Exam results day – it’s a stressful time in the lives of teens across the country as they find out the grades they’ve been awarded in return for their hard work. In the current economic climate, it’s arguably even more nerve-racking as school leavers face a daunting unemployment rate of 40%.
So what’s been the outcome for the class of 2013? Well, there’s been a drop in the proportion of GCSE exam entries awarded top grades for the second year in a row and the overall pass rate also fell slightly, for the first time in the exam’s 25-year history.
The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) suggests that early entries to exams (particularly in English and Maths) and multiple exam entries could be the reason behind the drop in results. The introduction of the new iGCSEs has also been put forward as a potential factor.
Brian Lightman, Head of the Association of School and College Leaders has argued that raising the bar on grading needs to happen in a “planned, coherent way” whilst Conservative MP Graham Stuart says that we must do what we can to prevent grade inflation.
At NCFE, we believe in giving every young person the best chance of achievement and success. We understand that schools are under pressure to achieve a certain number of C grades and students obviously want to gain the best marks that they possibly can.
However, by entering students for multiple exams in the same subject, schools risk overburdening students who are already facing a lot of pressure; it’s not a sustainable way for students to learn.
We would encourage schools to look to vocational qualifications to supplement the core curriculum so that young people who aren’t naturally academically inclined can still leave school with a level of confidence and success, having gained some useful skills and qualifications.
There are also qualifications which aid study skills such as Learning to Learn – these courses help students to focus, manage their time, and develop effective learning behaviours. Qualifications such as these help students to meet their full potential, hopefully without the need for multiple exam entries.
What’s your thoughts?
