GCSE results 'worst results in decades '

[Tel12]

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/apr/24/pupils-in-england-facing-worst-exam-results-in-decades-after-covid-closures-says-study?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
This article highlights the predictions of declining grades in GCSEs this year and for years following, impacting on lifelong prospects. I'm not surprised by the results, just reflects on my own experience. It's really concerning.

American civil war and shakespeare might be boring for you, but there'll be plenty of other kids that find it fascinating and will go on from the introduction of the topics and perhaps go on to study American history or become the next lead at the Globe or whatever.

It's a general education, and not everyone will find every subject/topic interesting... So what?

What's unrelatable about friendship, difficult decisions, social responsibility, gender, class, loneliness, power, aspirations etc?

I loved learning, still do. This was definitely in spite of rather than because of secondary school, and certainly in spite of the GCSE syllabus. Also see: sport and keeping myself fit.

I really hope the current curriculum/approach to education get's a much needed overhaul when the new government comes in. The balance between coursework and exams has tipped too far towards exams and I think this must be addressed. Waaaay back in the day when I was at school even the brightest kids were encouraged to take a least one GCSE option that was primarily coursework/practical based (art, drama, food tech etc) which in turn freed up revision time to focus on core subjects. The (state) school had great exam results and I wonder if this strategy helped towards that... along with the teachers who were enthusiastic about their subject and had freedom to teach rather than train pupils to meet a marking scheme with the correct buzzwords (no shade on any current teachers - it must be v.disheartening).

And just because it's one of my passions, 20th century and beyond social history is generally so much more engaging to young people than the Amercian civil war or British medicine... would have thought the civil rights movement would be a far more compelling topic to cover. But maybe that would encourage too much critical thinking?

I really hope the current curriculum/approach to education get's a much needed overhaul when the new government comes in.

I really hope it doesn't. The profession isn't in a position where it can withstand another curriculum/assessment overhaul. That's a massive workload and we can't cope already.

I concur. The last thing we need right now is an "overhaul".

But how will things improve if nothing changes? All I hear is that teachers are quitting in their droves, teachers aren't respected, teachers aren't paid adequately for the hours they work, behaviour is at an all time low, the curriculum is irrelevant to today's society, etc. If nothing changes how will any of these issues improve? It's a really genuine question.

Teachers are quitting in droves a lot of the time because the workload is completely unreasonable.

Creating more workload by overhauling the curriculum and assessment system again will not improve workload, it will increase it massively, for years while teachers take the time to get their heads around it, and to implement the huge changes it will bring. We went through this ten years ago with Gove's reforms, so those of us who have been teaching a while know what it's like. I remember when everything changed a teacher in my department taking early retirement specifically because 'I can't be bothered to go through all that again'.

The only curriculum 'overhaul' which would improve matters in terms of workload would be one that removed items from the curriculum without adding or amending the rest.

@noblegiraffe so if I understand correctly the answer to the current education crisis is to drop part of the current curriculum? Looks like Labour are going to have an easier time than I thought as I genuinely thought something more radical was required.

@Wonderfulstuff maybe not drop part of the curriculum but drop the requirements for students to have to study so many.
Cut it down to say a minimum of 6 GCSEs.
Only compulsory subjects should be English (language mostly but with a bit of literature) and Maths and then have 4 options.
(The timetable should include PHSE/RS and PE for all - just not as exam subjects).
That should take the "really don't want to be learning this and have zero interest in this" out of most classes.

No, it is a small part of the answer to the current education crisis.

Primary school teachers say the curriculum is too full and there's no time to do things properly - get rid of some of it.

I know that secondary science teachers say they struggle to get through the GCSE curriculum - bin some of it.

There are certainly topics that can be binned from GCSE foundation maths that no one would miss.

That would give some breathing space into the curriculum so that we don't always feel like we're going at breakneck speed and don't have time to do enrichment stuff because we're always cramming knowledge.

