Michael Gove’s new O level to focus on one-off exam ‘to end dumbing down’

RSS Feed

Michael Gove’s new O level to focus on one-off exam ‘to end dumbing down’

September 17th, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

By
Kirsty Walker

PUBLISHED:

17:03 EST, 16 September 2012

|

UPDATED:

17:03 EST, 16 September 2012

Reforms: Michael Gove is to announce changes to GCSE exams tomorrow and aims to put the focus back on academic rigour and one-off exams

Plans to axe GCSEs and bring back tough O-level-style exams will be unveiled tomorrow by Michael Gove.

The Education Secretary will announce details of the reforms designed to restore academic rigour and end an era of ‘dumbing down’.

He will say the exams, dubbed ‘Gove-levels’, will put greater emphasis on one-off exams instead of coursework and modules. When the plans were first revealed by the Daily Mail in June, they triggered a furious coalition row between Mr Gove and Nick Clegg.

In an effort to counter claims of a split, the two men will announce the proposals together at a joint press conference. Deputy Prime Minister Mr Clegg has forced Mr Gove to delay the new system until September 2015, which means Labour could scrap it if they win the next general election, due by May 2015.

The Liberal Democrat leader also blocked Mr Gove’s aim of reverting to a two-tier system.

This would have seen brighter pupils taking a new version of the O-level while others would have taken an updated version of the CSE (Certificate of Secondary Education).

The CSE was not so academic and taken by less able youngsters. Both O-levels and CSEs were replaced by GCSEs in 1988.

Mr Gove did, however, win his battle to ensure the new exams are more rigorous and that top grades go to only the brightest children.

The shake-up will end the system whereby nearly three in ten pupils get A or A* grades. Instead, as few as one in ten will get the top mark, Grade 1.

Marks will depend on a traditional ‘all or nothing’ three-hour exam at the end of the two-year course.

It will replace the current system in which up to half the grading is based on modules and continual assessment, followed by a 90-minute exam at the end.

Catch up: The new exams are more rigorous and top grades will only go to the brightest children in an attempt to help English schools catch up with other countries as we trail in school standards

Pupils will no longer be able to bump up their grades with endless re-sits of each exam module.

In future they will have to re-sit the entire exam, which is expected to deter most.

There will be more complex algebra questions in maths and a return to essays in English literature instead of trendy GCSE ‘bite-sized’ answers. In a controversial move designed to counter claims that GCSEs are too easy for bright pupils, questions will be graded.

They will start at an easy standard and build up to difficult to stretch the cleverest.

Warnings: Nick Clegg has said that the new system would be 'elitist' and 'stigmatise' less intelligent children

Warnings: Nick Clegg has said that the new system would be ‘elitist’ and ‘stigmatise’ less intelligent children

It means that less able pupils may be unable to complete the paper.

In addition, the new tests will be run by a single exam board following complaints that competition between rival boards has been driving down standards.

Mr Gove’s hopes of a two-tier system prompted warnings from Mr Clegg and teaching unions that it would be ‘elitist’ and ‘stigmatise’ less intelligent children.

The Education Secretary has agreed to ditch this proposal but sources insisted he could revive it.

One said: ‘Gove is determined to ensure it is much more demanding than the existing exam. Schools will be given time to raise their game and adjust to that.

‘If they can’t, or decide their pupils simply aren’t up to taking the new exam, they may be forced to find a different option. That could reopen the debate about having another, less difficult exam.’

The delay, which Mr Clegg argued would avoid causing chaos in schools, was a blow to the Tories, who hoped the system would be up and running before the next election.

A source close to Mr Clegg said the proposals would ‘raise the bar without shutting the door’ on aspiration.

The Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference, which represents independent schools, will this week warn that plans to overhaul GCSEs and A-levels are ‘built on sand’ because the marking system is so poor.

Shadow Education spokesman Stephen Twigg said: ‘Labour supports rigorous exams but only if they don’t act as a cap on aspiration.

‘Politicians should not set an artificial limit on the number of top grades; rather the best work should be rewarded.’

HOW THE NEW EXAM WILL WORK

NOW Tens of thousands of pupils can bump up grades by re-sitting parts of the GCSE exams until they get a pass.
IN FUTURE Partial resits will end. Pupils will be forced to resit the entire exam.

NOW Final exam can be as short as 90 minutes
IN FUTURE Three-hour exams.

NOW Maths exams have little algebra, English exams include ‘bite sized’ replies and rigorous English-to-foreign-language translations are rare.
IN FUTURE More algebra in maths exams, more full length essays in English and a return to full English-to-foreign-language translation tests.

NOW Up to 50 per cent of exams are studied via modules and continual assessment.
IN FUTURE Replaced by one exam at end of two-year course.

NOW Technically, everyone who gets a grade from A to G grade is deemed to have achieved a ‘pass’.
IN FUTURE New 1 to 6 pass grade, 7 onwards will be fail.

NOW 22 per cent get A or A* grade. Around seven per cent of all candidates gain an A*.
IN FUTURE As few as five per cent may get Grade 1.