Rm Regulatory News (RM.)

8 May 2007 07:01

RM PLC08 May 2007 8 May 2007 RM takes further strategic steps in Assessment and Data Services RM has entered into a four-year managed service agreement with AQA (theAssessment and Qualifications Alliance) to provide a range of computer-basedtest authoring, test delivery and test centre management services. The agreementwill lead to AQA increasingly making its GCSE and A Level qualificationsavailable for students to take "on-screen" using an Internet-connected computer.The contract is expected to result in business to RM worth in excess of £1m. The service RM will offer includes:• Test authoring: the development of on-screen versions of existing AQA tests and the provision of a Web-delivered, centrally-hosted test authoring system (which will allow examiners to develop their own on-screen tests);• Test delivery: the provision of an on-screen environment for delivering tests;• Test centre management: the secure electronic distribution of tests to test centres and the collection and collation of test results. RM has substantial experience of delivering and managing sophisticated on-screentesting services. RM and AQA worked together in 2006 piloting the delivery ofScience GCSE tests on-screen. RM has also developed the highly innovative KeyStage 3 ICT test for the QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority). Thiscontract builds on RM's existing experience and is based upon the system put inplace for the Key Stage 3 ICT test. John Mitchell, Director of Qualifications Development & Support at AQA, said: "Technology is an increasingly important component in the effective delivery ofassessment and testing. We have appointed RM as our on-screen test deliverypartner because they've demonstrated they can deliver both the innovation andreliability that we need." RM has also reached agreement with WJEC (the Welsh Joint Examinations Committee)to provide an e-marking service, based on the Group's scoris(R) system. Thisservice will commence with the summer 2007 exam session and it is anticipated itwill move to a long term contracted basis thereafter. Tim Pearson, CEO of RM said: "Assessment and Data is an increasingly important part of RM's business. We'vebeen responsible for some extremely innovative developments in the area ofon-screen testing and, working with AQA, we are taking these ideas andapproaches and using them in the management and high volume delivery of keyeducational qualifications. "Along with our growing presence as a provider of outsourced e-marking services,this contract with AQA positions RM as the leading technology innovator inassessment services." For further information, please contact:Mike Greig/Phil Hemmings, RM plc 08450 700300Mark Antelme/Raphael Mazet, Brunswick 020 7404 5959 Notes: Founded in 1973, the RM Group is a leading provider of educational products andservices to schools, colleges & universities, local government, and centralgovernment education departments & agencies. RM works closely witheducationalists to create new products, processes and technology which improveteaching and learning. RM is listed on the main market of the London StockExchange under the symbol RM.L. The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) is the largest of the threemajor English exam boards. It is the main provider of general qualifications forUK schools and colleges, awarding 51% of full course GCSEs and 43% of A Levels,as well as other qualifications. In total, students take over 3.5 million examswith AQA every year. The QCA Key Stage 3 ICT test provides a completely new approach to assessment.It provides both a sophisticated on-screen testing environment and a nationaltesting infrastructure that collects, processes and reports test results. RM wasawarded a six-year contract to provide technology and services for the projectin February 2003. scoris(R) transforms the way key assessment processes are implemented. Forindividual markers, it presents a secure online environment in which they canreceive, view and mark exam scripts on their own home computers. For examinationboards, it provides a Web-delivered workflow system, which controls the processof allocating exam scripts to markers, collecting marks and monitoring thequality & consistency of markers' work. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange