17/09/2012

Gove To Reveal GCSE Reform Plan

Reforms of the GCSE exam system in England will see just one single end-of-course exam, fewer top grades and a separate exam board for each subject.

Has plans for the reform are confirm by education secretary Michael Gove, pupils who started secondary school this year will be the first to take the revised exams in 2017.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg promised that the changes would "give parents confidence" in the exams taken by their children.

But Labour's shadow education secretary, Stephen Twigg, attacked the plans as "totally out of date, from a Tory-led government totally out of touch with modern Britain".

"Schools do need to change as all children stay on in education to 18 and we face up to the challenges of the 21st Century. We won't achieve that with a return to the 1980s," said Mr Twigg.

The reform plan will be announced to MPs later on Monday afternoon.

(H)


Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

03 July 2012
Stop Exam Boards Fighting To Offer The Easiest Exam, Says Education Committee
After a long inquiry the UK Parliaments Education Committee has concluded that competition between exam boards creates significant pressure to drive down standards in exams and that the time is right for fundamental reform.
13 January 2004
LEAs rubber-stamp Clarke's funding plans
Education Secretary Charles Clarke has welcomed the decision by most local education authorities to pass on the full funding increase to schools next year. Out of 148 local education authorities (LEAs) in England, 144 are proposing to pass on or 'passport' all or more than the basic increase in schools funding to their schools budgets.
09 May 2005
GCSE exam papers to be replaced
Around half a million GCSE exam papers are being replaced after papers were stolen from one delivery van and more were reported as ‘lost’ from another van. The papers from the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) examination board are for exams in French, science and history.
11 September 2012
GCSE English Grading Controversy Continues
There have been "major flaws" and unfairness in this year's GCSE English grades, head teachers' leader Brian Lightman has told MPs. The comments come as the Education Select Committee investigate claims that grades have been manipulated downwards.
21 June 2012
Leaked Document Reveals Gove Plans To Scrap GCSEs
A radical shake-up of the exam system has been revealed as Education Secretary Michael Gove plans to scrap GCSEs for England and return to O-level style exams.