THE HEADMASTER of Spalding Grammar School has given a lukewarm welcome to plans for GCSE exams to be scrapped.
Nigel Ryan questioned whether the new English Baccalaureate Certificate (BAC), to be introduced in 2015, would give students the best chance of demonstrating their knowledge “to a standard everyone can have confidence in.”
Details of the new qualification, which will include a single end-of-course exam, were announced on Monday by Education Secretary Michael Gove.
Mr Ryan said: “The problems with this year’s GCSE English grades highlight a much bigger issue over the quality and reliability of the whole examination system.
“Our school is pleased to see the Government accepting this but we are not convinced that its proposals for the new English BAC exam will effectively address the issue of making sure there is a fair examination system enabling all students to demonstrate their knowledge to a standard everyone can have confidence in.”