A petition has been launched by the NUT in conjunction with the NAHT, NUS, Equity, the Musicians Union and others against the threatened abolition of GCSEs.. It is a matter of extreme urgency since the official deadline for consultation is close.
You can find the petition at http://www.ebaccpetition.org.uk/
In a nutshell, Secretary of State Michael Gove intends to terminate the GCSE – a common examination for all 16-year-olds – and replace it with an ‘English Baccalaureate’ which will only cater for a minority. It will damage the curriculum even for this group, and lead to massive demoralisation for the rest.
There are also implications for FE and HE. If the full English Baccalaureate becomes an entry requirement for university study, this could seriously reduce student numbers. The consultation document also makes vague but ominous demands of FE colleges, which will be required to offer it from 2015, including funding deductions (7.3) for each student without an EBC in English and Maths who is not studying to retake it.
For further information see FAQs on the above site, or the explanation and commentary on Terry Wrigley’s Changing Schools website.
Please pass this on to all your friends and colleagues.