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Leighton Andrews welcomes GCSE 'U-turn' for England | Leighton Andrews welcomes GCSE 'U-turn' for England |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Wales' Education Minister Leighton Andrews has welcomed a decision to retain GCSEs in England. | Wales' Education Minister Leighton Andrews has welcomed a decision to retain GCSEs in England. |
Plans to scrap the qualifications in key subjects there have been abandoned by the UK government. | Plans to scrap the qualifications in key subjects there have been abandoned by the UK government. |
The original English proposals would have added to growing differences with the Welsh system. The Welsh government had already committed to keeping GCSEs. | The original English proposals would have added to growing differences with the Welsh system. The Welsh government had already committed to keeping GCSEs. |
Both the Welsh and UK governments have said they are responding to concerns about standards. | Both the Welsh and UK governments have said they are responding to concerns about standards. |
England, Wales and Northern Ireland have historically shared the same exam systems, but recently there have been a number of changes in the three countries. | England, Wales and Northern Ireland have historically shared the same exam systems, but recently there have been a number of changes in the three countries. |
The Welsh government last month confirmed it would retain GCSEs, despite the plan to scrap them in key subjects in England. | The Welsh government last month confirmed it would retain GCSEs, despite the plan to scrap them in key subjects in England. |
However on Thursday UK Education Secretary Michael Gove said he was shelving plans for new English Baccalaureate qualifications and that GCSEs would stay. | However on Thursday UK Education Secretary Michael Gove said he was shelving plans for new English Baccalaureate qualifications and that GCSEs would stay. |
He also announced changes to the way that performance is measured for school league tables. | He also announced changes to the way that performance is measured for school league tables. |
The system will look at students' scores from eight subjects. A similar method is used in Wales to rank schools in performance bands, which also includes factors such as attendance, although Wales does not have league tables. | The system will look at students' scores from eight subjects. A similar method is used in Wales to rank schools in performance bands, which also includes factors such as attendance, although Wales does not have league tables. |
Mr Andrews told BBC Radio Five Live that his English counterpart appeared to be adopting Welsh government policies. | Mr Andrews told BBC Radio Five Live that his English counterpart appeared to be adopting Welsh government policies. |
Michael Gove had decided that GCSEs in core subjects were going to change - he felt they weren't fit for purpose anymore, they had been dumbed-down and lacked rigor. | |
Instead he was going to introduce the English Baccalaureate - E-bac. | |
In Wales, all along, we were sticking with GCSEs, and parents were worried about how their children would compete against pupils taking the "gold standard" E-bac. | |
And now the E-bac has gone away. | |
Leighton Andrews has given this a really warm welcome and says Michael Gove - the "repentant sinner" comes back to the fold. | |
It is important to say that there are key differences between the two systems in Wales and England in future. | |
But there is one similarity that both ministers are making clear that what they want is to tackle standards and improve standards in their own ways. | |
"But I'm very pleased that England now, like Wales and like Northern Ireland, is keeping GCSEs and there appears to be recognition finally that GCSEs are good qualifications," he said. | "But I'm very pleased that England now, like Wales and like Northern Ireland, is keeping GCSEs and there appears to be recognition finally that GCSEs are good qualifications," he said. |
"That's the view that we've always taken in Wales and they have taken in Northern Ireland as well." | "That's the view that we've always taken in Wales and they have taken in Northern Ireland as well." |
'Rigour' | 'Rigour' |
Other changes to the English system will remain, including a move towards exams at the end of two years of study instead of pupils picking up points which count towards their final grade through modular exams. | Other changes to the English system will remain, including a move towards exams at the end of two years of study instead of pupils picking up points which count towards their final grade through modular exams. |
In a statement to the House of Commons, Mr Gove said the changes to GCSEs in England were meant to address "grade inflation, dumbing down and loss of rigour". | In a statement to the House of Commons, Mr Gove said the changes to GCSEs in England were meant to address "grade inflation, dumbing down and loss of rigour". |
Mr Andrews said Wales will "probably keep" modules. | Mr Andrews said Wales will "probably keep" modules. |
He added that a new GCSE in numeracy was being introduced in Wales as part of a recognition that young people need to be "job-ready" by the age of 16. | He added that a new GCSE in numeracy was being introduced in Wales as part of a recognition that young people need to be "job-ready" by the age of 16. |
There would also be "much more of a focus on literacy" in a new English language qualification, he said. | There would also be "much more of a focus on literacy" in a new English language qualification, he said. |
The changes to the Welsh system follow a review which heard concerns about the quality of GCSE students' abilities at reading, writing and maths. | The changes to the Welsh system follow a review which heard concerns about the quality of GCSE students' abilities at reading, writing and maths. |
GCSEs will run alongside a revised and "more rigorous" Welsh Baccalaureate, Welsh ministers have said. | GCSEs will run alongside a revised and "more rigorous" Welsh Baccalaureate, Welsh ministers have said. |
Published in November, the review by former college principal Huw Evans said some employers and universities do not think that a grade C at GCSE English, Welsh and maths is a reliable indicator of literacy and numeracy skills. | Published in November, the review by former college principal Huw Evans said some employers and universities do not think that a grade C at GCSE English, Welsh and maths is a reliable indicator of literacy and numeracy skills. |
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