New exams welcomed

About the only exams that will survive the latest changes proposed in a 200 page report published on Monday will be A levels.

Under the biggest schools examination shake-up in 50 years both GCSE and AS level exams are scheduled to become history.

A 200 page report by the Tomlinson committee makes a total of 36 recommendations that to a large extent, say educationalists, turn the examination clock back 60 years.

The report recommends that from the time children enter secondary education at 11 teachers should begin identifying which of three paths they were most likely to follow:

Specialised academic

Specialised vocational

A blend of the two

Gerard MacMahon, headteacher at Chippenham's Sheldon School, said he generally welcomed the new proposals and liked the idea of the diplomas.

For lower achieving students he believed the prospect of a diploma would be a powerful incentive to improve performance with a specific goal to achieve.

He also approved of the interlinking between diploma levels, so that students going for an advanced level would have to have a sufficient level of achievement in the core subjects of literacy, numeracy and IT.

"Having more teacher-led assessment is also something that is welcome in some ways," he said.

"The exams can be a lottery. In Key Stage 3 we have asked for a lot of remarking and there are problems recruiting enough examiners of a sufficient calibre, which can undermine confidence."

"On the other hand a move towards teacher assessment may lose some of the credibility of the results, and we must maintain it."

The prospect of having A+ and A++ grades was also generally welcomed as a way of celebrating the achievements of the most able but he expressed a fear it might hold back candidates keen to achieve the highest level from being daring and taking a risk with answers.

Colin Smith from Hardenhuish School in Chippenham was also broadly supportive of the Tomlinson proposals.

"Anything that brings cohesion into the 14-19 exam structure is to be welcomed," he said.

However, Mr Smith said national recognition of the new system was essential, with the universities fully on board.

He was also keen to see the costs of using the exam system brought down.

"At the moment it costs us £80,000 a year on exam fees, which is about the cost of three teachers. It is important to bring the costs under control."

Headteacher at Churchfields School, Swindon, Steve Flavin, said: "The national debate over standards at GCSE and A Level has resulted in an increasing lack of confidence with parents, employers and universities.

"Students at Churchfields School and others across the country work extremely hard to obtain these exams, many of which have a significant course work requirement. It is a shame that students who have been so successful should have their results undermined.

"I therefore welcome any move towards establishing a new examination system which will recognise the achievements of students in public examinations.

"Parents, employers and universities need to be confident that the standards being obtained in any new examinations are sufficiently robust.

Stewart Roberts, headmaster at fee paying Dauntsey's School in West Lavington, near Devizes, welcomed the proposed reforms.

He said: "Mike Tomlinson and his working party should certainly be congratulated on their recommendations, which at the top end preserve and enhance current A Level standards.

"By incorporating the advanced extension award into the advanced diploma they will certainly allow the most able to show their full potential. The reduction in both the examination burden and course work is much to be welcomed as these have both proved obstacles to good teaching in the past.

"The greatest test of the proposals will be to see if the UK can retain more 16 and 17-year-olds in full time education. It is also hoped that the implementation of the report will increase the success of 16-year-olds in both numeracy and literacy."

Malcolm Irons, headteacher of Devizes School, said he broadly welcomed the reforms.

He said: "I believe standards will be driven up by these proposals but they will allow flexibility in delivering the curriculum to all pupils.

"GCSEs and A Levels are not disappearing, instead a diploma is being proposed incorporating those qualifications.

"The proposals are trying to gear up the curriculum so each pupil can access the right combination of courses to suit their needs and abilities better."

Two decades of exam upheaval

Major reforms to English school exams over the past 20 years:

In 1986, the two tier system of exams for 16-year-olds was abolished in what was then the biggest shake-up for more than a decade. O-Levels (Ordinary) and CSEs (Certificates of Secondary Education) were merged into GCSEs (General Certificates of Secondary Education). Pupils sat the first GCSEs exams in 1988.

Tests (which became known as SATs) for seven-year-olds at Key Stage One were introduced for maths and English in 1991.

Two years later, more SATs in English, maths and science were brought in, this time for for 14-year-olds at the end of Key Stage 3.

In 1995, English, maths and science SATs were introduced for 11-year-olds.

In September 2000, the traditional A-level (Advanced) qualification for 17 and 18-year-olds was split in two, becoming the AS (Advanced Subsidiary) and the A2. The A-level is now made up of three AS level units pitched at slightly below full A-level standard and three A2 units.

But during the first year the final exams were taken, 2002, the pass rate jumped by more than four per cent. At the same time, there were claims that some students' work had been marked down to stop allegations that the exams were getting easier.

Leading educationalist Mike Tomlinson was asked to investigate and later tasked with reviewing the English education system for 14 to 19-year-olds.

In 2002 the Government introduced new GCSEs in vocational subjects.

In September 2004, ministers announced that the national curriculum tests for seven-year-olds would be toned down. Children will no longer have their test marks issued separately from their teachers' overall assessment.

The first major survey of what headteachers and others in education think about scrapping the current 14 to 19 exam system in favour of a new diploma is showing they are split down the middle.

The online poll being conducted by the National College for School Leadership (NCSL) has so far found that 50 per cent of visitors to its web site who have voted in the diploma debate believe A-levels and GCSEs should not be replaced with a new diploma. Almost half 45 per cent who've voted so far support the plans for a new diploma.

Changes pioneered in county

Those taking the new vocational route estimated to be about 40 per cent of pupils would have to be taught by staff with "relevant expertise" and "appropriate facilities" the report stated.

A levels would be the only exam to emerge largely unscathed while the AS level exams taken halfway through A level courses would disappear.

Two new levels would be introduced to combat the growing number of students gaining the top A grade at A level and these would be known as A plus and double-plus.

It is proposed that GCSEs will disappear and be replaced by foundation level diploma for lower grades and an intermediate level diploma for higher grades. Pupils would take these when they were ready and not all at the same age.

The new examination system has been welcomed by Dr Patrick Hazlewood, head of St John's School and Community College in Marlborough.

For the past three or four years St John's has been working on radical changes to the standard curriculum.

Dr Hazlewood said: "For the past four years we have been working with the DfES and RSA to try to prove that the key stage curriculum can be done much quicker than the three years it currently takes."

A trial curriculum at St John's has shown it can be done in two years, said Dr Hazlewood.

He welcomed the new examinations to replace the GCSEs and said: "At the moment one size fits all."

The new curriculum, very similar to the one St John's had been piloting, met the needs of the individual, Dr Hazlewood said.

About 70 Year 10/11 students (previously 4th and 5th form) are already on vocational training which is proposed under the new exam system.