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| Plans for O-level-style exams to replace GCSEs | Plans for O-level-style exams to replace GCSEs |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| By Angela Harrison Education correspondent, BBC News | By Angela Harrison Education correspondent, BBC News |
| England's exam system needs further changes, Education Secretary Michael Gove has told MPs, amid reports of plans to return to O-level style exams. | |
| Mr Gove is reported to be preparing to scrap GCSEs for England from autumn 2014, but did not confirm any details. | |
| He was summoned to the Commons to answer urgent questions after details were leaked to the Daily Mail. | |
| Mr Gove said action was needed because the current exam system was letting children down. | |
| "Children are working harder than ever but we are hearing that the system is not working for them," he said. | |
| "We want to tackle the culture of competitive dumbing down." | |
| He said rigor needed to be restored to the system if England was to keep pace with educational improvements in some other countries. | |
| Documents setting out proposals for changes were leaked to the Daily Mail and sources told the BBC they were broadly correct. | |
| The proposed changes would amount to the biggest change to the exams system for a generation. | |
| Less academic pupils would sit a different "more straightforward" exam, like the old CSE. | Less academic pupils would sit a different "more straightforward" exam, like the old CSE. |
| Labour's education spokesman Kevin Brennan told Mr Gove his changes would take the exam system "back to the 1950s" and divide children into "winners and losers" at 14. | |
| GCSEs replaced O-levels and CSEs in the mid-1980s. Under the previous system, the more academic teenagers took O-levels while others took CSEs (Certificates of Secondary Education). | GCSEs replaced O-levels and CSEs in the mid-1980s. Under the previous system, the more academic teenagers took O-levels while others took CSEs (Certificates of Secondary Education). |
| Now a similar system could return, although sources say the names of the new exams are yet to be decided. | Now a similar system could return, although sources say the names of the new exams are yet to be decided. |
| The plan is to put the new proposals out for consultation in the autumn, so it is not definite that they will happen. | |
| As control of education in the UK is devolved, Mr Gove's plans are for England only. It would be up to Wales and Northern Ireland to decide whether to follow suit. In Scotland, pupils take Standard Grades and Highers rather than GCSEs and A-levels. | As control of education in the UK is devolved, Mr Gove's plans are for England only. It would be up to Wales and Northern Ireland to decide whether to follow suit. In Scotland, pupils take Standard Grades and Highers rather than GCSEs and A-levels. |
| The Education Minister for Wales, Leighton Andrews, has said Wales will not return to O-level-style exams. | |
| The leak comes as tens of thousands of teenagers finish their GCSE and A-level exams. | The leak comes as tens of thousands of teenagers finish their GCSE and A-level exams. |
| The plan is for students to begin studying what the leaked document says will be "tougher" O-level style exams in English, maths and the sciences from September 2014. They would take their exams in 2016. | The plan is for students to begin studying what the leaked document says will be "tougher" O-level style exams in English, maths and the sciences from September 2014. They would take their exams in 2016. |
| So, pupils starting their GCSE courses in September 2013 could be the last to take them. | So, pupils starting their GCSE courses in September 2013 could be the last to take them. |
| The leaked document also shows plans for the national curriculum at secondary level to be scrapped altogether, so that heads would decide what pupils should study. | The leaked document also shows plans for the national curriculum at secondary level to be scrapped altogether, so that heads would decide what pupils should study. |
| Already, the new academy schools, which are state-funded but semi-independent, do not have to follow the national curriculum. | Already, the new academy schools, which are state-funded but semi-independent, do not have to follow the national curriculum. |
| The document also says the government plans to scrap the traditional benchmark on which secondary schools in England are measured - the requirement for pupils to get five good GCSEs (grades A* to C), including maths and English. | The document also says the government plans to scrap the traditional benchmark on which secondary schools in England are measured - the requirement for pupils to get five good GCSEs (grades A* to C), including maths and English. |
| Schools would continue to be measured on the government's new benchmark - the English Baccalaureate - which counts how many pupils in a school have good GCSEs in English, maths, two sciences, geography, history and a foreign language. | Schools would continue to be measured on the government's new benchmark - the English Baccalaureate - which counts how many pupils in a school have good GCSEs in English, maths, two sciences, geography, history and a foreign language. |
| Another change suggested is that one exam board would be chosen to set the O-level style papers for English, maths and science - with all pupils taking the same exam. | Another change suggested is that one exam board would be chosen to set the O-level style papers for English, maths and science - with all pupils taking the same exam. |
| Currently, six exam boards design GCSEs and schools choose which board to use. | Currently, six exam boards design GCSEs and schools choose which board to use. |
| Mr Gove has previously said he believes this system has led to a "race to the bottom", where exam boards could be tempted to "dumb down" exam content so pupils score higher marks. | Mr Gove has previously said he believes this system has led to a "race to the bottom", where exam boards could be tempted to "dumb down" exam content so pupils score higher marks. |
| That has always been roundly rejected by the exam boards and by the previous Labour government. | That has always been roundly rejected by the exam boards and by the previous Labour government. |
| Critics of the existing system point to the year-on-year rises in the numbers of pupils achieving top grades as a sign that they have become easier, but supporters say teenagers are working harder than ever and teachers are getting better at preparing them for exams. | Critics of the existing system point to the year-on-year rises in the numbers of pupils achieving top grades as a sign that they have become easier, but supporters say teenagers are working harder than ever and teachers are getting better at preparing them for exams. |
| The government had already announced that it wanted to shake up GCSEs by returning to the system where most exams were taken after two years, rather than in modules, and those changes were already planned to affect pupils beginning their GCSE studies this autumn. | The government had already announced that it wanted to shake up GCSEs by returning to the system where most exams were taken after two years, rather than in modules, and those changes were already planned to affect pupils beginning their GCSE studies this autumn. |
| Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg said Mr Gove had to explain whether the change would really improve standards. | Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg said Mr Gove had to explain whether the change would really improve standards. |
| "When the Tories abolished O-levels and introduced GCSEs in the 1980s, they said standards would rise. Now they say they've fallen," he said. | "When the Tories abolished O-levels and introduced GCSEs in the 1980s, they said standards would rise. Now they say they've fallen," he said. |
| "If there is to be a major overhaul, parents will want reassurance that the new system will enable all children to progress and reach their full potential." | "If there is to be a major overhaul, parents will want reassurance that the new system will enable all children to progress and reach their full potential." |
| 'Views ignored' | 'Views ignored' |
| Some critics are saying the government plans to return to an "elitist system", which will brand those doing the less academic exam as failures. | Some critics are saying the government plans to return to an "elitist system", which will brand those doing the less academic exam as failures. |
| John Bangs, a former head of education of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), said Mr Gove was using the "magic word O-levels" to garner public support, while he had "completely ignored the views of the teaching profession". | John Bangs, a former head of education of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), said Mr Gove was using the "magic word O-levels" to garner public support, while he had "completely ignored the views of the teaching profession". |
| "There has been no evidence from his regulation agency Ofqual that [the GCSE] is beyond a state of repair, there's no evidence from the teaching profession that they believe it to be beyond a state of repair and, probably even more importantly, there's no evidence from parents that they believe it to be a problem or indeed employers." | "There has been no evidence from his regulation agency Ofqual that [the GCSE] is beyond a state of repair, there's no evidence from the teaching profession that they believe it to be beyond a state of repair and, probably even more importantly, there's no evidence from parents that they believe it to be a problem or indeed employers." |
| Russell Hobby, the general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, welcomed the move towards having a single exam board per subject, which he said was sensible and would "remove a lot of concerns about the system". | Russell Hobby, the general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, welcomed the move towards having a single exam board per subject, which he said was sensible and would "remove a lot of concerns about the system". |
| "But a move to a two-tier system does not sound a good step forward," he added, saying such a change would mean choices about children's futures being taken at too young an age. | "But a move to a two-tier system does not sound a good step forward," he added, saying such a change would mean choices about children's futures being taken at too young an age. |
| The Department for Education would not confirm the plans. A spokesman said: "We do not comment on leaked documents." | The Department for Education would not confirm the plans. A spokesman said: "We do not comment on leaked documents." |
| Would a return to O-Levels be a good idea? Are you a parent or student who might be affected by these changes? Get in touch using the form below. |