§ Mr. Damian GreenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students(a) sat A-level 760W exams this year, (b) have completed a UCAS form and (c) have planned to defer their entry into higher education. [74626]
§ Margaret HodgeThe information is given in the table.
18 year olds sitting A levels and applying for HE Number Students1 sitting A Levels in 2002 200,000 Students2 with 2 or more A levels applying via UCAS in 2002 141,000 of which, those accepting an HE place and deferring entry 17,000 Notes:
1 Aged 17 at August 31 2001
2 Aged 18 at September 30 2002. Latest figures as at October 3 2002. Figures rounded to the nearest thousand.
§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what steps she will be take to deliver the guarantee of a university place to those disqualified by inappropriate downgrading in A level examinations this year; [74692]
(2) if she plans to override the autonomy of selection by higher education institutions to fulfil her guarantee of a place for those students whose A levels were inappropriately downgraded. [74695]
§ Margaret HodgeUniversities UK, the representative body of universities, has already advised all its members to honour the offers they made prior to the publication of A-level results in August. lf, as a result of the review, a student is now eligible to take up a place, they will be able to do so, either if possible this year, or in 2003.
§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much extra finance will be made available to higher education institutions to accommodate downgraded A level students; and whether maximum student numbers will be increased; [74691]
§ Mr. Damian GreenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much extra funding will be provided to higher education institutions who have to take extra students in(a) this academic year and (b) future academic years as a result of exam remarking. [74624]
§ Margaret HodgeMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has already made it clear that universities and higher education colleges will not suffer financial disadvantage in this financial year because of changes in student numbers due to regrading of A level marks. This commitment continues in to next year.
§ Mr. Damian GreenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list when meetings took place between Ministers and officials of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, between 1 July and 31 August; and if she will place the minutes of each meeting in the Library. [74332]
§ Mr. MilibandMinisters met officers of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority on 25 June, 18 July and on 7 August. All relevant notes were made available to Mike Tomlinson in the course of his inquiry into A-level standards.
761W
§ Mr. Damian GreenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost is to a student of requesting a re-mark in an A-level exam with the(a) Oxford, Cambridge and RSA, (b) Edexcel and (c) Assessment and Qualifications Alliance boards. [74625]
§ Mr. MilibandThe cost of re-marks are usually borne by students' schools and colleges. The awarding bodies will not accept requests for re-marks from candidates, or their carers or from any third party, except in the case of private candidates. The awarding bodies offer a fast track re-mark service to be completed in 30 days, standard remarks should be completed within 40 calendar days. Oxford, Cambridge and RSA (OCR); and the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance charge £20.80 for the re-mark of a specification unit under both the fast track and standard services. Edexcel charge £30 for a fast track re-mark of a specification unit and £25 for a standard re-mark. Schools are not invoiced until the outcome of a re-mark is known. They are only charged if the grade does not change.
§ Mr. Damian GreenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students of the(a) Oxford, Cambridge and RSA, (b) Ed Excel and (c) Assessment and Qualifications Alliance boards had A-level papers re-marked (i) this year and (ii) in each year since 1997. [74620]
Year Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Edexcel Assessment and Qualifications Alliance Legacy A level Curriculum 2000 AS/A2 Legacy A level Curriculum 2000 AS/A2 Legacy A level Curriculum 2000 AS/A2 1997 1565 2368 n/a 1998 2206 2468 n/a 1999 2181 2578 n/a 2000 1977 2789 5074 2001 1828 3169 — 4255 — 7580 2002 5826 4863 7200 OCR was the only awarding body able to supply a breakdown between the examiners marking the legacy A level and the Curriculum 2000 assessments in 2001. AQA was unable to provide details of the examiners employed in the years 1997 to 1999.
§ Mr. Damian GreenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many A-level papers of the(a) Oxford, Cambridge and RSA, (b) Edexcel and (c) Assessment and Qualifications Alliance boards were re-marked (i) this year and (ii) in each year since 1997. [74621]
§ Mr. MilibandThe Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, as regulator, monitors the performance of the awarding bodies and since 1999 has collated data on the basis of the number of enquiries and appeals processed. An enquiry could relate to the results for one unit of a modular A-level or one paper of a linear A-level or the overall results for all modular units or all linear A-level papers for an A-level examination. We are seeking a breakdown on the basis requested which will be placed in the Library in due course.
§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the number of students whose downgrading in A level
762W
§ Mr. MilibandThe Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and the awarding bodies usually collate information on candidate entries affected. We are seeking a breakdown on the basis requested, which will be placed in the House of Commons library in due course.
§ Mr. Damian GreenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list contacts between her Department's officials and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority between 1 July and 31 August. [74353]
§ Mr. MilibandAs part of normal business, DIES officials met their QCA counterparts on over 150 occasions during July and August. Meetings covered a wide range of national curriculum qualifications and assessments issues. They also communicated in writing and by telephone.
§ Mr. Damian GreenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many qualified A-level examiners were employed by the(a) Oxford, Cambridge and RSA, (b) Edexcel and (c) Assessment and Qualifications Alliance boards (i) this year and (ii) in each year since 1997. [74622]
§ Mr. MilibandI set out below the number of qualified A-level examiners employed by each awarding body in the years in question.
examinations cost them a place at university this autumn who will be (a) accommodated with a place this year and (b) in subsequent years. [74693]
§ Margaret HodgeUniversities UK have advised their members that they should honour commitments made before August to all students who are entitled and wish to transfer after the regrading of their results. Where possible, students will be able to take up their place this year, but if not, entry will be offered for next year.