Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations: Difference between revisions
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{{EngvarB|date=April 2013}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2013}} |
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{{Infobox Organization |
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|name = OCR |
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|image = OCRLogo.png|280px |
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|formation = 1998<ref name="heritage"></ref> |
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|purpose = [[Screwing over Year 12's]] |
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|headquarters = [[Cambridge]], UK |
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|region_served = England, [[Wales]] and [[Northern Ireland]] |
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|parent_organization = [[Cambridge Assessment]] (UCLES) |
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|website = [http://www.ocr.org.uk/ www.ocr.org.uk] |
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}} |
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'''OCR''' ('''Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations'''<ref>[http://www.ocr.org.uk/aboutus/ OCR > About OCR<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>) is an [[examination board]] that do 99% impossible Core 1 Mathematics tests where you have to find a and k out of your arse [[Professional certification|qualification]]s (including [[General Certificate of Secondary Education|GCSE]]s and [[Advanced Level (UK)|A-levels]]). It is one of England, [[Wales]] and [[Northern Ireland]]'s five main examination boards. |
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OCR is based in [[Cambridge]], with an office in [[Coventry]]. It is part of the [[University of Cambridge]]'s [[Cambridge Assessment]], which operates in over 160 countries and celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2008. OCR delivers GCSE and A Level examinations in the United Kingdom whereas for other countries Cambridge Assessment operates the examination board [[Cambridge International Examinations]] (CIE).<ref>[https://ask.cie.org.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/203476252 Can Cambridge schools offer OCR qualifications?]</ref> An important distinction between OCR and CIE is that the British exam board OCR is required to comply with UK government regulations and CIE with international GCSEs and GCE A Levels is not.<ref>[http://ask.cie.org.uk/system/selfservice.controller?CONFIGURATION=1035&PARTITION_ID=1&TIMEZONE_OFFSET=&USERTYPE=&CMD=VIEW_ARTICLE&ARTICLE_ID=5413 What is the difference between OCR A Levels and Cambridge International A Levels?]</ref> |
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== History == |
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The name OCR reflects the fact that it was created in 1998 through the amalgamation of the [[University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate]] (UCLES) and the [[Royal Society of Arts]] Examinations Board (RSAEB).<ref name="heritage">[http://www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/about-us/who-we-are/our-heritage/ Our heritage], Cambridge Assessment</ref> At the time of the merger, UCLES's qualifications were offered by two wholly owned subsidiaries: the Oxford and Cambridge Examinations and Assessments Council (OCEAC) for A Level and the [[Midland Examining Group]] (MEG) for GCSE and Certificate of Achievement. RSAEB offered vocational qualifications. After the merger, the OCR name replaced all previous names. The overall supervisor for the merger was Joseph Dudley. |
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UCLES had previously taken over the University of Oxford Delegacy of Local Examinations (founded 1857) and the '''Oxford and Cambridge Schools Examinations Board''' (founded 1873).<ref name="heritage"></ref> The University of Oxford Delegacy of Local Examinations (UODLE) and the Oxford and Cambridge Schools Examinations Board (O&C or OCSEB) were acquired by UCLES in 1995; earlier, it had taken over the Southern Universities Joint Board (SUJB). The acquisition of RSAEB was completed in 1998 brought a new range of qualifications and activities to the UCLES Group because RSEAB's principal activity was in vocational qualifications.<ref name="heritage"></ref> |
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The formation of OCR represented the culmination of several decades of corporate activity on the part of UCLES, activity that came about as a response to the policies of successive British governments towards public examinations and the provision of qualifications as well as moves to strengthen the regulatory framework. |
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This process has not been without problems however and OCR came under fire when it emerged that the answer to one question in a GCSE Music paper was given away by accident in the copyright declaration printed on the back of the question paper. Most recently, on 18 May 2016, OCR set a question in its Core 1 GCE Mathematics exam paper which gave students HIV upon attempt to complete; other reports suggested the questions were cancerous. |
