§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what criteria will be used to determine which schools and colleges will participate in the pilot project on the return of GCSE and A-Level exam scripts. [86404]
§ Ms Estelle Morris[holding answer 11 June 1999]A total of about 200 centres in England will pilot the four GCSE models. Centres were selected at random and their agreement sought prior to the introduction of the pilots. At A-Level, two syllabuses from each of the five Awarding Bodies were chosen. To keep the pilots manageable, syllabuses with entries of around one thousand candidates, and involving no more than one hundred centres, were selected.
§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what will be the timetable for the return of GCSE and A-Level exam scripts to students under the pilot project. [86403]
§ Ms Estelle Morris[holding answer 11 June 1999]The timetable will depend upon the particular model being piloted. At A-Level, photocopied scripts will arrive on the day the results are issued—Thursday 19 August. 129W At GCSE, four different models will be piloted. Under three of these models, scripts will be available from Tuesday 1 September. Under the fourth, where scripts will be available only on request, scripts are not expected to arrive before Friday 4 September. The pilots will provide a framework within which centres should operate the pilots, rather than imposing rules, so timings may vary between centres.
§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the estimated cost of the pilot project to return GCSE and A-Level exam scripts to students; and what estimate his Department has made of the total cost of a general return of such exam scripts. [86405]
§ Ms Estelle Morris[holding answer 11 June 1999]The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) will be conducting the pilot exercises, from a budget of £250,000. One of the objectives of these pilots is to assess the costs associated with each model before any decisions on wider implementation are made.
§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if guidance to those marking exam scripts will be changed in those areas participating in the pilot project for the return of GCSE and A-Level scripts. [86402]
§ Ms Estelle Morris[holding answer 11 June 1999]All GCSE and GCE Awarding Body examiners are bound by a Code of Practice, developed in consultation with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. The Code provides a basis for high standards in all aspects of the examining process. There are no plans to change this guidance ahead of this summer's examinations.