Gove kills the mockingbird with ban on US classic novels ...what do you think?

[mrz]

www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/article1414764.ece?CMP=OTH-gnws-standard-2014_05_24

They should be and good schools increasingly know that universities value all GCSEs taken together in Y11.

Yes, some universities will stipulate that exams/ passes/ grades have to be achieved at one sitting - ie same year.

This is one reason why the November exams will no longer be available for first exam attempts, only for re-sits.

Pupils have a choice of subjects Bonsoir and not every child will study English Literacture or History or Geography or ... at GCSE level and thankfully universities recognise that choices made at age 14 aren't final.

I don't know what point you are trying to make mrz.

The point I'm making is that people don't take all their exams at the same time because choices made at age 14 aren't final.

I've had a very tallented young man volunteer in my class for the past 3 years. He left school with a handful of GCSEs but has worked hard to gain qualifications and will soon graduate a good university with a first class honours degree.

They didn't take them at the same time because the system until recently didn't require them to. And now it will do (and that is a good thing).

How is it good to write off a whole section of society?

No-one is writing off a whole section of society - everyone goes to school.

Just because children are taking exams at the same time of year doesn't mean they are taking them at the same point in their lives. Some children are an entire year older than others, and are significantly advantaged by that fact.

Dare I suggest that the main point has been lost over the last few posts ? :)

I don't see where the timing of taking exams comes in.

The changes to GCSE will prevent students taking and re-taking modules at GCSE or more specifically A-level in order to 'spread the load' of learning OR to slowly improve upon a grade before a final grade is awarded.

This is something that many universities have had reservations about for some time.

This is totally different from someone applying to university as a mature student, who has gone back to college post-18 to gain more qualifications.

As for choices at 14 being binding- well they are in the majority of cases because options in years 9 and above impact on GCSE and A-level choices. If someone leaves the system then studies elsewhere as a mature student of course they can study other subjects, but for the average 16-18 yr old, options at 14 are binding whilst they are in full time compulsory education.

mrz there will always be ways and means for students to come back to education. However, pretending that this is easy or usual is just another of the half truths peddled by schools. This thread is about Oxbridge (and I think has extended itself to other highly selective uinversities). Pupils should be given the right information about these places - not the information that individual teachers wish were true!!!!

I thought this thread was about Eng Lit GCSE...

Wrong thread Word!

The thread isn't about Oxbridge TWF it isn't even about Eng Lit GCSE just changes in education.

something for the mix

knowmore.washingtonpost.com/2014/05/27/twilight-has-a-larger-vocabulary-than-sense-sensibility/?utm_content=buffer68d92&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Ha. In my defence I have a stonking hangover...bit of a celebration in Casa TheWordFactory late last night.

Am now very much regretting agreeing to go to the London Aquarium with DD, six of her mates and my Mother!!!!!!!

mrz there will always be ways and means for students to come back to education. However, pretending that this is easy or usual is just another of the half truths peddled by schools

Gosh, who knew 'schools' were so sinister and devious!! Is this all part of the conspiracy, Word?

The thread can be about anything people wish to discuss or throw into the conversation TWF.

TWF
Having taught in further ed for some of my career I can vouch that it is pretty easy for students to enrol at their local FE college either to re-take GCSEs, start A-levels, BTECs, and Access courses- all routes to university. There are also reputable distance courses - I used to teach GCSE English/ Lit for such a college; most students were mature and were taking English/ maths GCSE as the basis for FE and then HE.

But this thread was on English Lit- otherwise why the thread title

The thread title is the headline from the newspaper report in the first post ... and an invitation to discuss nothing more Lazysummerdays

"something for the mix"

Yet AR's reading difficulty algorithm has Twilight at 4.9 and Sensibility at 8.4, which allegedly makes them suitable for Y5 and Y9 respectively.

I really don't understand the concept of CAs 'dominating the year'. DD1 did her GCSEs last year (in Y10) and there were several English CAs, also in History, French and Geog - but they really didn't dominate either of the two years of her GCSE course. The only time we, as parents, were aware of a CA happening was when she wasn't able to do it due to having a serious hand injury. And then there was a bit of a kerfuffle over rescheduling (it was a French one). The English ones certainly passed unremarked and I know they studied more texts in class over those two years than were strictly necessary for exam/CA purposes. We certainly didn't get involved in any way (something I slightly regret since we should perhaps have made more of a fuss over the rescheduling of the postponed CA).

' ... and an invitation to discuss nothing more Lazysummerdays'

so it is about the GCSE lit syllabus- and nothing more?

No Lazysummerdays it's about discussing anything that interests or concerns people

GSCE Lit exam boards offerings