OCR (examination board)
From Free net encyclopedia
Image:OCRLogo.png The OCR (Oxford, Cambridge and RSA) exam board is a British organisation that sets examinations and awards qualifications (including GCSEs and A-levels). It is one of England, Wales and Northern Ireland's five main examination boards: the others are AQA, Edexcel, the WJEC and the CCEA.
OCR is based in Cambridge, England with offices in Birmingham and Coventry. Together with University of Cambridge ESOL and University of Cambridge International Examinations, OCR makes up Cambridge Assessment, the day-to-date working name for UCLES , the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, which operates in over 150 countries. The name Cambridge Assessment was adopted in 2005.
The name OCR reflects the fact that it was created in 1998 through the amalgamation of the University of Oxford Delegacy for Local Examinations (founded 1857) and the Oxford & Cambridge Schools Examinations Board (founded 1873) with the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (founded 1858) and the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) Examination Board and various other organisations.
UCLES is a non-teaching department of the University of Cambridge. Once, every UK exam board linked to or was part of a British university. OCR is the only one that continues to do so.