Gove does it again!

[longfingernails]

An end to dumbed down GCSEs, and a return to the O-Level!

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2162369/Return-O-Level-Gove-shake-biggest-revolution-education-30-years.html

He truly is a simply unbelievable reformer. It is so refreshing to have someone who really cares about education, putting pupils first, and not caring about whether idiot teaching unions bleat.

No doubt we will have Christine Blower ineffectually defending the ludicrous notion that standards in British secondary education have "improved" year on year on year despite international evidence. Watching the militant unions get their comeuppance - yet again! - is a delightful little bonus...

The story was given to the Mail. That in itself should make you think about the machinations behind it.

It's also worth pointing out that the policy was approved by no one but Gove's office i.e. it's not Tory policy at all. And it is also significant that today is the day the doctors strike. A distraction was needed.

it's not Tory policy at all. And it is also significant that today is the day the doctors strike. A distraction was needed You hit the nail on the head slug

Excellent point about the doctor's strike. That does explain today's release.

Just looked at the Guardian website, and the Gove story seems to be in top left position, with doctors' strike two places down. Why have teh Guarian given this story so much publicity, why aren't they giving the doctors' strike more? Are they getting ready once again to tell their readers that they "enthusiastically" back Nick Clegg?

So are you saying that they have got the Daily Mail readers' hopes up but won't follow through? That all those Mail readers clicking green arrows supporting comments that praise this policy are all in vain?

Has the Daily Mail reader been tricked - used as just a pawn in the game?

That all those Mail readers who commented "about bloody time" are going to have to wait yet longer?

Slug agree completely. You deserve an A* in GCSE Spotting Politicians' Bullshit .

Claig, Lord knows what the Daily Mail are doing. However, Gove saying he'd like to bring back O levels is a loooooong way from the policy actually being implemented. It has to be presented as a white paper (and all those glaring holes have to be filled in first), the Lib Dems have to support it to get it through (and they're faaar from doing that) and it has to get through the Lords too. So all in all, I'd be amazed if Gove even managed to get this on the statute books before 2016, let alone get the exams out then.

Very good point, headfairy. They have tricked me and millions of Mail readers on this one. A lesson learnt in the spin tactics of the game. Poor show.

This government won't be satisfied until it has turned the clock back on just about everything and it is 1981 again. What is it about 1981 that you all liked so much, Tories?

Yes, it makes sense what headfairy and others have said. Why not just make GCSEs harder, increase the standard? Why is there a need to go back to a two-tier system. It doesn't make sense and looks like it was just throwing meat to the Mail reader as a deflection from the important doctors' strike.

I'm also concerned about the cost of a top down review of the exam system. Why not identify the faults (many of which seem to lie with the system of exam boards competing to get schools to take their exams, the schools go for the boards with the best pass rates naturally enough, which means the boards make the exams easier to make the pass rate higher) and fix them, instead of reverting to a system that was so riddled with inequalities that even back in the days of the original nasty party they were identified as being unfair.

Yes, you are right. It is the exam board system that needs tightening up. Standards have to be enforced at that level. A divisive system doesn't make sense, when fixing it is much fairer, cheaper and easier to do.

Some of us fell for the bait on this one and have been well and truly reeled in, we've been done up like a kipper. It's not going to happen, it's had its chips.

Gove used to work for the Mail, that's why they got that story. And that's why they reported it as they did, triumphantly wanking all the way.

Returning to a system that was inadequate 30 years ago is pathetic. The world has changed a great deal as most of us have noticed.

Oh hang on, it wouldn't be anything to do with a bit of divide and rule from the Tories, would it? Working class jobs for the plebs? Mark them out at 14? Shurely, shurely not!

All those dribbling with excitement about O levels will be highly pissed off if their little darlings end up in the CSE group (which will NEVER happen darling because they are all so clever with THOSE genes from us).

I am not a particular fan of GCSEs, especially the modular system, but creating an educational elite and writing off the rest at 14 is not going to improve anything in a country which is already deeply divided into the haves and have nots.

One trouble with the education system is that if you aren't "academic" forget it. Vocational education is poor and seen as third best, an extremely short sighted attitude.

You don't know anything about the way newspapers work, claig.

The doctors' strike has already happening and is a bit of a damp squib, the Gove story is breaking news and the potential to be much bigger with its elements of Government strife and a big bun fight between the Tories and the Lib Dems...

Don't go applying for any news editor jobs, although I'm sure they would be lucky to get you

They couldn't afford me!

the doctors' strike has already happened, that should be

'the Gove story is breaking news'

I agree with headfairy and slug, the Gove story is barking news. It's not going to happen, but the Guardian and probably the BBC will discuss it all day instead of talking about the doctors.

ahem Claig, top story on the BBC 1 o'clock news was the doctors, top story on the 6 o'clock news is currently.....

the doctors.

Exam bollocks is currently third. I'll bet today's pay it won't even make it to 10.

I sincerely hope you're right, though actually i think Gove is deadly serious. After all, he's already recently released plans to shake up A Levels and primary ed, so why not GCSEs?

He's bonkers enough. :(

Don't actually think the doctors' strike is such big news it needed burying - quite easy to rubbish that as just 'selfish, rich doctors'. Already been done plenty in the mail, Torygraph etc.

On the other hand, the point abot it not getting through the Lords is very true - story yesterday that all legislation may now get gummed up due to rebellion against reform of the Lords. So nothing may get through at all until the next election1

Here's hoping...

i might have to take back that last declaration

I think the fact that doctors are striking for the first time in 37 years makes it more interesting. It just shows there's a tipping point for everyone, we're not talking about tube drivers who walk out at the drop of a hat.

Good that the BBC had doctors as top story. I wonder what will be top story on Newsnight though? Will watch with interest tonight.