September 2011

The know zone

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    However unpopular or culpable an employee seems to be, any dismissal process against them has to be just and impartial, says Richard Bird, even one instigated by the secretary of state. More
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  • Lead vocals
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    Philip Capper was named school governor of the year at last year's UK Teaching Awards. He is chair of governors at Ysgol Bryn Elian in Old Colwyn, Wales. He recently retired from his full-time job in the offshore fishing industry. More
  • b-live to work
    The b-live Foundation was set up six years ago to help and inspire young people to make informed career choices through partnerships with schools, employers and other organisations. More than 230,000 students are currently being supported. More
  • Adding value
    Getting the best from staff More
  • Examination thoughts
    From September 2012, external exams for GCSE will be done at the end of the course so there will be no modular exams part-way through. Is this a good move? And if changes are to be made to GCSE, are there others that would be more effective in improving them? School leader s share their views. More
  • Leaders' surgery
    Commanding performance, Don't know much about biology... More
  • Ever-shifting pension debate
    Held just two weeks before the teacher unions' one-day strike on pensions, the June Council meeting was dominated by this topic and debate over how ASCL should proceed. More
  • Answering the right questions
    The shocking events in England's cities – and the involvement of young people in them – underline the need for the profession to seize the debate about the purpose of education, says Brian Lightman. More
  • Stick to the plan
    Nigel Poole presents his 20 top tips to becoming a valued, respected, hard-working, cheerful, credible, versatile and all-round impressive leader. More
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From September 2012, external exams for GCSE will be done at the end of the course so there will be no modular exams part-way through. Is this a good move? And if changes are to be made to GCSE, are there others that would be more effective in improving them? School leaders share their views.

Examination thoughts

Stop swinging the pendulum

I have always viewed modular exams as a double-edged sword. In their favour, they are very boy-friendly as they break work into small discrete chunks, give students a real feel for public exams early on in their education and provide a focus throughout a whole key stage. There are, however, issues over attitudes to re-sits. I have been told by countless students, "Don't worry Miss, I can always sit the exam again" or "I'm seeing what I would get if I did no work at all."

As with any change there will be winners and losers but what I would relish is a shift away from the pendulum swings of government policy.

Annabel Kay
Headteacher, The Warriner School, Banbury

A return to O levels?

I am absolutely horrified at the potential end to modular examinations. I believe the modular structure helps all learners of all abilities to maximise their academic potential. A return to the O level era (my generation!) of "revise everything from the last two years and then splat it on to the exam paper in three hours" is not conducive to today's learners.

And if we return at GCSE to linear, how are we preparing the students effectively for modular post-16 courses? In my view it's another machete attack by today's government on yesterday's, on the premise that whatever was set up by the predecessor government must be wrong.

Heather Scott
Headteacher, Barlby High School, North Yorkshire

Retreating from success

Ending modular exams is a retrograde step. It returns us to a model of maximum stress over a short period of time – one which rewards students with photographic memories who are good at factual recall and can cram revise rather than students who consistently display qualities that any employer would look for, such as a consistent work ethic, the ability to respond positively to instruction and critique and independent learning.

A move away from modular courses – which universities have been offering in one form or another since before I went through university in the early 1990s – is a move back towards the 'good old days' where the average 5+ A*-C was lower than 40 per cent.

Steve Rolt
Assistant head, The Warwick School, Redhill

Personalisation does work

Mayfield School has moved from notice to improve to being one of the one hundred most improved schools in the country. Central to achieving it has been our ability to maintain high levels of personalisation and motivation within our curriculum. All students study towards GCSE in English, maths and science as part of their core lessons. They choose options from a wide range of subjects, including traditional GCSEs as well as vocational courses.

Implicit in a personalised curriculum should be an assessment system that offers students assessment (not only examinations) when they are ready – especially as it then provides opportunities for them to move on earlier to higher level study in preparation for further education.

Nigel Hoggarth
Interim head, Mayfield School, Portsmouth

Dismantle modules

Modularity stifles cognitive creativity, yet stimulating intellectual curiosity must be the main aim of educating our nation's young. Curriculum time is wasted preparing students for external exams when it should be directed towards encouraging greater breadth and depth of academic inquiry.

One pernicious effect of modularity I have noticed in my school is that some students now lack the confidence to believe themselves capable of absorbing and understanding a whole two-year GCSE course. They know they can handle the bite-sized chunks that modules consist of but they doubt their ability to learn more and do well. This is shocking indeed and flies in the face of one of our other great challenges as educationalists: to inculcate a love of knowledge.

Kathy Crewe-Read
Deputy head, The King's School, Chester

For more member opinion on the changes to GCSEs visit www.leadermagazine.co.uk

Examination thoughts

LEADING READING