Stressing out exams

Reforming the Examination System (Old article)

Ruth Kelly, the Minister for Education in England and Wales, last year announced a Government White Paper reforming the examination system in secondary level education. With A-Level and GCSE results being announced Children’s Express young reporter Kelsey McQuaid (17) decided to ask those most affected by proposed changes what they think.

The White Paper aims to rationalise the 3,500 vocational qualifications currently on offer in schools and to place them within 14 specialised diplomas. Students would still have a wide choice of subjects but potential employers would more easily understand the diploma system. Piloting schemes also include first year university questions in A-level exam papers as a means for universities to differentiate between the most able students many of whom are gaining A and A+ grades.

Introducing the White Paper in the Commons Ruth Kelly said, "I want every teenager educated to the very limit of their ability. That means ensuring that we have an education system that tackles the historic weakness in the system; so that every single teenager, not just the vast majority, get the education they need and deserve to get on in life.
"A key weakness has been vocational education. Today will mark the end of the divide between vocational and academic study. We will move to a truly comprehensive education system for every teenager by ensuring real choice from the age of 14. We can't have second class, second best vocational education - it is valued abroad and it must be valued here. We must have a truly world-class workforce. It is vital to the future prosperity of the country.

Mark Beady, a student, opposes toughening up A-Levels: “Make them harder? No way! They are already hard enough as it is.” Carol Donaldson a GCSE student at the time from St. Columbus, Portaferry, said :“I think that people in year 12 are not ready for AS levels so early. It is a big step from GCSE to A-Levels. More needs to be done, to kind of soften and prepare us better for higher level examinations.”

However Ashley Ford, 14, a GCSE student from Cookstown High School, disagreed. “Some people won’t like the push but in the long term it’ll be beneficial. It shows the standard that they have to set for themselves. They’ll be more determined and able when it comes to go to University.”

We then asked Grania O’Hanlon, Principal of Loretta Grammar School in Omagh what her views were on the proposed changes to A-levels and the possible effects of the introduction of first year university questions.

“What we all seek to achieve is a fair system for everyone. However, my concern would be for the number of students who don’t achieve, and I find maybe the focus going a wee bit to that end of the spectrum of students who are actually achieving A-levels and moving on to university. What about those students who don’t achieve this and what about the students who university is not going to be an option for?”

The AS modular system was introduced a few years ago. Grania O’Hanlon added “That young people have had a chance to improve their grades through the modular system and I believe young people appreciate having that opportunity to repeat modules maybe, where they have not achieved what they felt they could have achieved”. Grania welcomed the Minister’s desire to stretch all pupils and particularly proposals in the area of vocational qualifications. “There are children who can achieve skill competences and they want more practical courses than are available to them. I do not think there is a range of vocational choices to provide real choice for students because, remember, we’re all studying the same curriculum from 11-16 and I honestly don’t believe that there is a true vocational choice yet in place to provide students with real choice.”

Marie, 14, from Fortwilliam, thought that vocational qualifications could be worthwhile, “Introducing Vocational skills isn’t a bad idea, if you can’t do anything purely academic like maths or biology, then you can at least learn a trade, that the employers will appreciate”.
Ashley Ford showed wisdom beyond her years stating, “In the modern day world, education will only get you so far. There is a need for practical applications and there is a shortage of plumbers, builders and painters. So more vocational subjects are needed for the voluntary subjects.”

Grania O’Hanalon, thought the Minister’s proposals might be more easily implemented within the common curriculum. “I would say that Mike Tomlinson’s earlier proposals were very interesting, they were radical. They would need a lot of investment and it would be a big shake up in the education system. I think that Ruth Kelly’s proposal will probably be a safer system for the moment. It won’t cause as great an upheaval as Mike Tomlison’s, so you could ask the question are the government going for a safer option in Ruth Kelly’s proposals?”