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08/02/2013
Gove Presses On With GCSE Reforms
Michael Gove and schools minister David Laws will press ahead with reforms to the GCSE examinations as early as 2015.
The news comes despite yesterday’s announcement that the exams would not be renamed and merged under a single examination board.
The government has initially proposed to scrap GCSEs and create an English Baccalaureate Certificate (EBC) after Mr Gove was warned some exam boards would go bankrupt.
It was revealed the bankruptcies could have led to some boards suing the Department for Education for breaching EU procurement rules.
The Minister was accused by many of committing a U-turn on the policy, after he admitted the changes would have been "a bridge too far".
But in his defence he said: "When the arguments overwhelm me and I recognise that I am wrong, I think it best to retreat. We only make progress in this life when we know when to cut our losses."
But changes will still be made to GCSEs from September 2015 in the core subjects so exams are taken at the end of two years rather than in stages.
There will also be an end to 'tiered' GCSEs with the scrapping of the foundation paper, where the maximum grade possible is a C.
English and history will now test "extended writing", while internal assessment and the use of exam aids will be kept to a minimum.
(IT)
The news comes despite yesterday’s announcement that the exams would not be renamed and merged under a single examination board.
The government has initially proposed to scrap GCSEs and create an English Baccalaureate Certificate (EBC) after Mr Gove was warned some exam boards would go bankrupt.
It was revealed the bankruptcies could have led to some boards suing the Department for Education for breaching EU procurement rules.
The Minister was accused by many of committing a U-turn on the policy, after he admitted the changes would have been "a bridge too far".
But in his defence he said: "When the arguments overwhelm me and I recognise that I am wrong, I think it best to retreat. We only make progress in this life when we know when to cut our losses."
But changes will still be made to GCSEs from September 2015 in the core subjects so exams are taken at the end of two years rather than in stages.
There will also be an end to 'tiered' GCSEs with the scrapping of the foundation paper, where the maximum grade possible is a C.
English and history will now test "extended writing", while internal assessment and the use of exam aids will be kept to a minimum.
(IT)
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