That would still leave massive problems with the education system, but if we're looking specifically at the curriculum, they should do that and leave it for a few years before even thinking about an 'overhaul'.

I would blame the reduced funding, teenagers addicted to TikTok and staffing issues. Overloaded curriculum.
I think the unnecessary lockdowns etc were a bad idea. But not the primary cause of this, we have to stop blaming Covid.

It's not so much the themes as the settings – ranch workers in America in the 1930s, and a 1945 play about an upper class family set 40+ years earlier. I would suggest it takes a very good English teacher to make those works seem relevant to the modern-day 15-year-old. Probably work fine for pupils already keen on English Literature, but unlikely to attract those who aren't.

At least part of an English Lit GCSE should be to encourage kids to read for pleasure regardless of whether they want to study the subject further or not.

I agree this is what should happen. Students shouldn't need to be examined in so many subjects. they could still learn a range of subjects, be internally assessed etc so they know what they want to do earlier, and also include some vocational subjects, but really the only subjects that really matter after a student has got into further educationfurther education are English and Maths. Some private schools are doing this already.

It's not so much the themes as the settings – ranch workers in America in the 1930s, and a 1945 play about an upper class family set 40+ years earlier. I would suggest it takes a very good English teacher to make those works seem relevant to the modern-day 15-year-old. Probably work fine for pupils already keen on English Literature, but unlikely to attract those who aren't.

Racism, sexism, the disenfranchisement of people because of their race or sex or class, ideas about power and control? I teach totally mixed ability classes and they can see the relevance.

Although not of Of mice and men. It didn't make the last curriculum review.

6 subjects? Absolutely not. We are already a fairly dumb nation. Breadth should be maintained and no kid at y9 (as some are) should only get 6 subjects. Better to do more or we accept mediocrity. What private schools do 6? I’d love to know.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/4895557-private-school-to-ditch-gcses-write-own-exams

@TizerorFizz I suggested 6 subjects - but as in 6 that you actually sit exams and get grades for.
Schools could still teach plenty of subjects and do plenty of different activities/styles of learning etc - it just doesn't all need to be tested on or have children pass or fail them.

Perhaps a secondary school diploma system is the first step? A bit like the junior leaving certificate in Ireland or an American high school diploma (but achieved at 18 there, I’m suggesting 16 here as a replacement for GCSE’s).

This is just academic what you don’t see is the social cost (children’s behaviour is off the wall), the mental health problems (not help and no diagnosis, 18 months wait for counselling etc ) they are all vaping and I mean 95% of them and they are all unable to focus and addictive to phones and SM and have got the attention span of gnats, full of entitlement etc they have not social skills etc

If it does people will leave in droves - that the last thing it needs

All pupils should do English, maths, a gcse in basic skills presenting mental health social skills etc, a language (not necessarily gcse standard but learning about a different culture etc and basic verbal skills in that language, at least one basic science and then choose what else they want after year 9

I think this is a good idea. It could even be that students do a wide range of subjects into Year 11 and then choose to sit exams in their best 6.
Obviously if there are kids/schools/parents who want to do more then that could happen as well.

I think most countries do this at 18. Not many even have an exam at 16. We start school too early and then kids leave too early., without even considering any vocational or other options that may be available earlier, so they just end up in an educational sausage factory where some 40% are branded as failures because they didn't achieve grade 4 in maths and English. They may have been able to do that and learn the maths/English they need if they didn't have to plough through the sheer volume of information they have to for GCSE, or had some vocational/ coursework elements as well.

Maybe bring back the easier gcse maths of previous years but with able kids taking it in y4 and higher ability taking this current test in y5 as more an AS level.
Personally i think employers only need an in between of gcse and ks2 sats. So those failing should have a different paper, perhaps more predictable and able to do practise tests online

I dont think primary is too packed after all many missed a year with few effects, but how much science and history etc was missed. As they removed the ks2 science test.