§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many pupils sat the certificate of education in each year since 1985.
§ Sir Wyn RobertsThe numbers of candidates who sat the Certificate of Education from 1985 to 1992 are given in the table.
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Number of candidates1 Number 1985 2,611 1986 3,859 1987 6,252 1988 7,514
Number 1989 8,612 1990 8,336 1991 8,038 1992 8,379 1 Includes a small number of candidates sitting examinations in centres other than in schools.
§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the replacement of the certificate of education in Wales.
§ Sir Wyn RobertsThis proposed change is an integral part of wider arrangements for the assessment of 16-year-olds, at the end of key stage 4. The changes are being made on the basis of advice which I sought from the School Examinations and Assessment Council. All pupils will in future be required to study each of the relevant national curriculum subjects in accordance with statutory programmes of study to the end of key stage 4. SEAC advised that the certificate of education does not meet those requirements.
Around 7,700 pupils in Wales are currently entered for the certificate of education. Most of those pupils should, in future, be well capable of achievement under the new GCSE arrangements. The minimum attainment level on the national curriculum 10 level scale for the award of a GCSE will be level 4-the performance expected for a typical 11-year-old. Pupils who are entered for the GCSE and who narrowly miss the GCSE award at level 4 will still be awarded a level 3, provided they have displayed evidence of that level of attainment in their examination.
The remainder of pupils expected to achieve levels 1 to 2-level 2 is the performance expected of a typical seven-year-old—in each of the national curriculum subjects will be assessed by teachers' own assessment. These pupils will represent a small minority at age 16 and teacher assessment is considered to be the most appropriate way of meeting their special and individual needs.
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Clwyd Speculative floorspace—Direct Speculative floorspace—Joint ventures Bespoke floorspace—Direct Number of units Area m2 Area m2 Number of units Area m2 1979–80 29 13,192 — — 7,750 1980–81 11 16,258 — 2 3,678 1981–82 135 66,800 — — — 1982–83 19 27,975 — — 1,785 1983–84 12 1,858 — — 198 1984–85 5 4,645 — — 96 1985–86 9 13,305 — — 2,492 1986–87 18 6,317 — — 1,448 1987–88 10 13,623 — — 456 1988–89 23 15,497 — — 2,069 1989–90 16 21,646 — 1 9,290 1990–91 30 13,053 5,946 — 2,880 1991–92 9 3,252 929 — 3,530 11992–93 25 21,535 1,858 — 1,207 1 To end January 1993. All performance at every attainment level will be recognised and recorded on an individual pupil's national record of achievement. The record is being developed by schools to reflect a pupil's total achievement, both academic and non-academic. The NRA is recognised by employers and colleges of further education in their selection of candidates for employment, training and further education courses.
The certificate of education will not be fully phased out until 1996. This phased programme will allow teachers maximum flexibility to manage the adjustment with sensitivity and in accordance with individual pupils' needs.
The full range of approved qualifications under Section 5 of the Education Reform Act 1988 for use by schools in Wales in 1995 will be listed as part of the annual consultation exercise with examining groups and LEAs. This consultation, administered through SEAC, is due to take place very shortly.