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learners around the world” and in addition to its established BTEC suite of
qualifications, it is promoting its ‘IGCSEs’ (International General Certificate of
Secondary Education). This suggests that the strategic direction Edexcel is pursuing is
a reduction in its role as a mainstream provider of English general qualifications - at
least at AS∕A2∕VCE. That level has always been subsidised by the much larger GCSE
market, a fact which has not escaped Pearson ChiefExecutive Marjorie Scardino. She
was quoted in Education Guardian of 17 August 2004 in a speech at a European
media seminar:
The UK is highly inefficient in marking exams. They spend three times as much
per student on exams as American schools do and they spend a third as much on
educational materials as American schools do. So they could really use some
efficiencies in marking GCSEs. Even if you didn ,t add technology you could do
a lot better, and we think that ,s good potential.
A recent interview with the Pearson official now heading Edexcel confirmed this view
of the English examining market. When asked why Pearson had invested in such an
unprofitable enterprise as English qualifications, he replied, iiBecause the system is
incredibly inefficient, money can be made” (Edexcel4 2005). Even were the
Government to overcome its preference for competition and move to a single national
examining body, Pearson would be undeterred because their real objective is to move
into iisupport processes, which will continue ” (Edxcel4 205). By support processes,
they mean textbooks and materials which their detailed database of examination
results enables them to produce for teachers to use in targeting their teaching to
improving outcomes.
With OCR too there are signs that it may be looking beyond a role as an accredited
provider of qualifications within the English state system. Following the publication
of the Tomlinson Report which recommended the replacement of GCSE and A levels
with a new four-level diploma structure, OCR responded by disagreeing strongly and