Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

Original poster

Predictions on whether GCSEs will be gone at some point in the nearish future

53 replies

heartshapedflower · 20/04/2022 12:40

Does anyone think GCSEs will be gone? There is talk of them going. What will replace them in the current system.

Dc have to go to school until 18 my dc is 9 so I'm wondering what the future holds for them.

OP posts:
Xenia · 20/04/2022 12:45

I tihnk we will keep something similar. In the 1940s m parents did "school certificate" which for them was the same core subjects people do today - maths, english lit, english lang, french, geog, history and some form of science and RE.

Original poster
heartshapedflower · 20/04/2022 14:09

I'm wondering how you will select your a levels as currently most places expect you to hold a specific grade in order to take them.

OP posts:
titchy · 20/04/2022 16:46

Who's talking about replacing them? Do you have a link?

AnguaResurgam · 20/04/2022 16:49

DC don't have to stay in school. They have to continue to participate in education, but do not have to do that at school.

I think we should have some sort of certification of standards at the end CSA education (which those who have chosen to Home Ed can opt to use).

noblegiraffe · 20/04/2022 16:59

A Tory MP did a guest post on here a few weeks back saying we should ditch GCSEs but she wasn’t from Education and basically didn’t know what she was talking about.

No one is seriously discussing this.

Original poster
heartshapedflower · 20/04/2022 18:49

Some of the independent schools are. But they have to find an alternative first.
There are articles in the times and guardian on the subject and other places.

Noones scrapping them yet but I wonder if it's a good idea. I think it would be personally. I sat mine in 2001 and felt they were a waste of time then, but some people think they're useful.

OP posts:
titchy · 20/04/2022 18:57

Can you link to the articles? As noble says this doesn't appear to be something that anyone is talking about realistically at all. What would be the point?

Why did you feel yours were a waste of time? What do you think would have been better?

Idontgiveagriffindamn · 20/04/2022 19:05

Why would it be a good idea?

AnguaResurgam · 20/04/2022 19:06

I tried to find the guest post, but the lovely new search returns only 3 hits for 'GCSE' and it was none of them

( @mnhq - example of loss of functionality)

OP posts:
Original poster
heartshapedflower · 20/04/2022 19:42

Mine were a waste of time because I've literally never needed them. I found them very easy which I understand not everyone does, I've never looked at them as an achievement just something that happened at school.

I'm not sure why I needed to sit ten exams in subjects I had to force myself to do because I had to do a humanity or an art. That's how my school did it anyway.
I think there's a better way out there. I look at my dc and wonder why on Earth the same (or at least, very similar) system is still in place.

OP posts:
titchy · 20/04/2022 19:47

So you've never put them on an application form, or used them to go onto the next level of education? I'd say that was unusual, rather than an intrinsic failure of the system tbh.

Idontgiveagriffindamn · 20/04/2022 19:55

I think as you move up the education system GCSEs become less relevant (dependent on the subjects you do). But that doesn’t take away the fact that there needs to be some way of consistently grading peoples ability. Whether they are called GCSEs or something else or are at a different age at some point in the future I guess could be up for debate

Original poster
heartshapedflower · 20/04/2022 21:25

@titchy when I applied to university I put them on but they weren't really a serious requirement back when I went. I know they are looked at more now because of the competition. But all this competition means less education anyway. Jobs wise no, they weren't needed but mainly because I've got more qualifications since.

Do we need a way to grade people at that age? And why consistently? I'm not saying I know the answer, I'm genuinely curious.

What would happen if we took away qualifications, couldn't jobs and universities respond by setting their own tests. I think some are already heading that way.
Then you could still get the education but less exams if that's what you choose to do. I think exams waste time that could used to be truly learning.

OP posts:
ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 20/04/2022 21:28

The U.K. is about the only country in the world that does formal assessment at 16.

Exams at 16 were there when the majority left at 16. In England the leaving age us now 18, so why do we still need assessment at 16?

im all for it.

titchy · 20/04/2022 21:33

Presumably though your GCSEs enabled you to do A levels which then enabled you to go to uni?

Do you really think employers want the time and expense of assessing all applicants multiple times every single time they have a vacancy? Far easier to just ask for 'at least 5 GCSE grades 9-4'.

Given that education beyond 16 is often specialised then the need to demonstrate a general educational ability before that specialisation occurs I'd say was very important.

noblegiraffe · 20/04/2022 21:34

I'm not sure why I needed to sit ten exams in subjects I had to force myself to do because I had to do a humanity or an art.

Generally, countries which do not have examinations at 16 would still require you to take a humanity or art.

The idea of getting rid of qualifications completely and having a free-for-all with jobs and unis is a bit bizarre. Surely some standard qualifications are helpful?

ColouringPencils · 20/04/2022 21:38

I'd assume when most of us sat GCSEs the next stage of education was optional. Now that kids are expected to stay in education until 18, maybe it does make sense not to have formal exams until then. I am not sure though. What about basic skills like English and Maths, would people be expected to continue these until 18?

Xenia · 20/04/2022 21:39

I think it is very useful that children do study a range of subjects to age 16. Even if they are not that keen on maths or history or French or biology they have had a go and for the last 2 years (if they stay on for A levels) they can then concentrate on those subjects they prefer.

Original poster
heartshapedflower · 21/04/2022 06:33

@Xenia I'm not arguing against studying, I'm saying that exams aren't necessarily the way forward, and perhaps studying a without the pressure of exams allows for a better choice of materials to learn from, more scope for originality.
@noblegiraffe but learning a humanity or an art knowing you won't have to sit an exam on is different to having to learn things over and over again in order to pass an exam. That's how things are now for many students.

I already sit pretests for jobs.
Ten years ago no one really did this so some companies are certainly not relying on exams on your CV anymore. When I'm hiring people I don't look for GCSEs.

OP posts:
MintyMoocow · 21/04/2022 06:51

Life is pressure. Exams teach young people about that pressure.
Also, how many young people would bother learning anything if they weren’t ever tested on what they had learnt?

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 21/04/2022 06:56

In quite a few areas (like here) Secondary Schools finish at 16, then the kids go to college... which offers GCSE repeats, A levels, BTECs/T levels, apprenticeships etc and the size means there's wider choice. There's lots of arguments for and against the system.

Not having some kind of formal exam would be tricky around here.

titchy · 21/04/2022 07:52

perhaps studying a without the pressure of exams allows for a better choice of materials to learn from, more scope for originality

Lol. Have you met any teenagers recently?

Xenia · 21/04/2022 07:53

For many it is the only public exams they ever do and is in effect their school leaving certificate. Also it helps prove they are better (or worse) at certain subjects than other.

Also many teenagers would not do a stroke of work ever nad learn nothing without the exams.