How a specification is created - video transcript
1A qualification is a way of demonstrating that someone has achieved a certain level of learning.
2It acts as a passport to the next stage in a student's life, whether they are entering the world of work or going on to further study or training.
3All our qualifications are based on a syllabus that sets out the key skills, understanding and knowledge that students are expected to have gained by the end of their course.
4This is now usually called a specification and all specifications have to be accredited by the exams regulator, Ofqual. During the accreditation process, Ofqual ensures our specifications are fair and meet the national curriculum criteria.
5When there are changes to GCSEs and A-levels, each new qualification needs a new specification. A good specification helps ensure that at the end of their studies, a student gets the right results.
6Getting new specifications right takes a lot of time. In fact, work starts on a specification over a year before it’s accredited.
This is how we do it…
7When we create a specification, exam boards have to follow criteria set for each subject. The criteria are suggested by subject experts, and go through a consultation process with teachers before they are confirmed by Ofqual and, in some cases, the Department for Education.
8The first thing we do is spend a lot of time building our understanding of what teachers and schools want. We talk to other stakeholders in the education community too, for example representatives of Higher Education, employers, subject associations and learned societies.
9We also look at what is relevant in today’s education landscape. There is always a wide range of views, and we do our best to take on board the most important areas for each subject.
10Next, our subject experts develop an overview of what they think should be at the heart of the qualification – our vision for the subject, if you like - and its overall shape. We also consider ideas about how it may develop further in the future.
11We then start working on the specification outline. We use our assessment expertise to make sure we’re designing a robust qualification, which will be a valid and reliable measure of what a student has learned.
12We usually develop several options, which take different approaches to the overall structure; the number and weighting of units; and how marks will be allocated and assessed.
13We need to find the right balance between what works in the classroom and what can be accurately marked and graded.
14At each stage of development, we share our proposals with teachers and our wider stakeholders. We ask them for their views and feed what they say back into the development process.
15Once we have decided on the best option to take forward, we begin to create the detailed content for the specification. In some subjects, the content is laid down by Ofqual, while in others we have more freedom to decide for ourselves.
16At this stage we also produce introductory sections, specimen questions and mark schemes. These are really important to teachers when they are getting to grips with a new specification, so we take a lot of time over getting them right.
17We then go back to the education community to check if they are happy with how the specification is progressing.
18When we have a final draft, we cross-check it against Ofqual’s criteria. Our assessment experts carry out thorough quality checks to make sure the qualification will be a valid and reliable measure of what students have achieved.
19We also check that the specimen assessment materials we have developed accurately reflect future exam material. Finally, both the specification and its supporting materials are carefully checked and proofread.
20Once we are sure they are ready to be submitted to Ofqual, we send them off to be accredited.
21At the same time, we publish the draft specification and supporting resources on our website so that teachers can see them as early as possible.
22Meanwhile, Ofqual checks the specification meets the subject criteria. Ideally it will be approved straight away, but sometimes approval is subject to us making small changes. Ofqual can also decide not to approve a specification, and if this happens, they tell us why they don’t think it meets the criteria.
23As soon as we have approval, we publish the final specification, along with the support materials.
24Making a qualification – a guide to creating a specification, brought to you by AQA
25To find out when the new specifications for your subject are available, please register online for our updates.