Exams “bore brightest and fail weakest”

A damning indictment on the English education system by a respected think tank. But it is not all doom and gloom

Originally this headline caught my eye as one of a handful of stories that would make a useful blog entry about a clutch of UK issues themed reports (for those embarking on route A edexcel) in the press and how some of the post AS time could be used by students to generate a news broadcast simulation.

But it has a wider audience in the context of the teaching and delivery of Politics.

According to the Observer, the Nuffield Review are due to publish a report this week that states that the current arrangements in place for assessing educational attainment by teenagers in the shape of GCSEs and A levels is inadequate and should be replaced by a single English baccalaureate. They add that:

“‘Many young people we have spoken to have been humiliated by their experience at school,’ said Spours. ‘For those young people, there is no hope of them becoming what the review calls “educated 19-year-olds”, because they do not have the opportunity to continue in general education post-16.

‘Meanwhile, the most capable are often bored to tears [by GCSEs and A-levels] because there is a lack of independent working: they just learn facts and regurgitate them. Young people are living in turbulent times with uncertain futures and this government is wedded to an A-level system that was devised in 1951.’”

This should not be seen as an attempt to denigrate the academic achievements of teenagers (as sure as night follows day, there will be plenty of “grade inflation” stories after the publication of exam results in August), but instead raises questions about whether exams are fit for purpose. I can’t see how the introduction of the new diploma will not create a two tier system A levels are allowed to continue alongside.

But as for the idea that A levels don’t encourage independent thinking there is plenty we can do as subject teachers to stretch our students even within the narrow constraints of the current syllabus.

For instance, in our department we operate a number of strategies alongside curriculum to delivery in an attempt to broaden and deepen learning. These include:
• An extended essay prize for both year groups with titles that ask students to consider political systems beyond the confines of single modules. In the L6 we have set the title: “To what extent has the UK become more or less democratic since 1997”.

• Oxbridge lessons are open to all students. We cover the US syllabus so these off timetable lessons examine issues such as Northern Ireland, the EU, and political ideologies.

• We operate a Politics Society that invites outside speakers to the school to speak on a range of topics. As an example we had Peter Tatchell in school to discuss gay rights.

This idea of activity beyond the syllabus is set to form part of the tutor2u Politics conference for teachers on 3rd July at the British Library, St Pancras.

If you haven’t booked a place, there are still some places left.

To book your place, please call the office on 0844 8000085 or book online here: