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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think that Gove has no idea of the impact his latest policy has on yet another cohort of pupils

60 replies

June2008 · 30/09/2013 21:55

Mr Gove has no idea what his new policy will do to yet more pupils. That only the first time a pupil takes an exam will count towards the overall results. Those children that thought they would be doing an exam in a few weeks time may well not be after today's announcement. No retakes to count.

While I actually have no problem with the principle of the idea, why introduce it half way through a gcse course?

This is going to bring about some real soul searching from teachers and school leaders.

Aibu to think that he should leave alone the pupils who are half way through their courses and introduce it for those taking the terminal exams in 2015?

OP posts:
echt · 30/09/2013 21:58

For once I agree with Gove, but his timing is rubbish.

On the other hand this gaming of the system by schools would not be happening if not for the league tables he loves so much. If you make certain tastes a focus for accountability, those targets will be pursued.

echt · 30/09/2013 21:58

Tastes?? Targets.

sillyoldfool · 30/09/2013 22:00

It's totally unfair to change things halfway through a course. Surely its some sort of breach of contract, it's not what the students signed up for when they took the course?

PurpleGirly · 30/09/2013 22:10

Echt did you pass your driving test first time? If not did you get a second chance to do it again?. Why should a child be any different in resitting an exam (not sure where the figures of resitting 9 times comes from). I understand the league table thing but surely pupils should be given more than one chance?

CleverWittyUsername · 30/09/2013 22:23

Retakes count for the kids; they do not count for the school. So we will be judged in the tables on the first exam, however the child may get a higher grade the second time which can go forward to college with them. I don't know how he thinks we 'game' the system anyway. If they do well first time round, fab, if they don't, they have another crack at it. How is that gaming?

It also the second time he has messed with the current cohort speaking for English, as he recently removed the 20% speaking and listening, making what could be an entire half term or term's worth of teaching and learning completely useless and disappointing a lot of children who may thrive orally but lack confidence and ability in other areas of the assessments and exams.

I don't mind changes per se if they are in the best interests of the pupils. I just wish he would let us get on and finish the course that the children were put on. I don't see why Gove can't make any changes for the following year so we are not constantly mucking kids and parents about and looking like idiots every time we give them some info which then becomes redundant just to shove through the bloody e-bacc thing.

echt · 30/09/2013 22:25

The child can re-take as many times as they like, indeed they'll HAVE to take English and Maths in 6th form until they get a C. Which makes Gove's action somewhat contradictory.

What Gove's action will mean is that the first grade will be the one that counts on the school's figures, so if they get a D, then that's it for the school. They may get a C the next time, which counts for them personally, but will not contribute to the school's A-C, the measure of worth in the government's eyes. It is this focus on the C grade which has resulted in pupils being entered for exams early, not always to their advantage.

There is only one valid reason for entering a child early for an exam, and that's if they are likely to get their optimum grade early. In this way they have time freed up to follow other studies.

I wonder what happens when a student gets an early C; are they encouraged to go for a B or A, or just sidelined because they've achieved the school's goals? I have no idea, but just wonder.

I don't think for one minute that Gove cares about the students, he just wants to see more schools fail.

Talkinpeace · 30/09/2013 22:25

Gove is a fuckwit who wants to upset teachers
and does not care about damaging the results of state school pupils because he and his public school cronies stay in power by weakening the rest of us

echt · 30/09/2013 22:26

X post.

kim147 · 30/09/2013 22:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Jaynebxl · 30/09/2013 22:29

I can't be the only one who feels that Gove is trying to bring down our state education system singlehandedly.

meditrina · 30/09/2013 22:32

It's taking it back to a system familiar to those of my generation. Resits were limited (one) or you would have to redo pretty much the whole course (syllabus might change for the next year's main exam).

Yes, silly to introduce it when pupils are already part-way through a course. But not a novel or unworkable exam style.

blueemerald · 30/09/2013 22:33

I'm an NQT and no Gove fan but this I think is a great idea with terrible timing.
During my training placements I saw students producing high C grade work during year 10 who were expecting to get a C in the summer exams and the teachers were already planning to not have to teach those students during Year 11. If you can get a C in a two year course after a year, what could you get with another year's study and maturity?

Mawgatron · 30/09/2013 22:34

I'm with you Jayne...

echt · 30/09/2013 22:35

Exactly, blueemerald. I think in a subject such as English, where maturity of thought and expression takes time to develop, the extra year is significant.

kim147 · 30/09/2013 22:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FirstVix · 30/09/2013 22:43

But often, getting that 'C' early will encourage the student to strive for a higher grade the next year than they though they could get. It also takes pressure off some less confident students so they are more relaxed and 'receptive' in a later exam.
Students who are strong in (say) maths but weak in English (eg many EAL students) can spend more time focusing on that area and improving other language based subjects.
It's not a good thing to 'settle' for a C and stop teaching, but there are many reasons why early entry can be positive.

PurpleGirly · 30/09/2013 22:43

Blue emerald what do you teach?

TammyandJune · 30/09/2013 22:52

We have early entered to give kids the best chance but we NEVER pull them if they get their target. Instead they go in for the higher tier to try and exceed their expected grade. Now we may just have to settle for putting them in for foundation so they'll only be able to get the C - exactly what Gove says he doesn't want. Worse for the kids and worse for schools too.

KatyMac · 30/09/2013 22:53

"I wonder what happens when a student gets an early C; are they encouraged to go for a B or A, or just sidelined because they've achieved the school's goals?"

In our school they get sidelined (in that subject) & offered a further GCSE in a year

So yr 9 DD took BTEC Dance (DD)
In yr 10 DD took Spanish, Geography, Science, (GCSE C), Music (GCSE B) Functional skills (equivilent C)

& in yr 11 She will take Maths, Eng x2, additional Science, Applied Buisness (GCSE) & BTEC Drama

I predict she will get 5 Cs and possible better in the drama; but my uncle an ex head of sixth form said "oh good so when she retakes next year she will probably get an A" when told the results - he was horrified it was her 'only' chance at taking them

I have pulled her out of RE, ICT & the third science as I didn't think she needed 12 GCSEs & 2 BTEC & whatever functional skills is; I'd have rather she studied maybe 8-9 in more depth

PurpleGirly · 30/09/2013 23:22

In my school only maths and English are done as early entry and resat once. Everything else is done at the end of the two year course except for modular exams (science).

FirstVix · 30/09/2013 23:24

To be fair, if your school sidelines the student, then this won't affect them at all. It'll affect the schools that refuse to 'settle' and so re-enter.
It'll affect the students from the second type of school if they could have benefited from more than one entry as these schools just won't offer that option (unless they're guarenteed A*).

BackforGood · 30/09/2013 23:26

You could have just put a full stop after the word idea in your title, didn't need the rest of the sentence. Wink

KatyMac · 30/09/2013 23:28

Well maybe not this one FirstVix, but the stupid position she is in is a result of someone's policies; & to do with league tables

And it's wrong imo

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 30/09/2013 23:32

Oh man. I haven't seen this news but I get the gist from what you're saying.

So he ballsed up by ditching s&l but leaving the November loophole and is now closing said loophole by stopping schools from counting resits. Fuck.

FirstVix · 30/09/2013 23:49

KatyMac I agree that is wrong. It wouldn't happen (before) in all schools.
Saying that, who knows what'll happen now? Is there much point re-entering them (with the additional costs) if 'nothing' changes for the school? Some enlightened (and well budgeted) schools might actually look at the individual and realise that they want to persue a route that these qualifications will help in and so re-enter, but they will have to really argue the benefits to their 'accountants' if doing this will not benefit the 'school'.