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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Michael Gove's GCSE reforms - Q&A | Michael Gove's GCSE reforms - Q&A |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| What had been due to happen? | What had been due to happen? |
| Under plans announced in September by the education secretary, Michael Gove, GCSEs, the near-universal post-16 qualification in England since the late 1980s, would be phased out and replaced with the EBC. The first set of students would begin studying for EBC qualifications in English, maths and sciences from 2015, with exams in 2017, to be followed by history, geography and languages. Rather than having various exam boards offering competing versions, each EBC subject would be limited to a single board. | Under plans announced in September by the education secretary, Michael Gove, GCSEs, the near-universal post-16 qualification in England since the late 1980s, would be phased out and replaced with the EBC. The first set of students would begin studying for EBC qualifications in English, maths and sciences from 2015, with exams in 2017, to be followed by history, geography and languages. Rather than having various exam boards offering competing versions, each EBC subject would be limited to a single board. |
| The EBC was billed as being significantly more rigorous academically. Those who did not pass would be given a statement of achievement rather than an actual qualification. | The EBC was billed as being significantly more rigorous academically. Those who did not pass would be given a statement of achievement rather than an actual qualification. |
| What was the reason given for the plans? | What was the reason given for the plans? |
| Gove believes GCSEs are outdated and devalued, not least due to grade inflation and competition between exam boards. More widely, he wants to replace the current reliance on modular learning, coursework marked throughout the two years and multiple papers, with a single period of exam-based assessment at the end of the two years. Beyond English and maths, he also wants to place greater emphasis on more traditional subjects, such as the sciences, languages, history and geography. | |
| How did people react? | How did people react? |
| Teaching unions were vehement in their opposition, saying they were never convinced the GCSE needed to be scrapped. They warned that a "one size fits all" approach could harm the prospects of less able students and that the focus on a limited number of core subjects would see elements, such as the arts or vocational learning, sidelined. | Teaching unions were vehement in their opposition, saying they were never convinced the GCSE needed to be scrapped. They warned that a "one size fits all" approach could harm the prospects of less able students and that the focus on a limited number of core subjects would see elements, such as the arts or vocational learning, sidelined. |
| While this was perhaps expected, more damaging for Gove's plans was scepticism from the examinations watchdog, Ofqual – which warned that the EBC might not be feasible as it stood – and the influential education select committee of MPs. Business leaders also appeared lukewarm, with the CBI advocating an alternative plan to scrap major exams at 16 in favour of a new system which tested students at 14 and 18. | |
| Most vehement of all were arts groups, who complained creative subjects could be marginalised. The artist Tracey Emin famously predicted this could bring social unrest. | Most vehement of all were arts groups, who complained creative subjects could be marginalised. The artist Tracey Emin famously predicted this could bring social unrest. |
| What prompted the government to change its mind? | What prompted the government to change its mind? |
| A combination of the criticism, especially from Ofqual, and opposition from Liberal Democrats in the coalition, who had earlier quashed Gove's initial hope for a two-tier system to replace the GCSEs along the lines of the former O-levels and CSEs. Ministers were also advised that exam boards could mount a legal challenge if they were excluded from particular subjects. | A combination of the criticism, especially from Ofqual, and opposition from Liberal Democrats in the coalition, who had earlier quashed Gove's initial hope for a two-tier system to replace the GCSEs along the lines of the former O-levels and CSEs. Ministers were also advised that exam boards could mount a legal challenge if they were excluded from particular subjects. |
| What happens now? | What happens now? |
| Gove has announced a shake-up of GCSEs, with a focus on exams, tougher exam questions and particularly challenging extension papers in maths and science aimed at the brightest students. He has also unveiled a new national curriculum, with an emphasis on traditional, core knowledge areas, to be taught in a more rigid, structured way. | Gove has announced a shake-up of GCSEs, with a focus on exams, tougher exam questions and particularly challenging extension papers in maths and science aimed at the brightest students. He has also unveiled a new national curriculum, with an emphasis on traditional, core knowledge areas, to be taught in a more rigid, structured way. |
| How different will this be from the EBC? | How different will this be from the EBC? |
| It remains to be seen, but the government is arguing it still hopes to get the bulk of its changes through. Nick Gibb, the former schools minister wheeled out to speak on behalf of Gove, called the U-turn a "tweak". | It remains to be seen, but the government is arguing it still hopes to get the bulk of its changes through. Nick Gibb, the former schools minister wheeled out to speak on behalf of Gove, called the U-turn a "tweak". |
| What other changes will happen? | What other changes will happen? |
| Perhaps the most significant one will be a new measure for assessing schools. Gove is to scrap the current system by which schools are placed in league tables according to the percentage of pupils who gain five of more GCSEs at C or above, including English and maths. Critics say this measure is too narrow and encourages teachers to focus on pushing marginal students towards a C, at the expense of their less able or especially good peers. | Perhaps the most significant one will be a new measure for assessing schools. Gove is to scrap the current system by which schools are placed in league tables according to the percentage of pupils who gain five of more GCSEs at C or above, including English and maths. Critics say this measure is too narrow and encourages teachers to focus on pushing marginal students towards a C, at the expense of their less able or especially good peers. |
| The new system will see schools assessed on two measures: passes in just English and maths; and then a significantly more complex "value added" measure, taking in performance in eight GCSEs per pupil: English and maths; three of the English baccalaureate subjects; and three "others", including, for example arts. | |
| What's the difference between an EBC and an Ebacc? | What's the difference between an EBC and an Ebacc? |
| The EBC is the now discarded exam system. The confusingly named English baccalaureate, known as the Ebacc, is a measurement system introduced in 2010 for grading schools according to how pupils perform in a series of core GCSE subjects. | The EBC is the now discarded exam system. The confusingly named English baccalaureate, known as the Ebacc, is a measurement system introduced in 2010 for grading schools according to how pupils perform in a series of core GCSE subjects. |
| Was this Gove's most important policy? | Was this Gove's most important policy? |
| Changes to qualifications have been one of two main tiers of his programme, along with a scheme to hugely increase the number of academy schools, which the government believes meet pupils' and parents' needs more effectively. Almost half of all English secondary schools are now academies or en route to becoming one. | Changes to qualifications have been one of two main tiers of his programme, along with a scheme to hugely increase the number of academy schools, which the government believes meet pupils' and parents' needs more effectively. Almost half of all English secondary schools are now academies or en route to becoming one. |