It is Gove who is failing, not GCSEs

Today Michael Gove announced reform of the exams in England.

“While making GCSE content more rigorous, we must also correct the structural problems with GCSEs that we inherited,” he told the Commons.

“As today’s report from the Select Committee confirms, the problems with English GCSE generated last summer proved beyond any doubt that the current system requires reform. Both the Select Committee report and Ofqual recognise that controlled assessment, which counted for 60% of the English GCSE qualification, undermined the reliability of the assessment as a whole.

“That’s why I asked Ofqual to review the regulatory framework for GCSEs: To judge how we might limit course work and controlled assessment; And also to reflect on how we could lift a cap on aspiration by reducing the two tier structure of some GCSEs.”

Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said:

“It is legitimate for any Government to keep the qualification system under review and, where necessary, develop proposals to reform it to ensure continued fitness for purpose.

“However, it is reasonable to expect governments to ensure that their proposals for reform are based on evidence, are developed in partnership with all relevant stakeholders, and seek to work in the best interests of all pupils. Unfortunately, this Government's qualifications agenda continues to fail even these basic tests.

”The Government has tried consistently to portray GCSEs as broken qualifications.

“The fact is, however, that the GCSE has proved itself to be a robust and reliable qualification. Survey evidence from higher education institutions and from employers also dispels the myth that these sectors have no trust in GCSEs.

”The Government often points to a lack of public confidence in GCSEs. But any damage that may have been done to public confidence is a result of an inaccurate and ideologically-driven media attack on the qualification, undertaken with the active support of the Government, rather than any inherent and demonstrable problem with GCSEs.”

Ms Keates also warned that reforming GCSEs in England but not in Wales or Northern Ireland has implications “for the coherence of the examinations system across the UK”.