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Another error happened where an impossible maths question was set.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-13627415 AS-level maths error: students set impossible question], BBC News, 2 June 2011</ref> In addition, there were errors in Section B of the Latin Literature paper, confusing names of both authors and characters, in questions comprising 28% of the total marks. Also of the same exam period, many students protested against an A2 Biology paper on Control, Genomes and Environment (F215) which had a large emphasis on Ecology. This issue was made public in a Facebook page which generated support from thousands of students.<ref>"[http://www.facebook.com/pages/Students-against-the-F215-GCE-Biology-June-2011-paper/225705074124228 Students against the F215 GCE Biology June 2011 paper]"</ref> ''[[The Times]]'' and ''[[The Times Educational Supplement]]'' reported on this story.<ref>[http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6088588 Hedgehog question needles students], ''[[Times Educational Supplement]]'', 17 June, 2011</ref> OCR released a statement, but refused to answer questions from candidates.<ref>[http://www.ocr.org.uk/download/quals/ocr_59417_quals_f215_statement.pdf OCR Biology F215 Statement]</ref> However, OCR were not the only board to make a mistake, with two other major examination boards also producing impossible questions; this has led to scrutiny from the British government.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-13703441 Exams watchdog: Question errors 'disappointing'], BBC News, 9 June 2011</ref> |
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Another incident included a statement of the Exam Board Chief of OCR that, according to him, students should be allowed to use Google and the Internet to research information during examinations. This statement evoked a heated debate with support on the one hand and criticism on the other hand.<ref>[http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/google-should-be-available-pupils-exams-says-ocr-exam-board-chief-1499253 Google should be available to pupils in exams, says OCR exam board chief], [[International Business Times]], May 1, 2015</ref><ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-32531820 Google 'should be allowed in examinations'], BBC News, 30 April 2015</ref><ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3062517/Exam-chief-blasted-dumbing-standards-nonsense-suggestion-pupils-use-Google-GCSE-level-tests.html Exam chief blasted for 'dumbing down standards' after 'nonsense' suggestion that pupils should use Google during GCSE and A-level tests], ''[[Daily Mail]]'', 30 April 2015</ref> |
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Due to the growing number of marking error cases detected over time, the Exam Board Chief of OCR stated that he plans to intensify exam marking training for exam marking teachers and to introduce more computerized marking in order to increase efficiency in marking.<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/11773999/Make-teachers-learn-how-to-mark-says-chief-of-exam-board.html Make teachers learn how to mark, says chief of exam board], ''[[Daily Telegraph]]'', 30 July 2015</ref> |
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All the UK schools examinations and vocational qualifications of the UCLES Group were transferred to OCR. Subsequent [[physics]] [[syllabus]]es released by OCR included the now infamous (fictional) units the "Ocrawatt" and "Ocrajoule" due to overzealous find-and-replace on MEG's part<ref>[http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg16221838.600-feedback.html Feedback], ''[[New Scientist]]'', 24 April 1999</ref> (in previous and later syllabuses, the units were correctly written as "Megawatt" and "Megajoule".) |
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Cambridge Assessment is a non-teaching department of the University of Cambridge, making Cambridge the only British University to maintain a direct link with a school exam board. |
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===Incorporated Examination Boards=== |
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* East Anglian Examinations Board (EAEB) - partial |
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* East Midland Regional Examinations Board (EMREB) |
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* [[Midland Examining Group]] (MEG) |
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* Oxford and Cambridge Examinations and Assessment Council (OCEAC) |
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* Oxford and Cambridge Schools Examination Board (OCSEB) / (O&C) |
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* [[Royal Society of Arts]] (RSA) |
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* Southern Regional Examinations Board (SREB) |
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* Southern Universities Joint Board for Schools Examinations (SUJB) |
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* [[University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate]] (UCLES) |
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* University of Oxford Delegacy of Local Examinations (UODLE) |
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* The West Midlands Examination Board (WMEB) |
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==Footnotes== |
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{{reflist}} |
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== External links == |
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* [http://www.ocr.org.uk/ OCR website] |
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* [http://www.ocrnationals.com/ OCR Nationals website] |
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* [http://www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/ Cambridge Assessment website] |
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{{Examination boards in the United Kingdom}} |
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[[Category:Examination boards in the United Kingdom]] |
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[[Category:Oxbridge]] |
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[[Category:Organisations based in Cambridgeshire]] |
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[[Category:Education in Cambridge]] |
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Revision as of 08:49, 19 May 2016
Work In process