Cambridge IGCSE Examinations 2020

Summary

The request sought details on the 2020 Cambridge IGCSE grading algorithm, school-specific results, and correspondence regarding teacher concerns from December 2018. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture provided some information but withheld data requiring substantial compilation, leading to a partial disclosure outcome.

Key Facts

• The request was received on 2020-09-21 and the outcome was issued on 2020-10-20.
• The authority cited Section 8(3)(c) of the Freedom of Information Act to avoid substantial compilation of historical correspondence.
• The requester agreed to narrow the timeframe for teacher concern correspondence to 13 August 2019 onwards.
• The response included 25 pages across 4 documents.
• The outcome was classified as 'Some information sent but not all held'.
• The request covered the transition from algorithmic grading to Centre Assessed Grades (CAGs) for 2020 exams.

Data Disclosed

• 2020-09-21
• 2020-10-20
• 13th December 2018
• 13 August 2019
• 25 pages
• 4 documents
• Section 8 (3) (c)
• 1481505

Exemptions Cited

• Section 8(3)(c) of the Freedom of Information Act (substantial compilation or collation)

Original Request

The issue of IGCSE exam grading has attracted considerable attention following the use of an algorithmic model to initially determine pupil grades before the eventual acceptance of Centre Assessed Grades (CAGs - noting that where the Cambridge grade was higher than CAG then the pupil's final award would be the higher grade). I seek details regarding the 2020 Cambridge IGCSE examination situation as it evolved on Island. I additionally request any correspondence or other information held (if any) which indicates continuing teacher/school concerns with the use of Cambridge IGCSE and any responses issued (such information generated as from 13th December 2018 to date).

Data Tables (5)

Full Response Text

Corporate Services Division Department of Education, Sport and Culture Hamilton House Peel Road, Douglas IM1 5EZ Telephone: (01624) 685808 Website: www.gov.im/dec Email: dec@foi.gov.im Our ref: 1481505 20 October 2020

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 21 September 2020 and which states: Your request
"The issue of IGCSE exam grading has attracted considerable attention following the use of an algorithmic model to initially determine pupil grades before the eventual acceptance of Centre Assessed Grades (CAGs - noting that where the Cambridge grade was higher than CAG then the pupil's final award would be the higher grade). I seek details regarding the 2020 Cambridge IGCSE examination situation as it evolved on Island and request the following information: For each Secondary School the number of grades initially awarded (not CAGs) by Cambridge in each subject for which pupils were entered e.g. BHS - IGCSE History A* (2), A (4), B (7), C (7), D (6), E (2), F (0), G (1) and U (1); Any other data, analysis and reports held/conducted/compiled on each school's initial results including any comparisons of Cambridge results with those CAGs submitted by the schools to the examination body or with an examination centre's previous performance in a particular subject. Thus for the avoidance of doubt such data, analysis, reports etc. may include for example any subject comparisons of the numbers of students initially awarded a given "algorithmic" grade (e.g. D) by Cambridge compared to the number of students predicted via their CAGs to achieve the same grade; Copies of e-mails and any other correspondence relating to the initially issued Cambridge results and the subsequent appeals process sent by the respective schools to other areas of the DESC (e.g. Minister, Director of Education, EIS etc.) together with responses to the same; Copies of correspondence sent and received, to and from Cambridge in relation to the initial Cambridge results including any appeal documentation (redacted where appropriate).

Furthermore, you may be aware of recent adverse comments criticising the Department and the continued use of Cambridge as an external examination board being published on social media by both past and present IoM Secondary Headteachers. As a parent of children in Secondary education I believe this serves to undermine parental confidence in the Department and the wider educational system including the ability to comprehensively deliver and cover a given course specification from this examination board. Some issues regarding the Cambridge board for IGCSE maths were highlighted in the DESC's response to a previous FOI request following the change of maths examination board to WJEC. Accordingly, I additionally request any correspondence or other information held (if any) which indicates continuing teacher/school concerns with the use of Cambridge IGCSE and any responses issued (such information generated as from 13th December 2018 to date)." Our clarification request In order to identify and locate the information that you asked for, we needed some further information from you. There had been a substantial amount of information found in relation to the Cambridge iGCSE examination results from the summer of 2020. After an initial search for the information requested from 13th December 2018 there was a lot more information in relation to Cambridge iGCSE. To filter and narrow down this correspondence to continuing teacher/school concerns would have required the Department to undertake substantial compilation or collation of information that it holds. Therefore to remove section 8 (3) (c) of the Freedom of Information Act, which states "Nothing in this Act requires a public authority to undertake substantial compilation or collation of information that it holds", it would be helpful to significantly reduce the time period that this information has been requested for. Based on the above it was requested that you advise an alternative and reasonable time period for the final part of the Freedom of Information request. You advised You will of course appreciate that when selecting a timeframe I am unsighted on the volume of information held hence my use of the term "if any." You have indicated that the original timeframe from 18 December 2018 to the date of the FOI request would necessitate substantial compilation but have not qualified "substantial". Nonetheless I would be amicable to seeking such information regarding school/teacher concerns and the responses to such, from the period 13 August 2019 to the date of the FOI request. This negates some 8 months from the period originally sought and of course within the new timeframe there will have been school closures for holidays etc. when presumably the exchange of qualifying correspondence will be minimal?

