Two senior teachers in the Western Wards have criticised the suggestion that GCSE exams could be abolished to make way for tougher tests as a step backwards.
Ian Gates, deputy head teacher at Brookfield School, expressed concerns that reports that the government’s education secretary, Michael Gove, plans to scrap GCSEs to make way for a new two-tier system may discriminate against those less-abled students.
“We haven’t seen anything on paper yet so we’ll reserve judgement until we see what is happening,” said Mr Gates.
“But on the face of it the two-tier system, which seems to discriminate against those less able, seems a retrograded step and seems that we’re going backwards.
“We have an inclusive exam system at the moment, it’s not perfect, but it allows all children to be able to work and strive towards challenges.”
The proposals would see new examinations set by one national board to provide a gold standard test. There would also be more simple examinations, similar to the old Certifacte of Secondary Education (CSE), introduced for less able pupils.
And if the plan was adopted, from September 2014 students would study for harder O-level style exams. This would cover traditional academic subjects such as English, maths, history, modern languages and the sciences.
Mr Gates said the timing of the news had not been good with students preparing for and taking GCSE exams. He said it had “slightly devalued” their hard work.
Stuart Tyreman, head teacher at Lord Wilson School a specialist secondary school for boys in Coldeast, Sarisbury Green, said: “My concerns are that if the leaked document became legislation then students risked being part of a tiered system which would categorise them from an early age.
“It would encourage the belief that a student’s outcomes, progress and achievement are all pre-determined, which in turn may damage students’ aspiration, self-belief, esteem and motivation to achieve.”