Assessment and Qualifications Alliance
Encyclopedia
AQA is an Awarding Body in England
, Wales
and Northern Ireland
. It compiles specifications and holds examinations in various subjects at GCSE
, AS and A Level and offers vocational qualifications. AQA is a registered charity and independent of the Government. It is regulated by Ofqual
, which is the regulator for the public examinations system in England and Wales.
AQA is one of five Awarding Bodies which are recognised by the regulators of the public exams systems for England, Wales and Northern Ireland to offer GCSE, AS and A Levels in the United Kingdom. AQA also offers the AQA Baccalaureate
, a qualification also intended for students in Year 12 and 13.
AQA began as an alliance of the Associated Examining Board/Southern Examining Group
(AEB/SEG), Northern Examinations and Assessment Board
(NEAB) and City & Guilds' GNVQ qualification in November 1997. In September 1998, it was registered as an educational charity. AEB/SEG and NEAB agreed to formally merge in October 1999, with this happening in April 2000.
The organisation has several regional offices, the two largest being in Guildford
and Manchester
. The current Chief Executive Officer of AQA is Andrew Hall.
In September 2010, the organisation announced that it will begin offering courses from September 2012 for which all assessment is carried out through examinations at the end of the course.
, reported that hundreds of exam scripts were marked incorrectly. The marking discrepancies were discovered in late September after it emerged that there were problems with AQA's electronic marking system which in turn meant that portions of the scripts were not marked at all and this was not flagged up by their systems either.
It is reported that 600 GCSE and GCE exam scripts are affected by this issue.
Ofqual
, the exams watchdog has launched an inquiry and AQA has also investigated the issue. A small number of students received lower grades than they should have and this was rectified following the AQA investigation. AQA also extended the deadline for results enquiries for those students affected. However as a direct result of this error thirteen A-level students missed out on their first choice university. The problem was compounded by AQA contacting UCAS on the 30th September 2010 after clearing had finished even though the organisation were aware of the problem on 17th September 2010. AQA's chief executive, Andrew Hall, stated "We deeply regret the original marking issue and are determined to ensure that it doesn't happen again."
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It compiles specifications and holds examinations in various subjects at GCSE
General Certificate of Secondary Education
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...
, AS and A Level and offers vocational qualifications. AQA is a registered charity and independent of the Government. It is regulated by Ofqual
Ofqual
The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation is a non-ministerial government department that regulates qualifications, exams and tests in England and vocational qualifications in Northern Ireland.-Role:...
, which is the regulator for the public examinations system in England and Wales.
AQA is one of five Awarding Bodies which are recognised by the regulators of the public exams systems for England, Wales and Northern Ireland to offer GCSE, AS and A Levels in the United Kingdom. AQA also offers the AQA Baccalaureate
AQA Baccalaureate
The AQA Baccalaureate is a British educational qualification launched in April 2009 by the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance, or AQA, to be studied in Years 12 and 13. The innovative qualification includes the existing A and AS Levels as part of the assessment, as well as mandatory enrichment...
, a qualification also intended for students in Year 12 and 13.
AQA began as an alliance of the Associated Examining Board/Southern Examining Group
Associated Examining Board
The AEB was an examination board serving England, Wales and Northern Ireland from 1953 until 2000. It is now part of AQA.The AEB was formed in 1953 by City & Guilds...
(AEB/SEG), Northern Examinations and Assessment Board
NEAB
NEAB was an examination board serving England, Wales and Northern Ireland from 1992 until 2000...
(NEAB) and City & Guilds' GNVQ qualification in November 1997. In September 1998, it was registered as an educational charity. AEB/SEG and NEAB agreed to formally merge in October 1999, with this happening in April 2000.
The organisation has several regional offices, the two largest being in Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. The current Chief Executive Officer of AQA is Andrew Hall.
In September 2010, the organisation announced that it will begin offering courses from September 2012 for which all assessment is carried out through examinations at the end of the course.
2010 Exam Marking issue
On 4 October 2010, The Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, reported that hundreds of exam scripts were marked incorrectly. The marking discrepancies were discovered in late September after it emerged that there were problems with AQA's electronic marking system which in turn meant that portions of the scripts were not marked at all and this was not flagged up by their systems either.
It is reported that 600 GCSE and GCE exam scripts are affected by this issue.
Ofqual
Ofqual
The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation is a non-ministerial government department that regulates qualifications, exams and tests in England and vocational qualifications in Northern Ireland.-Role:...
, the exams watchdog has launched an inquiry and AQA has also investigated the issue. A small number of students received lower grades than they should have and this was rectified following the AQA investigation. AQA also extended the deadline for results enquiries for those students affected. However as a direct result of this error thirteen A-level students missed out on their first choice university. The problem was compounded by AQA contacting UCAS on the 30th September 2010 after clearing had finished even though the organisation were aware of the problem on 17th September 2010. AQA's chief executive, Andrew Hall, stated "We deeply regret the original marking issue and are determined to ensure that it doesn't happen again."