Ensuring equity in qualification development

In our journey to shape a new suite of Made-for-Wales GCSEs and related qualifications, we committed to much more than just tweaking existing qualifications. 

In the following blog, Delyth Jones, Assistant Director of Qualification Development, explores how the development of Made-for-Wales GCSEs and related qualifications represents a fundamental shift in Welsh education, emphasising equity, inclusivity, and alignment with the Curriculum for Wales.

We began a comprehensive reassessment of each subject to better align with the Curriculum for Wales. This wasn’t just about making updates - it was about developing principles and guidance related to the ethos of the new curriculum and good practice in assessment, so that we are able to truly prepare learners for the future. 

Understanding the approval criteria 

Right from the start, understanding the detailed approval criteria for each subject was crucial. Our Subject Officers and Qualification Development Officers played a pivotal role in this process by being members of Qualifications Wales’ Subject Level Working Groups, and this early involvement really enabled us to not only meet technical requirements but also grasp the broader educational goals embedded within the Curriculum for Wales. It allowed us to focus on both the big picture and the finer details that ensure a comprehensive educational experience. 

Adopting a co-construction approach 

Central to our approach has been co-construction - a collaborative effort involving a diverse set of stakeholders. By enlisting practicing teachers as writers and reviewers for each subject, we’ve been able to tap into their real-world classroom experience to ensure our qualifications are both practical and relevant. Similarly, our Advisory Groups have a significant representation of teachers from a range of schools, including Welsh medium. These groups also include voices from higher education, consortia, and professional associations. 

This collaborative effort has certainly enriched our qualifications, ensuring they are both valid and meaningful. We've always had such strong links with the teaching profession, and we’ve really built on that foundation here. 

These new Made-for-Wales GCSEs and related qualifications, supporting the Curriculum for Wales, are more than just academic milestones - they build on prior learning and establish a strong foundation of knowledge, skills, and understanding, enabling learners to progress to the next stage of their lives. By focusing on equity, inclusivity, and broad educational aspirations, we are proud to have developed qualifications that are relevant, fair, and supportive of all learners.

Finding our guiding principle 

At the heart of our qualification development was the need to establish a guiding principle that would navigate us through various competing challenges, particularly regarding non-examination assessment (NEA). There has been a notable rise in NEA across the new suite of qualifications, encompassing all subjects except maths and computer science. This includes both expanding NEA in subjects where it already existed and introducing NEA to subjects that hadn’t included it before. 

Early on, we formed an overarching advisory group consisting of school leaders and our anti-racism consultant. We also enlisted the support of our Learner Advisory Group, who provided incredibly valuable insights that shaped the way we developed our qualifications. Listening to the voices of learners ensured that our new GCSEs and related qualifications would be relevant and engaging from a learner's perspective, directly addressing their needs and aspirations. 

These groups were instrumental in helping us determine that "equity for learners" would be our central guiding principle. Equity for learners became the cornerstone of our development process, ensuring that all learners, regardless of their background, had fair and equal opportunities. This principle was particularly crucial when addressing the varied demands of different subjects. It allowed us to navigate concerns about assessment, workload, and flexibility in a way that prioritised fairness and equity. 

Ensuring inclusivity and representation 

Inclusivity has been central to our development process. Partnering with DARPL, we integrated diverse and anti-racist perspectives from the outset. This collaborative effort ensured that our qualifications not only meet rigorous academic standards but also celebrate the rich diversity of experiences and backgrounds among learners across Wales. 

At the outset, we engaged an anti-racist consultant who guided us through the process, contributing to the development of a tailored training program for everyone involved in the qualification development. Their insights and involvement in our stakeholder group played a pivotal role in shaping decisions on text and coverage, ensuring our qualifications authentically reflect and embrace inclusivity. 

Supporting the Curriculum for Wales 

These new GCSEs and related qualifications are fundamentally designed to support the Curriculum for Wales framework, helping learners progress towards the four purposes while studying for their qualifications.