Will they scrap GCSEs altogether?

[Dustballs]

www.theguardian.com/education/2020/oct/08/tory-mps-back-ditching-gcse-exams-english-school-system-overhaul

This should be in Education probably. But it's to do with Covid and I thought more people would read it here.

What is the likelihood of change of this sort happening - instigated by Covid ...?

that was already a 'radical rethink' of education quite recently

unfortunately the person doing the thinking was Michael Gove

I think it’s all designed to set the stage for the cancellation of the 2021 gcse exams, probably to be announced in a few weeks time. Make the gcse exams sound a bit shit and irrelevant, then people will buy more into the mindset that cancelling them is no big deal.

What will they do instead? How will they know if DC are at the level needed for a particular a level?

They will move to continuous assessment and coursework and kids will suffer more anxiety at having to always perform at top level and those with perfectionist tendencies will break down!

I hope they cancel A levels. It's a farce expecting students to take them next year with such little time spent in college.

If they want to ditch GCSEs as part of a strategy, and I don't agree with the one proposed, then it's no bad idea.

I've taught in both the UK (25+ years) and Victoria (14) where public exams are in the final year and the students are no worse off in terms of their education than in the UK. Better, especially as everyone has to study English all the way through.

I can’t tell from this article whether it’s something likely to happen soon.

Wouldn’t it take years of planning? As did the previous crap curriculum change lead by Govey?

I fully support scrapping of exams. 12 years worth of schooling coming down to two hour exams, based on your ability to recall information, is not a fair judgement of your ability. I would like to see a variety of assessment methods being used.

I’d like it to happen too. Just wondering if my kids will manage to escape these exams - probably not ...