The English Examining Boards: Their route from independence to government outsourcing agencies

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examination standards, supporting his view by leaking a report on the GCSE
preparedfor him by HMI under confidential cover. HMI reported ⁱⁱIimited confidence
that standards are being maintained...” due to certain specified weaknesses. (HMI
1992) The Minister was sufficiently disturbed by the report’s findings to establish an
inquiry on the basis of what had been revealed. His action provoked a media chorus
which became an annual reaction to the examination results, as illustrated by the
following headlines from the Times Educational Supplement-.

Call for tighter checks on ‘rising’ grades as boards rally to defend A-Ievel
record

(TES 28 August 1992)

Marking is not lax, says examiner

GCSE row provokes terse statement from Government’s chief exams
adviser

Griffiths angered by Patten’s inquiry

(TES 4 September 1992)

The disputes continued with variations on this theme throughout the 1990s:

Pass rises ‘are real’

The best-ever GCSE results have coincided with new research evidence
that the exams are as difficult as ever

(TES 27 August 1993)

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