Alex Cutbill

Maths Education and Assessment Specialist interested in Edtech, History of Maths, and Linguistics. He/him

[Alex Cutbill @intersectarian]

@GWRHelp Ok. In future it would be helpful to know that before the train departs the station.

[Alex Cutbill @intersectarian]

@GWRHelp I am surprised to hear that the 13:38 from Paddington to Didcot Parkway is not stopping at Slough. No announcements on board at all before departure. Is this really true?

[MEI @MEIMaths]

From September 2026, The MAT will no longer take place. The University of Oxford will use the TMUA. More info: https://t.co/tcuewGPjhn

[Alex Cutbill @intersectarian]

@robert_lyman Pre-covid, the choir would go for a pint or two after evensong. I haven't been very often since it started closing at 6pm on a Sunday. But I've had a good time on the odd occasion I've been able to visit and sample the excellent selection of ales on draught!

[Alex Cutbill @intersectarian]

@MathsNot Thanks! Yeah the jeopardy aspect is definitely an issue, but I think less than in PISA where you're also trying to compare between countries (cultures) and not just between years.

[Alex Cutbill @intersectarian]

@MathsNot Could you elaborate about the NRT efficacy opinions? I'm speaking at https://t.co/bWQeDrqP5O on Sat, including concerns about the comparable outcomes system as implemented, including e.g. transparency about how NRT would be used. Any perspectives you could share would be great!

[Alex Cutbill @intersectarian]

🤠* The rumours are true! I'll be at #MathsConf39 talking about exam standards. Do come along with your questions and thoughts. I promise it will be more interesting than it sounds!

*hat not included

[Complete Maths @LaSalleEd]

📣 Another #MathsConf39 workshop announcement!

✨ The Maths Assessment System in England: How Standards Are Set and Maintained
with Alex Cutbill (@intersectarian)

Who decides how many pupils “meet the expected standard” at the end of KS2, or achieve grade 4 at GCSE? This session explores the mechanisms behind standard-setting, busts common myths, and critically examines whether the current system meets its aims.

We’ll also consider what might be possible in the future for assessment in mathematics and how changes could impact teaching and learning.

✨ What you’ll take away:
✅ A clear understanding of how standards are set and maintained in KS2 and GCSE maths
✅ Insight into the myths and realities of assessment outcomes
✅ Discussion on the effectiveness of current systems
✅ Perspectives on possible future directions for assessment in maths

Leave with a deeper understanding of maths assessment and its implications for schools, teachers, and learners.

Learn more and book your tickets: https://t.co/h3ORIrHVJw

[Alex Cutbill @intersectarian]

@MathsNot Strong evidence that if you want to get all A stars then you're best off doing 5 subjects 😉

[Alex Cutbill @intersectarian]

@PaulBushen @adamboxer1 It's a very complicated system, some of that is necessary but I worry that the system is more opaque than it needs to be.

[Alex Cutbill @intersectarian]

@PaulBushen @adamboxer1 I wrote a short post about Ofqual's stated *intentions* and a bit of how they are implemented. https://t.co/qy8g7VGmDr I might write something later about how I think the implementation is working in practice now the results (and https://t.co/UL6I4DLONF) have been published.

[Alex Cutbill @intersectarian]

@noookophile @robeastaway I think maintaining standards is the fairest thing for students, given the way(s) that results are used. As for precision/'wrong' grades, to make things more precise there would need to be longer/more exams (and/or computer adaptive tests). So it's a trade-off.

[Alex Cutbill @intersectarian]

@noookophile @robeastaway I don't really understand your point here. Changing the grade boundary will change the grade distribution in any regime. Ofqual's goal isn't to enforce a normal distribution (for, I think, good reasons) but to maintain standards.

[Alex Cutbill @intersectarian]

@noookophile @robeastaway Examiners could have felt that only 69.9% of students met the old Grade C standard in 2017. I can't remember if KS2 data was being used as part of the statistical evidence for maintaining standards at that point, but it certainly is now.

[Alex Cutbill @intersectarian]

@noookophile @robeastaway I don't know the details in this case, but – as GCSEs aren't norm-referenced – maintaining standards from 2016 to 2017 wouldn't necessarily mean the same percentage of students getting an equivalent grade.

[Alex Cutbill @intersectarian]

@noookophile @robeastaway I think I've answered these points in more detail elsewhere. Let me know if not. But the main point is that Ofqual's goal is to maintain standards rather than enforce 'normality'.

[Alex Cutbill @intersectarian]

@noookophile @robeastaway As the 1/2 and 2/3 boundaries were set arithmetically, it could be that lots of students happened to get a Grade 3 in Spanish in the first year. (I haven't looked for the data - you could if you're interested.) Or it could be that the cohort taking Spanish has changed over time.

[Alex Cutbill @intersectarian]

@noookophile @robeastaway If the Grade 3/4 is 'wrong' now it's because it was set 'wrong', and if it was set 'wrong' it's because the Grade C/D boundary was 'wrong' before. Details of the transition from letter grades can be found in https://t.co/dt5NlgZ6yA.

[Alex Cutbill @intersectarian]

@robeastaway But I'm only an expert on *maths* assessment, so I might be wrong about the state of play for e.g. Spanish

[Alex Cutbill @intersectarian]

@robeastaway AFAIK that's right for Spanish, though other languages had some tweaks: https://t.co/hLL85yCk8m

The speaking exam might affect things too. I believe it no longer contributes to a student's English grade because of reliability concerns.