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GCSEs to be Scrapped
GCSE's to be Scrapped
Entirely wanting to blow my own trumpet, I did really well in my GCSEs. ;P But as Tim said, Soooo much of this was down to exam technique.
When revising for exams I disliked/aren't very good at, such as Maths and Sciences, all it took was slogging through all the past papers and mark schemes, and immediately picked up all the trends and kinds of answers they expected. Pretty much guaranteed an A*.
The fact that education has become so exam-focused, and certainly in my school so grade-obsessed, is just a deeply saddening state of affairs. I loathe the fact that students are now essentially being taught exams rather than the actual subjects.
Entirely wanting to blow my own trumpet, I did really well in my GCSEs. ;P But as Tim said, Soooo much of this was down to exam technique.
When revising for exams I disliked/aren't very good at, such as Maths and Sciences, all it took was slogging through all the past papers and mark schemes, and immediately picked up all the trends and kinds of answers they expected. Pretty much guaranteed an A*.
The fact that education has become so exam-focused, and certainly in my school so grade-obsessed, is just a deeply saddening state of affairs. I loathe the fact that students are now essentially being taught exams rather than the actual subjects.
tothetowers
TS Member
Re: GCSE's to be Scrapped
It's great revising from past papers, it really does help with getting through the exams and understand how the questions will be worded.
But it's a bit impossible since the exam boards keep changing the specification and how the exams work. So their is no past exam papers to work from because they'd be completely different from what they'd be like on the actually exam day.
Maths, English and Science all have different specifications this year, so really our year is the test dummies for the new exams. And if they don't work, all they're gonna do is change it once again. GCSE's are god damn awful, and need to be scrapped!
It's great revising from past papers, it really does help with getting through the exams and understand how the questions will be worded.
But it's a bit impossible since the exam boards keep changing the specification and how the exams work. So their is no past exam papers to work from because they'd be completely different from what they'd be like on the actually exam day.
Maths, English and Science all have different specifications this year, so really our year is the test dummies for the new exams. And if they don't work, all they're gonna do is change it once again. GCSE's are god damn awful, and need to be scrapped!
Imagination
TS Member
Re: GCSE's to be Scrapped
The problem is, each exam board is a far too free in what they can do - resulting in many grade boundary differences for students studying the same subject but on a different board because of the wording and discretion of the boards. There should be far less focus on stupid exams which concentrate on a tiny sector of each subject and more focus on different ways to assess.
Less of the past papers and teaching kids an exam because it's not right. It should be more about proper learning with getting to grips on the subject hands on, inspiring people - not making them do test after test to see if they are "clever enough".
The problem is, each exam board is a far too free in what they can do - resulting in many grade boundary differences for students studying the same subject but on a different board because of the wording and discretion of the boards. There should be far less focus on stupid exams which concentrate on a tiny sector of each subject and more focus on different ways to assess.
Less of the past papers and teaching kids an exam because it's not right. It should be more about proper learning with getting to grips on the subject hands on, inspiring people - not making them do test after test to see if they are "clever enough".
Stelios
TS Member
Does anyone else believe the conspiracy of the English grade boundary being highered to make GCSE's look terrible to make the O-Levels coming in look like the saviour to good grades? I can understand maybe if you were just now a few marks off a A but with youth unemployment at a all time high, being robbed of a C a few marks off is a disgrace if we want to encourage apprenticeships. If this is true then by my exam year, my predicted grade will be severely lowered.
Ben
TS Founding Member
not touchingn this topic, but reports say people aren't keen on the whole ^ idea to continue a topic, we do have an ever so lovely quote feature which takes a click or two to activate, please utilise this feature it looks much nicer and also if someone posts before you, your post will still make sense. Magic eh.
Moley
TS Member
Today the child catcher has announced the GCSE's replacement:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-19626663
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-19626663
RyanY
TS Member
Are the government thick?
Why do they keep on changing what exams have to be done and when your allowed to take them. People like myself already have enough pressure to do well but know the people who take exams when this new system comes in will have the exam pressure and have no clue how the system works.
No doubt that if Labour come to power next then they'll change it back. (Not that they care, it'll just be to show up the previos government).
Why do they keep on changing what exams have to be done and when your allowed to take them. People like myself already have enough pressure to do well but know the people who take exams when this new system comes in will have the exam pressure and have no clue how the system works.
No doubt that if Labour come to power next then they'll change it back. (Not that they care, it'll just be to show up the previos government).
Stelios
TS Member
Exactly my logic, I only think the Tories have a chance of getting back in if Boris is running. So 2015 are the start of the new changes with the current Year 7's. I'm saved. Hooray, I'd expect the grade boundaries to be higher and higher for the years to come. Brilliant.RyanY said:No doubt that if Labour come to power next then they'll change it back. (Not that they care, it'll just be to show up the previos government).
I can see the headlines in 10 years: "Is the English Bac getting too easy? Should GCSEs be reintroduced?" :
In all seriousness, I think that the Government have made a mistake on this one - especially as by definition it will, in the short term, devalue the education of anyone who got GCSEs rather than the Bac through no fault of their own....
In all seriousness, I think that the Government have made a mistake on this one - especially as by definition it will, in the short term, devalue the education of anyone who got GCSEs rather than the Bac through no fault of their own....
Dave
TS Founding Member
I really don't care what you call the test and i don't disagree that the pass rate can't keep going up or the higher education centers wont be able to assess incoming students but this idea of a single exam is stupid.
All it will prove to anyone is who is good at giving out information parrot fashion, essays actually show reasoning.
All it will prove to anyone is who is good at giving out information parrot fashion, essays actually show reasoning.
Jonathan
TS Member
To be perfectly honest, I've given up with taking much notice of what Michael Gove says. He just seems to want to return to the 'good old days' of one exam at the end of the course, with no coursework at all. This may benefit some students, but it will be detrimental to the prospects of others. Some students prefer exams. Others don't. Personally, I feel that the system currently in place - with a mixture of coursework and exams in the subjects, depending on the subject in question (English, for example, needing a mix between the two, and Drama, as it's a more practical subject, necessitating more of a coursework-based form of assessment). I fear that this could mess things up for so many children, I genuinely do.
EDIT: And it gets worse. Just have a look at this article from today's Independent, and Richard Garner's opinion piece from the same paper. It really is a massive step in completely the wrong direction, and I feel that it will be disastrous to those who are less academically gifted than others.
EDIT: And it gets worse. Just have a look at this article from today's Independent, and Richard Garner's opinion piece from the same paper. It really is a massive step in completely the wrong direction, and I feel that it will be disastrous to those who are less academically gifted than others.
alee298
TS Member
Firstly, I shall be one of the last few people to do a GCSE... also now I am in year 8, although it may not seem it, but I am acctually really smart and I am currentley working at a GCSE C/B grade in maths, english and science. (the rasied levels)