GCSE – the future

1. GCSE – the future Tim Oates Group Director Assessment Research & Development

2. English Bac Certificates - the proposal Single awarding bodies contracted to deliver suites of EBCs in English Maths and Sciences History Geography and MFL to follow To be taken by 90% of school cohort who will obtain a meaningful grade and level of achievement Those not attaining a level of education commensurate with the EBC standard can take the qualifications later – at 17, 18 etc Break the culture of early taking, game playing through modules etc Link standards to international benchmarks

3. GCSEs are not perfect Tiering – hidden discrimination and inequalities Complexity – the Harvard ‘core curriculum’ cycle Using GCSEs as a principal accountability measure Failure to distinguish qualifications and curriculum Lack of candid recognition of the real evidence on grade inflation and genuine improvement in underlying standards of attainment

4. Some important issues GCSEs a highly successful innovation - Vocational GCSEs, GNVQs Breakdown of curriculum rationale in the wake of irrational equivalences Degeneration of ‘curriculum thinking’ into ‘qualifications mindset’ Failure to address ‘routes’ in the system – vestiges of tripartism High diversity in institutional forms Tomlinson reforms rejected - unified system thinking Andrew Marr – Today Programme 17 09 12 ‘…why not a full review of 14-19 arrangements….’ EBC may be partial but right…and not for the obvious reasons

5. Not the obvious reasons A Levels are not that uncommon – you just need to look properly Two year advanced Two-year advanced specialisation has an economic and personal logic regarding maximal use of restricted time Two-year advanced specialisation is intrinsic to short-duration high level Higher Education A level now commands high wage return in contrast to some HE programmes True extended participation demands massive social, economic and personal re-orientation We have very high levels of lifelong learning, combined with highly flexible FE provision

6. But – some important issues GCSEs a highly successful innovation - Vocational GCSEs, GNVQs Breakdown of curriculum rationale in the wake of irrational equivalences Degeneration of ‘curriculum thinking’ into ‘qualifications mindset’ Failure to address ‘routes’ in the system – vestiges of tripartism High diversity in institutional forms Tomlinson reforms rejected - unified system thinking Andrew Marr – Today Programme 17 09 12 ‘…why not a full review of 14-19 arrangements….’ EBC may be partial but right…and not for the obvious reasons

7. Control factors – again The tightrope balance of managing control factors – loosen here, tighten there If you don’t use qualifications as a control factor you most likely need to tighten the use of others – eg National Curriculum, curriculum time on subjects, approved textbooks etc There could be a total system review but this goes way beyond Tomlinson-style 14-19 qualifications review – it extends to anaylsis of all control factors, the vocational route, the structure and funding of HE etc etc So….EBC right?…yes, imperfect, of its time…and the right direction of travel