HC Deb 23 July 1964 vol 699 c125W
Mr. Enoch Powell

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assistance his Department is giving to the new examining boards in preparing the examinations for the Certificate of Secondary Education.

Mr. Hogg

Trial examinations are being conducted in English, Mathematics, Science, Modern Languages, Music, Housecraft, Technical Drawing and Geography. Research has been commissioned into the problems of oral examining, the use of teachers' assessments, the assessment of course work and practical work, the design of calibration tests to assist in the moderation of standards, and the place of objective types of test in the C.S.E. examinations system. The results of some of this work have already been published in Examinations Bulletins Nos. 1 and 2, and in the Secondary School Examinations Council's Information Series Nos. 1 and 2. Further bulletins and publications in the Information Series are in preparation. The Department is also helping the examining boards to conduct a number of conferences and courses.