Document Title - Edexcel



A level Politics (9PL0) – Grade characteristicsOn the 18th of March the Secretary of state announced that the 2020 exam series in England would be cancelled to help fight the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). Exam boards will be contacting schools, colleges and other exam centres asking them to submit:a centre assessment grade for every student in each of their subjects (the grade they would most likely to have achieved if they had sat their exams and completed any non-exam assessment)the rank order of students within each grade for each subject (for example, for all those students with a centre assessment grade of 5 in GCSE Maths, a rank order where 1 is the most secure/highest attaining student, and so on)This document has been created to provide guidance on the key characteristics we would expect to see students display at specific grades, in order to help you make informed decisions when you review your students work in a subject.Holistic approach to gradesYou will need to grade your students using all the evidence available to you to determine what grade they would have most likely achieved had they sat the examination in the summer.? To reach this decision you and all the teaching staff will want to consider a wide range of information where it is available.? This may be through mock examinations results, non - examined assessments (NEA) and other general records or evidence of performance across the course of study.??It is only through reviewing all evidence available that you will be able to form a holistic view of likely candidate performance based on professional judgement.?Keep in mind there are lots of different ways a student could make up the marks needed to achieve a grade, a student who performs very well on paper 1 and poorly on paper 2, may achieve the same grade as a student who has a solid performance on both papersWe are unable to show student examples of a specific grade due to the number of ways a grade can be achieved. However, each year we release indicative grade boundaries for each paper and NEA that give an indication of a student’s performance on that part of the qualification.Past papers, mark schemes and indicative grade boundaries are available on our qualification subject pages.Grade CharacteristicsWe have worked closely with our senior examining team to get their expert views and review student work at key grades for A level Politics. We have used this expertise to develop grade characteristics for students at Grade 7 and 4 for GCSE and International GCSE qualifications and Grade A and C for A levels and International A levels.We have provided three descriptions for each of these grades, highlighting characteristics of students who are high achieving within the grade, securely with the grade and those who have only just achieved the grade. This will enable you to start to place students within grades and also allow you to start the process of rank ordering your students.A level Politics - Grade A CharacteristicsGrade AMost secure studentsCandidates know and understand the nature of political institutions and personnel and the processes by which they interact; these answers are more than simple description since they refer to and use effectively relevant theories and concepts, as in Paper 2, Q2(b) and Paper 3B, Q2.Sustain a consistent standard across all questions.Respond to source-based questions demonstrating an ability to evaluate, analyse and interpret information and reach justified conclusions while adhering closely to rubric requirements to identify similarities and differences; these answers evaluate and analyse only material contained within the source and maintain a careful balance between the contrasting points made and arguments developed as they produce a coherent response to the actual question set. See Paper 1, Q1a, Paper 2, Q1(b).Demonstrate an ability to make accurate and effective comparisons between political systems, roles or institutions and their effectiveness identifying parallels, connections, similarities and differences, strengthening such insights by the relevant use of concepts and theories as in Paper 3B, Q1(b), Paper 3A, Q2.Recognise the importance of planning and having the conclusion in mind right from the outset, in line with AO3, ensuring that evaluation and consideration of points supporting or opposing particular arguments are so balanced that the intended conclusion can be substantiated by the judgements made, as in Paper 2 Q2(a), Paper 3A, Q3(a).Answer a question about core political ideas (remembering that candidates must answer one question from a choice of two, even though there are three core ideas listed on the specification) and at least one non-core idea - answers include more than two of the specified thinkers for the political idea about which candidates have chosen to write - references to other non-specified thinkers instead result in a much less promising outcome; answers invariably demonstrate an accurate understanding of different opinions expressed by specified thinkers particularly in relation to human nature, state, economy and society Paper 1, Q3(a), Paper 2, Q5(b).Convincingly synthesise material from different parts of the specification to respond to questions with a synoptic element using material from Paper 1 to support answers to Q2(a) or 2(b) on Paper 2; at this level candidates secure high marks in their answers to Section C questions on the Comparative Politics papers by explicitly addressing the questions drawn from different parts of the specification, as in Paper 3A Q3(a), Paper 3B