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Understanding GCSE and A Level Exams How the System Works and What Teachers Need to Know
This Microcourse provides a clear and accessible explanation of how the GCSE and A level exam system operates in England and what teachers need to know to navigate it confidently.
Designed for teachers and school leaders at all stages, it explores how exams are regulated, how grades are determined, and how accountability measures shape practice. Key themes include the roles of Ofqual and exam boards, the impact of exam reforms, the reliability of grades across subjects, and how performance measures such as Attainment Eight and Progress Eight are used, all grounded in real system insight and practical professional understanding.
Meet the Course Presenter
Designed for teachers and school leaders at all stages, it explores how exams are regulated, how grades are determined, and how accountability measures shape practice. Key themes include the roles of Ofqual and exam boards, the impact of exam reforms, the reliability of grades across subjects, and how performance measures such as Attainment Eight and Progress Eight are used, all grounded in real system insight and practical professional understanding.
Meet the Course Presenter
About the Creator
Barnaby Lenon is Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Buckingham and a former head teacher with extensive experience in school leadership. He served for six years on the board of Ofqual, where he was directly involved in implementing major GCSE and A level reforms introduced from 2011 onwards. With a career spanning classroom teaching, senior leadership, and national regulation, Barnaby brings a combination of practical and system-level insight into how examinations, standards, and accountability operate in English schools.