identify areas for improvement.

Ofqual was launched on May 16th to regulate awarding organisations and to ensure that adequate standards are maintained by the sector.