Coalition ministers and commentators like to study Michael Gove as an example of a successful reforming politician. The Education Secretary is most definitely man not mouse, taking on some of the most vehement vested interests in our public services, and even appearing to enjoy himself while he does it. But today’s change of tack on GCSE reform shows that the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.
Actually, as the FT’s Chris Cook so eloquently explained on the Today programme, it don’t matter whether the reformed exams are called Gove-levels, EBCs, or plain old GCSEs: what is clearly most important is that the reforms call time on the current system of exam boards competing in part on whose papers are more ‘accessible’ (or easy to pass) and teachers coming under pressure not only to get their pupils over that crucial D/C grade boundary but also to mark up their coursework because everyone else does it.
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