Educational reformation
The qualifications watchdog has reported that new GCSEs for Wales will put less emphasis on exams and aim to increase the use of digital technology. It’s fair to say the plans have been met with a mixed response, and as a result, teachers, pupils, parents and employers are being asked for their views on the matter.
Many teachers and students agree with the proposed plans, however a lot of parents have voiced concerns that the new plans could serve to dum-down the subjects up for reform. The new plans also feature controversial ideas to merge language and literature subjects like English and Welsh into a single GCSE, and the individual sciences will also be combined. So, as these plans stand, English language and literature, and Cymraeg language and literature GCSEs will see a reduction from 80% exam based assessment to 60%.
Why the change?
For the most part, these changes are coming as a result of reflection on the part of many working in the Welsh education sector, who found that the Covid-19 pandemic provided ample opportunity to explore alternative methods of assessment. Of course, A-level students also had their own thoughts on the matter.
A-level student Jess, from Blaenau Gwent, said she felt taking her GCSEs last year was more about "how fast you can write and how much you can remember rather than actually showing skills”, and that the overload of content that students are forced to digest in such a short period is not conducive to a successful examination process.
Sarah Parry, headteacher at Llanishen High School, agreed with Jess, saying that it’s vital that GCSEs change to meet the needs of young people and provide a broad and balanced curriculum. She also made calls for a more balanced mix of assessment methods, with less emphasis being placed on exams in wake of the lessons learned from the lockdown periods throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, where many school opted for more continuous methods of assessment to adapt to their inability to open their doors for examinations.
What’s the reaction to these plans been like?
All in all, the proposed plans have raised a few concerns - for one, some people fear that the examination structure could be at risk of "dumbing down” certain subjects, but Qualifications Wales has argued that it will broaden pupils' learning. So, where does that leave things? Well, the qualifications watchdog is currently looking for opinions on the proposed changes from GCSE pupils, teachers, parents and employers so that the debate can continue.
So, it would seem there are some big changes afoot in the Welsh education sector! What’s never going to change though is our commitment to supplying you with the best quality school exercise books, supplementary reading materials, and personalised exercise books so that you and your students have everything you need to stay organised, motivated, and productive in the classroom. Take a look through what we’ve got available on our site - and if you have any questions, feel free to give us a call on 01254 686 500. We’re always happy to help!
