Waddell (1978)

Notes on the text

Part I

Preliminary pages Contents, Membership
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Educational matters
Chapter 3 Structure of the examining system
Chapter 4 Cost
Chapter 5 Conclusions
Appendices

Part II

Preliminary pages Contents, Membership

Report of the Education Study Group (ESG)

Glossary, Introduction
Chapter 1 Feasibility of common exam system
Chapter 2 English
Chapter 3 Mathematics
Chapter 4 Science
Chapter 5 History
Chapter 6 Geography
Chapter 7 Modern languages
Chapter 8 Classics
Chapter 9 Commerce
Chapter 10 Social science
Chapter 11 Religious studies
Chapter 12 Craft design and technology
Chapter 13 Technical drawing
Chapter 14 Home economics
Chapter 15 Needlecraft and dress
Chapter 16 Art
Chapter 17 Music
Chapter 18 Further work
Appendix A List of witnesses
Appendix B Questions
Appendix C Statistics
Appendix D Joint examinations

Report of the Cost Study Group (CSG)

Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Costs in 1976
Chapter 3 Costing a common system
Chapter 4 Changeover costs
Annexes

Report of the Steering Committee established to consider proposals for replacing the General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level and Certificate of Secondary Education examinations by a common system of examining

Chairman: Sir James Waddell CB

Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Education and Science and the Secretary of State for Wales by Command of Her Majesty July 1978

London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office 1978
© Crown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland.

Part I: Cmnd 7281-I
Part II: Cmnd 7281-II

Part II - ESG Report

Chapter 11 Religious studies
[pages 57 - 58]

Introduction

184. Courses in religious studies deal generally with the nature of religious experience and its relationship to codes of behaviour and contemporary life as well as aspects of doctrine and ritual. They usually centre on the study of one religion. Present practice in schools and current examination syllabuses suggest that they are firmly placed within the Christian framework and include a knowledge of the life of Christ based on the study of one of the Gospels, usually with reference to the Old Testament and with varying emphasis on exegesis and cross-reference to history, myth and symbol. In recent years there has been increasing reference to other world religions. In examination syllabuses these usually appear as optional sections, special studies or as the subject of project or course work assessment.

185. This range of activities demands the development of skills, some of which are closely associated with other subject areas and which may be relatively easy or very difficult to analyse and develop. It is important that some of the more difficult aspects, such as understanding the theology and appreciating the ethical code of a religion, are included in any religious studies course at 16+.

The evidence

186. The evidence available was derived from one feasibility study and from discussions with the consortium and subject interests.

Table 10

The ability range

187. The feasibility study was designed for pupils from the 40th percentile to the most able. Results of the NFER Test 100 indicated that this range of ability was present for the 1975 examination although this test and the grades awarded suggest that the entry was skewed towards the middle and lower ability groups.

The syllabus and objectives

188. The syllabus was formed by amalgamating and selecting from three existing syllabuses. It offered the possibility of study of the various aspects mentioned in paragraph 184, but stayed exclusively within the Judaeo-Christian framework. Within these limits, however, there is a fair sampling of topics; more scope might have been given for exegesis.

The syllabus and the examination

189. The examination is a good reflection of the syllabus in the range of topics on which questions are set. However, there is a discernible emphasis on the historical narrative and simple ethics sections of religious studies and a relative neglect of some of the more difficult elements. The emphasis on recapitulation of stories and the lack of demand for speculative thought, philosophical insight and other more demanding skills are not a good reflection of the range of ability the syllabus is designed to serve.

The examination and the ability range

190. The papers appear to have been carefully composed so that the rubrics and wording of the questions were easily understood by the least able pupils for whom the examination was designed. The use of Bibles during the examination was permitted but naturally placed a heavier burden of reading on some pupils, who would find difficulty in coping with it. The written paper was the only form of assessment used. Three types of question were used, the compulsory 'short answer' factual questions at the beginning of each paper, a choice of structured questions designed to evoke a variety of response and a choice of long essay topics. The latter were completed only in part by a majority of the candidates, who revealed inability to marshal cogent argument.

191. There was no evidence of scope in the examination for interpretation of events or topics at all the different conceptual levels. This can be illustrated by a topic such as 'the birth of Jesus' which, at its simplest level, is the narrative of the school nativity play with elements of interpretation of an unsophisticated kind, but which for the most able sixteen year old raises further very important questions relating to the idea of the Virgin Birth and its historical, mythical and symbolic significance. This aspect is one which needs development in any single examination designed for the upper 60 per cent of the ability range in religious studies at 16+.

192. It is difficult to be definitive about the degree of discrimination as the numbers for the examination are small. The marked reduction in entries for 1976 may be some indication of dissatisfaction on the part of teachers. The papers set were rather easy, but seem to have been marked strictly and dissatisfaction seems to have occurred over the grades awarded to more able candidates. Certainly there was poor alignment of the grades with teacher estimates.

Conclusion

193. It would be presumptuous to reach a firm conclusion on the evidence of one examination operating over two years with few candidates and very few of high ability. The evidence does show that it is feasible to draw up a common syllabus in religious studies and possible to recognise aspects which can be covered by all candidates, and others which will only be developed fully by the most able pupils. The feasibility study showed the difficulties encountered in the first attempt to organise a single examination for such a syllabus. On the evidence of this examination it would seem that initially the development of differentiated papers within a common system is the most likely means of achieving proper provision for the extremes of the ability range in religious studies. The evidence does not show that a single examination is impossible, only that there were unresolved difficulties in the initial attempt to develop it.