External Assessment

• External assessment
• Principles
• Proxy qualifications
• Wider Key Skills Qualifications Pilot
• Sample test papers
• Information and Communication Technology
• ICT datafiles 2004-2005
• Guidance to test writers

Principles

In a letter dated 4 November 1999 to QCA, Baroness Blackstone set out the principles which underpin the external assessment.

External assessment is intended to corroborate the evidence in the portfolio. It is not intended that the external test will cover one part of the unit and the internally assessed portfolio another. Neither does the external component carry a proportion of the total 'mark'. The candidate must pass both the portfolio and the test in order to gain certification.

The external test is designed to test the candidate's underpinning knowledge and understanding as well as their ability to apply these. There is a separate test for each of the units. For Communication and Iinformation and Communication Technology the tests last 1 hour each at Levels 1 and 2. For Application of Number at Levels 1 and 2 an extra 15 minutes is available so the tests last 1 hour and 15 minutes. At Level 3 each test lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes, while at Level 4 the tests are 2 hours and 30 minutes in length.

The tests are:

• externally set
• taken in supervised, timed sessions
• externally marked
• multiple choice at Levels 1 and 2
• a mixture of short and extended answer questions at levels 3 and above

In Communication and Application of number at Levels 1 and 2, the test papers will be the same as those for the National literacy and numeracy tests.

The criteria and specifications for the questions have been produced by the regulatory authorities (i.e. QCA in England, ACCAC in Wales and CCEA in Northern Ireland), and are available on the QCA website.

View the publication Preparing for External Assessment

Back to External Assessment

Summary of this section

• Principles
  Information on the principles of external assessment.
• Proxy qualifications
  Information on proxy qualifications for key skills assessment.
• Wider Key Skills Qualifications Pilot
  Information on the Wider Key Skills qualifications pilot.
• Sample test papers
  Sample external test papers for Levels 1 - 3.
• Information and Communication Technology
  Advice on the tests for Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
• ICT datafiles 2004/2005
  Link to QCA ICT datafiles 2004/2005.
• Guidance to test writers
  QCA basic and key skils test standards for staff students preparing for the external tests in key skills Application of Number, Communication and ICT.