Open in a web browser here.
OCR_NEW_CMYK_FLAT_Jan2019
Maths newsletter header image of person using calculator
Total Maths - October

Hi Colleague,

We hope that this term is going well for you and your students. There’s a half term break right around the corner.

Ofqual and the Department for Education recently announced the outcome of their joint consultation on GCSE, AS and A Level assessments in 2022. Please read the first article below for information on the changes coming up in 2022 assessments.

Alongside this, Ofqual and the Department for Education have also launched a new consultation on contingency arrangements for the unlikely event that exams are not able to go ahead as planned in 2022. Full details are available online and we encourage you to respond. The consultation will close on Wednesday 13 October at 23:45.

As ever, get in touch if there’s any further support that we can offer you. Our role is to support you as you deliver our qualifications.

Neil, Ruth, Caroline and Steven - your OCR Maths Subject Advisors

maths@ocr.org.uk
@OCR_Maths
01223 553998
OCR-Newsletter-Box-shaddow
GCSE, AS and A Level assessments in 2022 consultation
Students on results day

The outcome of the recent Ofqual and DfE consultation on 2022 assessments in GCSE, AS and A Level qualifications has now been published.

The consultation received 6725 responses in total, with almost a quarter from students.
  • Advance information will be issued for GCSE, AS & A Level maths qualifications. These will be released by 7 February 2022.
  • A formulae sheet will be issued for GCSE (9-1) Maths. Students will be given a clean copy in the examination.

The date when the formulae sheet will be released to centres isn’t confirmed, but it’s hoped to be shortly after the November 2021 exam dates, so that you can then begin preparing students with it ready for 2022.

For the GCSE (9-1) Maths November 2022 series, advance information will be issued in July 2022 and students will again be issued a formulae sheet in the exam.

We’ve published a summary of the outcomes for you, or you can read the full outcome.

For the summer 2022 assessments, we can also confirm that advance information will be issued for Core Maths qualifications and that advance information and a formulae sheet will be issued for Level 3 FSMQ: Additional Mathematics.

2022 Consultation Summary
Summer 2022 grading

Ofqual has now confirmed details of how qualifications will be graded in 2022.

In an article on their website, Ofqual confirms that grade boundaries in 2022 will be set ‘based on a profile that reflects a midpoint between 2021 and pre-pandemic grading’. This will be based on an average of 2019 and 2021 results for each subject.
Ofqual logo

This reflects the continued disruption that students have been through over the previous 18 months, as well as the fact that many A Level students will not have sat a public examination previously.

The aim is then in 2023 to return to results that will be in line with those in pre-pandemic years.

Ofqual Grading Article
Autumn 2021 series information
Maths teacher and student

In Ofqual’s article mentioned above, they also confirm that grading for the current autumn 2021 series will be aligned with that of summer 2021.

Exam timetables for the autumn 2021 series are available from our key dates and timetables page.

The AS and A Level Large Data Sets to be assessed in the autumn 2021 series are those that would have been used in a summer 2021 series. These are available from the qualification pages for AS and A Level Maths A (H230 and H240), AS Maths B (MEI) (H630) and A Level Maths B (MEI) (H640).

For Core Maths A H868/01 & H868/02 and Core Maths B H869/01, the autumn 2021 pre-release materials are now available to download from OCR Interchange.

For Core Maths B H869/02, the Large Data Set for the autumn 2021 series is the one that would have been used in a summer 2021 series. This can be downloaded from the Core Maths B qualification page.

Details of the Core Maths pre-release materials are also available in our subject information update.

Key Dates and Timetables
Upcoming A Level CPD

We’ve got plenty of A Level Maths and Further Maths CPD sessions coming up over the next few weeks for you.

We’re also pleased to let you know that the A Level Maths B (MEI) session on Wednesday 6 October will be delivered by Keith Proffitt (MEI Curriculum Developer). Keith will also be delivering a series of A Level Further Maths B (MEI) sessions next year, looking at each of the options.
Laptop user

Full details and booking information for all are available on our Professional Development webpage.

  • Wed 6 October - Getting to know the Large Data Set for A Level Mathematics A - H230/H240
  • Wed 6 October - Getting to know the Large Data Set for A Level Mathematics B (MEI) – H630/H640
  • Wed 10 November - How to mark a mock paper - A workshop for A Level Further Mathematics A - H245
  • Wed 10 November - Ask the Subject Expert Q&A: A Level Mathematics A & B (MEI) – H240/H640
  • Mon 15 Nov - How to mark a mock paper: A workshop for A Level Further Mathematics B (MEI) - H645
  • Wed 24 Nov - How to mark a mock paper: A workshop for A Level Mathematics A – H240
2021-22 A Level Maths CPD
GCSE CPD and new resources
Maths student in classroom

There are several GCSE (9-1) Maths CPD sessions coming up soon.

As ever, full details and booking information can be found on our Professional Development webpage.
  • Wed 13 October - Exams Preparation for GCSE (9-1) Mathematics - J560
  • Tue 23 November - Switching to OCR GCSE (9-1) Mathematics - J560
  • Wed 24 November - Ask the Examiner Q&A: GCSE (9-1) Mathematics - J560

We’ve also published some more ExamBuilder Topic Tests. You can find them in the Foundation and Higher topic test zip folders.

2021-22 GCSE Maths CPD
AMSP Core Maths network

The Advanced Maths Support Programme (AMSP) are running an online network meeting for OCR Core Maths A & B on Thursday 14 October.

If you’ve read Ruth’s recent ‘Getting started with Core Maths’ blog where she discussed the qualification with teachers, you’ll know that AMSP were highlighted as an ‘invaluable’ forum for discussing and share ideas. If you’re delivering Core Maths, whatever your experience, we really recommend signing up.

AMSP Core Maths Network
Advanced Mathematics Support Programme Logo

This email was sent to you by OCR (Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations) because you consented to us online or at one of our events, or with one of our carefully selected partners to receive OCR email communications.

If you no longer wish to receive OCR Updates from us and would like to remove your details from our list please unsubscribe from all future emails or alternatively you can update your email preferences here. 

OCR is a not for profit organisation and a company limited by guarantee registered in England, No. 3484466 Registered Office: The Triangle Building Shaftesbury Road Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB2 8EA United Kingdom