Q3(b).Grade A Secure studentsCandidates accurately identify and understand the linkages between political institutions and personnel and the processes by which they interact; these answers go far beyond description since they also discuss relevant theories and concepts, as in Paper 2, Q2(a) and Paper 3B, Q2.Sustain a largely consistent standard across all questions.Respond to source-based questions demonstrating an ability to analyse and evaluate information and reach justified conclusions and, in doing so, to adhere to rubric requirements such as evaluating and analysing only material contained within the source and maintaining a balance between the points made while also being careful to produce an answer to the actual question set. See Paper 1, Q1b, Paper 2, Q1(a).Make comparisons between political systems, roles or institutions, identifying some parallels, connections, similarities and differences and also referring relevantly to concepts and theories as in Paper 3A, Q1(a), Paper 3B, Q2.Plan for the conclusion as they begin to write an answer in line with AO3, ensuring that evaluation and points for or against a particular view are so balanced that the intended conclusion is substantiated by the judgements made, as in Paper 2 Q2(a), Paper 3A, Q3(a).Answer one question about core political ideas and one question concerning a non-core idea - answers generally include more than two of the specified thinkers for the political idea about which candidates have chosen to write - references to other non-specified thinkers instead result in a much less promising outcome; answers generally demonstrate a reasonably accurate understanding of different opinions expressed by specified thinkers particularly in relation to human nature, state, economy and society Paper 1, Q3(b), Paper 2, Q5(a).Synthesise material from different parts of the specification to respond to questions with a synoptic element, using material from Paper 1 to support answers to Q2(a) or 2(b) on Paper 2; candidates respond to Section C questions on the Comparative Politics papers in a balanced and convincing manner as they address questions drawn from different parts of the specification, as in Paper 3A Q3(b), Paper 3B Q3(a).Grade ABorderline studentsCandidates know and understand the nature of political institutions and personnel and the ways in which they work; these answers may offer accurate descriptions supported by some references to relevant theories and concepts as in Paper 1, Q2(a) and Paper 3A, Q2.Maintain across their whole paper a broadly consistent standard.Respond to source-based questions demonstrating an ability to analyse and evaluate information in a balanced way while mostly adhering to rubric instructions such as to evaluate and analyse only material contained within the source as they produce a response to the actual question set. See Paper 1, Q1a, Paper 2, Q1(b).Make comparisons between political roles and institutions and identify similarities and differences, making reference also to relevant concepts and theories as in Paper 3A, Q1(b), Paper 3B, Q1(a).Evidently have a conclusion in mind as they start their answer, balancing evaluation and points for or against a particular view so that the likely conclusion is justified by the evidence used and judgements made, as in Paper 2 Q2(b), Paper 3B, Q3(c).Answer one core political ideas question and one non-core idea; answers include more than two of the specified thinkers for the political idea chosen; answers demonstrate an accurate awareness of different opinions expressed by specified thinkers over topics such as human nature, state, economy and society Paper 1, Q3(b), Paper 2, Q4(b).These answers bring together material from different parts of the specification to respond to questions with a synoptic element, using material from Paper 1 to support answers to Q2(a) or 2(b) on Paper 2; candidates respond effectively to Section C questions on Comparative Politics papers as they are based on material from different parts of the specification, as in Paper 3A Q3(c), Paper 3B Q3(c).A level Politics - Grade C CharacteristicsGrade CMost secure studentsCandidates refer to certain political institutions in considerable detail with an awareness of how and by whom they are operated; these answers may refer to and understand some theories and concepts but their focus is much more on detail and description, as in Paper 2, Q2(a) and Paper 3B, Q1(a).Produce a set of answers which are variable in standard but generally quite good.Answer source-based questions showing a capacity to select and evaluate information while adhering to some of the rubric requirements - identifying similarities and differences or not analysing new points not mentioned in the passage, as they reach their conclusion and respond to the actual question set. See Paper 1, Q1b, Paper 2, Q1(b); generally, such answers are weaker on AO3 (evaluation and conclusion) than AO2 (selection and analysis).Answers have some structure and organisation, though often it is not clear what conclusion is to be reached until near the end; there is some evaluation though the conclusion, when finally revealed, may be barely substantiated in the light of the preceding evidence produced or judgements made, as in Paper 2 Q2(a), Paper 3A, Q3(b).Answers concerning political ideas generally mention more than two of the specified thinkers for the relevant question but if reference is made to non-specified thinkers instead, such answers do poorly as a result; many answers demonstrate some reasonably accurate awareness of different opinions expressed by specified thinkers