Midland Examining Group
Encyclopedia
The Midland Examining Group (MEG) was an examination board
, operating in England
, Wales
and Northern Ireland
. It offered a range of GCSE and Certificate of Achievement qualifications. It became part of OCR
in 1998.
O Level and CSE
qualifications in 1988. Thus, MEG was formed by the Oxford and Cambridge Schools Examination Board and Southern Universities' Joint Board for School Examinations GCE boards and the East Midlands Regional Examinations Board and the West Midlands Examinations Board CSE boards in 1985. Though this was not a merger and the boards remained technically independent of each other, the East Midlands and West Midlands boards, who stopped offering CSEs after they were phased out in 1987, now only operated as part of MEG, meaning they effectively ceased to exist as separate entities. The Oxford and Cambridge and Southern Universities' Joint Board continued to offer A Levels independently.
Despite its regional name, schools were free to pick which exam board to use for their qualifications and MEG eventually set 30% of all GCSE qualifications taken each year. The board also wrote syllabi for the Certificate of Achievement (now Entry Level Certificate
), aimed at students working below GCSE level.
In 1993, MEG became part of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), though it retained its separate identity. Furthermore, UCLES's A Level division, the Oxford and Cambridge Examinations and Assessment Council (OCEAC), took over both the Southern Universities' Joint Board and later, in 1995, the Oxford and Cambridge Board. This meant that all of MEG's stake-holders were now owned by UCLES.
In 1997, UCLES announced that it was, with the Royal Society of Arts Examinations Board, launching the Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR) exam board, which would take over running all UCLES (including MEG and OCEAC) and RSA qualifications in the United Kingdom
from October 1 1998, though it continued to use the old syallbi until they expired. The MEG name appeared on some, but not all, of the Summer 1999 exam papers, but the certificates for that year, and all subsequent exam papers, featured the OCR name only.
Examination board
An examination board is an organisation that sets examinations and is responsible for marking them and distributing results. Examination boards have the power to award qualifications, such as SAT scores, to students...
, operating in England
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 offered a range of GCSE and Certificate of Achievement qualifications. It became part of OCR
OCR (examination board)
OCR is an examination board that sets examinations and awards qualifications . It is one of England, Wales and Northern Ireland's five main examination boards....
in 1998.
History
The board was one of a number of new 'examining groups' formed to develop syllabi for the new GCSE qualification, which was due to replace the GCEGeneral Certificate of Education
The General Certificate of Education or GCE is an academic qualification that examination boards in the United Kingdom and a few of the Commonwealth countries, notably Sri Lanka, confer to students. The GCE traditionally comprised two levels: the Ordinary Level and the Advanced Level...
O Level and CSE
Certificate of Secondary Education
The Certificate of Secondary Education was a school leaving qualification awarded between 1965 and 1987 in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland....
qualifications in 1988. Thus, MEG was formed by the Oxford and Cambridge Schools Examination Board and Southern Universities' Joint Board for School Examinations GCE boards and the East Midlands Regional Examinations Board and the West Midlands Examinations Board CSE boards in 1985. Though this was not a merger and the boards remained technically independent of each other, the East Midlands and West Midlands boards, who stopped offering CSEs after they were phased out in 1987, now only operated as part of MEG, meaning they effectively ceased to exist as separate entities. The Oxford and Cambridge and Southern Universities' Joint Board continued to offer A Levels independently.
Despite its regional name, schools were free to pick which exam board to use for their qualifications and MEG eventually set 30% of all GCSE qualifications taken each year. The board also wrote syllabi for the Certificate of Achievement (now Entry Level Certificate
Entry Level Certificate
The Entry Level Certificate is a qualification offered in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It lies at Entry Level of the National Qualifications Framework, pitching it just below GCSE level.-The qualification:...
), aimed at students working below GCSE level.
In 1993, MEG became part of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), though it retained its separate identity. Furthermore, UCLES's A Level division, the Oxford and Cambridge Examinations and Assessment Council (OCEAC), took over both the Southern Universities' Joint Board and later, in 1995, the Oxford and Cambridge Board. This meant that all of MEG's stake-holders were now owned by UCLES.
In 1997, UCLES announced that it was, with the Royal Society of Arts Examinations Board, launching the Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR) exam board, which would take over running all UCLES (including MEG and OCEAC) and RSA qualifications in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
from October 1 1998, though it continued to use the old syallbi until they expired. The MEG name appeared on some, but not all, of the Summer 1999 exam papers, but the certificates for that year, and all subsequent exam papers, featured the OCR name only.