Ecctis highlights academic strengths of Bedales' home-grown qualifications
An independent review has endorsed the approach taken by Bedales to in-house assessment, writes Will Goldsmith, head of the school.
At Bedales, we have always held a simple conviction: education should stretch beyond the narrow confines of exam preparation. It should nurture independence, curiosity and the confidence to think critically about the world. Our Bedales Assessed Courses (BACs), introduced in 2006 as alternatives to GCSEs, were created to embody that belief.
A new independent evaluation by Ecctis – the UK’s designated agency for international qualifications and skills benchmarking – has now provided a welcome endorsement of this approach. Their review concludes that the Bedales Assessed Course in English literature is fully comparable to a UK GCSE, while also cultivating a broader and more advanced skillset normally only taught at A level.
BACs are two year qualifications taken in Blocks 4 and 5 (Years 10 and 11) alongside a core of I/GCSEs. They span 16 subjects, from art and geography to Japanese and digital game design, and combine a subject-specific blend of examinations, coursework and practical assessments. The aim is to give students a richer, more authentic learning experience that mirrors the way knowledge is used beyond school and prepares them better for further study.
We commissioned the Ecctis review to give families, colleges, universities and recognition bodies a clear understanding of how the English literature BAC aligns with national expectations. It applied the organisation’s established methodology, drawing on its experience across more than 190 global education systems. The findings highlight the distinctive strengths of the Bedales approach.
While GCSEs understandably prioritise subject knowledge assessed through terminal exams, Ecctis notes that the BAC in English literature develops this knowledge while also fostering higher order capabilities. The evaluation identifies several areas where the BAC goes further, including the requirement for students to consider and evaluate multiple interpretations of literary texts – a skill Ecctis associates with A level study. The course also places a stronger emphasis on comparing unseen texts in the final written examination, integrates creative writing, independent research and oral communication, and encourages reflective practice and metacognitive awareness. Students are also expected to apply their knowledge in real world and interdisciplinary contexts.
These skills, Ecctis observes, not only complement academic progression but also prepare students for the demands of university study, where independence, critical engagement and originality are essential.
As I see in my own English classroom, this approach transforms students’ relationship with learning. They write with greater confidence, read with deeper insight and speak with a maturity that belies their age. Students studying the BAC in English literature are not only meeting national expectations but surpassing them for this age and stage. The course encourages young people to think independently, write creatively and engage deeply with texts and ideas – habits of mind that prepare them not just for exams, but for life beyond school.
Although this evaluation focused on English literature, all BACs share a common structure and ethos. Rigorous academic study is combined with practical, creative and research based components, ensuring that the strengths identified by Ecctis are embedded across the full BAC to offer a clearer pathway to the A level curriculum (Bedales, as a selective school, only teaches A level).
The Ecctis report concludes unequivocally that the BAC in English literature “demonstrates comparability to GCSE standard,” while offering students a richer and more expansive learning experience that prepares them better for A level, university and life beyond.
There is further information about the full BAC suite of qualifications here and Ecctis here.