GCSE
GCSE & A level merry go round – Exams, no exams… Actually, they’ll have a test!
GCSE & A-level merry-go-round – Yes, there will be exams, no, exams are cancelled, actually, there will be a test… For awarding exam grades at GCSE and A-level in the summer of 2021, a proper exam or test or some sort, which is marked externally, is the fairest for GCSE and A-level students. This will help to mitigate against…
Read MoreThe Magic of High Expectations – how some inner-city schools are outperforming top private schools…
There was a rather surprising set of statistics in the Parent Power guide for primary schools that was published by the Sunday Times yesterday. The top state primary school scored 346 out of 360 (96%) in the SATS result for Reading, Writing and Maths. This score by Mayflower School in the East End of London…
Read MoreContinued Academic Progress for Teenagers irrespective of the Pandemic
Dear Caring Parent Re: Continued academic progress for teenagers irrespective of the pandemic I hope you and the family are well and keeping safe. Now that many schools have a mixture of in-person and online learning, I trust your child is managing the transition from the older norm to the new learning environment well. The purpose…
Read MoreAdvice for a caring parent – how to ensure that all the hullabaloo surrounding GCSE and A-level does not leave your child short-changed!
There is a lot in the media at present about young people and their education, as society grapples with how to deal with the situation we find ourselves in at present. Since the start of the pandemic – with school closure for half of the year and variation in the quality of education provided by…
Read MoreA-level grades misallocation – Injustice due to lack of individuality
Nothing can be more individualistic than examinations. The idea of using some algorithm without rigorous evaluation of individual students is not only insensitive and unjust, but grossly inadequate. Hence, the way in which A-level grades have awarded this year is unfit for purpose. I could not believe my ears and eyes when I heard on…
Read MoreShould the pandemic limit young people’s option to five GCSEs?
Should the pandemic limit young people’s option to five GCSEs? According to the Sunday Times, the government released a set of guidelines about the 2021 GCSE examinations on 2nd July. They are recommending that, in exceptional circumstances, pupils may be allowed to take as few as five GCSEs. This is in recognition of the lost…
Read MoreNurture’s dominance increases … 2021 GCSE & A-level exams may be at the mercy of teachers…
Nurture’s dominance over Nature increases, as teenagers A-level and GCSE exams for 2021 may be at the mercy of teachers again… I’ve always been of the belief that nurture plays a greater role in success than nature. I’ve seen so many young people of average ability but who work hard excelling beyond all expectations. At…
Read MoreSchool closure and lock down – Is enough being done to help Y11 prepare for A-level?
From what we’ve been hearing in the news, as far as secondary education is concerned, attention is on Y10 and the lower sixth (Y12) at present; which is understandable, as these two year-groups will be taking their GCSE and A-level exams, respectively, in less than 12 months’ time. Not much is said about Y11 students…
Read MoreHow good is the Quality of Online Teaching after School Closure due to the pandemic?
Since the lockdown and school closure in the last week of March, all secondary schools have been making some sort of provision for their students. The standard of education being provided varies very widely. Some schools are using online technology, such as Zoom, Skype, Microsoft One Note, Google Classroom and so on, to provide live…
Read MorePositive discrimination for white working-class boys, good for the goose, good for the gander
Positive discrimination for white working-class boys…. If it’s good for the goose, should it necessarily be good for the gander as well? A distinguished mathematician, Sir Bryan Thwaites, very recently had his donation of over £1m rejected by two public schools (public schools are top independent, private schools) – Dulwich College and Winchester. The reason…
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