Response Our response to your request is as follows: Number of grades initially awarded by Cambridge International Education (CIE) I have enclosed a copy of the number of grades initially awarded by (CIE) at Queen Elizabeth II High School. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Department does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested. This is because the information requested is no longer held in the school systems for the remaining four high schools and was automatically overwritten when CIE reissued the results as a new data set. Data, analysis and reports complied on each school’s initial grades I have enclosed copies of the data held in relation to the grades initially awarded by (CIE) at Queen Elizabeth High II School. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested. This is because the information requested is no longer held in the school systems for the remaining four high schools and was automatically overwritten to reflect the actual results. Correspondence relating to the initially issued CIE results and the appeals process – between the High Schools and the Department While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance a practical refusal reason applies. This is because a substantial amount of information (over 850 pages) has been found in relation to this Freedom of Information request, specifically to do with parts 3 and 4 of your request. In order to comply with other statutory obligations upon the Department we are required to review the contents of each page in detail to ensure that we are not disclosing information which would breach individual’s privacy and redact this information where necessary or which might otherwise need to be withheld for legal reasons (as applicable). The time and effort required to produce this information within the statutory timeframe would be substantial and as stated in section 11 (3) (b) complying with the request for information would require the Department to do one or more of the matters mentioned in section 8 (3) of the Freedom of Information Act: Nothing in the Act requires a public authority to – (c) undertake substantial compilation or collation of information that it holds. In order to attempt to remove this practical refusal reason the Department presented 2 available options to you:

1. once you have received the response to this FOI request you submit 2 separate FOI requests for the above 2 areas as well as narrowing down the requests to be more specific. In addition to this, and in order to remove any possible practical refusal reasons, we suggest that the second FoI is submitted following receipt of the first. Or
2. extend the processing period for your FoI request under section 13 of the act. This is because it is possible that some of the information may fall under the classification of 'qualified exempt information'. Of course, this will not be known until the information is appraised but this may represent a viable alternative to remove the practical refusal reason, meaning that the Department could release relevant information in phases over an extended period. You advised that you are content that the processing time be extended such that the Department may be in a position to release relevant information in phases over an extended period. The Department then advised based on the information found in relation to parts 3 and 4 of your request we anticipate that it will take up to 2 months to review and redact the documents, once this response which is due on 20th October has been issued. In addition to this we advised, as the documents are reviewed and redacted we may be able to release relevant information in phases over the extended period. Correspondence relating to the initially issued CIE results and any appeals documentation – to and from CIE While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance a practical refusal reason applies. This is because a substantial amount of information (over 850 pages) has been found in relation to this Freedom of Information request, specifically to do with parts 3 and 4 of your request. In order to comply with other statutory obligations upon the Department we are required to review the contents of each page in detail to ensure that we are not disclosing information which would breach individual’s privacy and redact this information where necessary or which might otherwise need to be withheld for legal reasons (as applicable). The time and effort required to produce this information within the statutory timeframe would be substantial and as stated in section 11 (3) (b) complying with the request for information would require the Department to do one or more of the matters mentioned in section 8 (3) of the Freedom of Information Act: Nothing in the Act requires a public authority to – (c) undertake substantial compilation or collation of information that it holds. In order to attempt to remove this practical refusal reason the Department presented 2 available options:
3. once you have received the response to this FOI request you submit 2 separate FOI requests for the above 2 areas as well as narrowing down the requests to be more

specific. In addition to this, and in order to remove any possible practical refusal reasons, we suggest that the second FoI is submitted following receipt of the first. Or 2. extend the processing period for your FoI request under section 13 of the act. This is because it is possible that some of the information may fall under the classification of 'qualified exempt information'. Of course, this will not be known until the information is appraised but this may represent a viable alternative to remove the practical refusal reason, meaning that the Department could release relevant information in phases over an extended period. You advised that you are content that the processing time be extended such that the Department may be in a position to release relevant information in phases over an extended period. The Department then advised based on the information found in relation to parts 3 and 4 of your request we anticipate that it will take up to 2 months to review and redact the documents, once the response due on 20th October has been issued. In addition to this we advised as the documents are reviewed and redacted we may be able to release relevant information in phases over the extended period. Continuing teacher/school concerns with the use of CIE IGCSE I have enclosed copies of emails held and extracts of Joint Practice Development (JPD) Network meeting records between 13 August 2019 and 21 September 2020 (the date of this FOI request). Redacted content The information received in relation to the continuing teacher/school concerns with the use of CIE IGCSE contained personal information and under section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act (absolutely exempt personal information) is exempt and has therefore been redacted. The reasons why that exemption applies are that: • The Department is satisfied that the information amounts to personal data of which you are not the data subject; and • The Department is satisfied that disclosure of the information would contravene one of the data protection principles as set out at Article 5 of the General Data Protection Regulation as it applies in the Isle of Man pursuant to The Data Protection (Application of GDPR) Order 2018, namely that the Department of Education Sport and Culture can only disclose the information where it would be fair, lawful and meet one of the conditions for lawful processing in Article 6 and in this case, none of those conditions have been met.
Please quote the reference number 1481505 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely

Freedom of Information Coordinator

QEII - IGCSE Subject A* A B C D E F G U English Language 3 19 36 38 20 6 1 English Literature 5 12 24 25 7 6 1 Music 3 5 1 Physical Education 5 4 12 11 6 2 Chemistry 1 3

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