in relation to human nature, state, economy and society Paper 1, Q3(a), Paper 2, Q5(b).Bring together material from different parts of the specification, using material from Paper 1 to support answers to Q2(a) or 2(b) on Paper 2; Section C essay questions on Papers 3A and 3B are often answered in a largely descriptive manner, with issues and concerns drawn from different parts of the specification – such answers often reach a plausible but not necessarily fully justified or substantiated conclusion at the end, as in Paper 3A Q3(a), Paper 3B Q3(b).Grade C Secure studentsCandidates describe political institutions with an awareness of how they work and who makes them work; there will be considerable detail though answers may also refer to some theories and concepts but their focus is much more on description, as in Paper 2, Q2(a) and Paper 3B, Q2.Produce variable answers which may be assessed as being anywhere between good and satisfactory.Select and evaluate information from sources to answer source-based questions while adhering to some of the rubric requirements - identifying similarities and differences or maintaining a sense of balance in the answer but possibly not adhering to the requirement to avoid analysing and evaluating new points not mentioned in the passage. See Paper 1, Q1a, Paper 2, Q1(a); generally, such answers are weaker on AO3 (evaluation and conclusion) than AO2 (selection and analysis).Make simple and mainly accurate comparisons between roles or institutions, identifying some parallels or connections or similarities or differences, as in Paper 3B, Q1(a), Paper 3A, Q2.Answers show little sign of having been planned - often it is not clear what conclusion is to be reached until near the end; when finally stated, the conclusion may be barely substantiated or justified in the light of the preceding evidence and arguments offered, as in Paper 2 Q2(a), Paper 3A, Q3(b).Answers concerning political ideas generally mention more than two of the specified thinkers for the relevant question - where candidates discuss non-specified thinkers instead, such answers do poorly; many answers demonstrate some basic awareness of different opinions expressed by specified thinkers in relation to human nature, state, economy and society - Paper 1, Q3(a),Paper 2, Q5(b).Bring together material from different parts of the specification, using material from Paper 1 to support answers to Q2(a) or 2(b) on Paper 2; answers to Section C essay questions on Papers 3A and 3B discuss, usually in a largely descriptive manner, elements from different parts of the specification, often reaching a conclusion at the end which may be more opinionated than justified or substantiated by evidence and argument, as in Paper 3A Q3(a), Paper 3B Q3(b).Grade CBorderline studentsCandidates satisfactorily describe with considerable detail and some understanding key political institutions and some of the people involved and the work they do; some theories and concepts may be mentioned but the main focus of the answer is primarily on description, as in Paper 2, Q2(b) and Paper 3B, Q2.Often produce a set of answers which vary in quality, failing to sustain a consistent standardSelect and evaluate information to answer source-based questions and adhere to rubric requirements such as identifying similarities and differences or maintaining a sense of balance in the answer but probably not adhering to the requirement to avoid discussing new points not mentioned in the passage. See Paper 1, Q1b, Paper 2, Q1(b); generally, such answers are considerably weaker on AO3 (evaluation and conclusion) than AO2 (selection and analysis).Make simple and mainly accurate comparisons between roles or institutions, using simple examples to identify some similarities or differences, as in Paper 3B, Q1(a), Paper 3A, Q2.Provide answers which do not obviously follow a serious or carefully constructed plan - often the conclusion is not reached until the end; when finally stated, the conclusion may be difficult to justify in the light of the preceding evidence and arguments, as in Paper 2 Q2(a), Paper 3A, Q3(b).Answers concerning political ideas generally mention at least two of the specified thinkers or else reference is made to non-specified thinkers instead – and such answers do poorly as a result; many answers demonstrate some basic awareness of differences between specified thinkers when commenting on topics such as human nature or society Paper 1, Q3(a),Paper 2, Q5(b).Bring together material from different parts of the specification, using material from Paper 1 to support answers to Q2(a) or 2(b) on Paper 2; answers to essay questions on Papers 3A and 3B discuss, probably largely descriptively, elements from different parts of the specification, often reaching a conclusion which may be more opinionated than substantiated by evidence and argument, as in Paper 3A Q3(a), Paper 3B Q3(b).Support We understand it is an uncertain time for you and your students at the moment. Our overriding aim this summer, as with any exam series, is to make sure that every learner receives a grade or award that reflects their knowledge and understanding of the subject they have studied. We?are eager to make sure that you have all the necessary information and support that you need during this timethere is a large range of support available via the subject pages on our website (including exam papers and NEA with commentaries and marks)we will be providing guidance on rank ordering your students shortlyyou can contact us via our Ask the Expert Service ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download