Changes to early GCSE entry will disadvantage some pupils, claim heads
HEADTEACHERS say changes to curb early entry GCSE in Wales will disadvantage pupils.
And the Association of School and College Leaders Cymru said a “significant number” in the profession would oppose the changes, which still leave them under pressure with a variety of performance targets to meet.
Chris Norman, head of Willows High in Cardiff, said the Welsh Government announcement that, from summer 2019, only the first grade obtained would count towards school performance targets, was effectively a ban on early entry,
Mr Norman, whose school has a number of pupils whose background means they move frequently, said early entry offers many the best chance to get qualifications.
“This announcement is basically the same as taking away early entry,” he said.
“I think this change will widen the attainment gap for the most disadvantaged pupils, that’s my concern.”
“Schools which have high mobility issues, like ours, have to think “do we enter them early because they might not be here in year 11?”. Our area has a lot of pupils who don’t make it to year 11.
“Early entry gives pupils confidence. We had one girl who got a D in maths early which spurred her on to get a C and gave her confidence that she could succeed in all subjects – which she did.”
He said pupils did not always take mock exams seriously as a way to gauge grades.
“It is very difficult for schools like ours to get the mock mentality without parental support. I am not saying we don’t have that, but for some pupils they need it to be a real exam.”
Claire Price, head of Chepstow High School, said early entry eases exam pressure and the government should trust schools to know what is right.
“We don’t talk about early entry, we talk about taking exams when pupils are ready,” she said.
“We have students in year nine and 10 who have got A*s in maths and English. They have taken AS maths in year 11 – to stop them would limit their opportunities.
“We try to make all decisions with students at the heart of them.
“High-attaining students talk about being able to focus on a couple of GCSEs in year 10 to relieve the stress. That’s really important.
“We also have students who sit a module of history or science early.
“We have had a lot of uncertainty around grade boundaries and the new GCSEs and we have more new GCSEs on the way, so schools are, rightly, quite concerned.
“Kirsty Williams said we teach to the test with early entry, but I think it is the opposite.
“We are hugely successful at getting pupils to Oxbridge and Russell Group universities.
“It is about trusting the system and head teachers.
“I don’t agree with these changes.”
Tim Pratt, director of the Association of School and College Leaders Cymru, said the way school performance is measured should be simplified.
“Some schools will be cross at this announcement, I am absolutely certain. There will be quite a significant number of people feeling cross.
“I think we ought to have one centrally organised system to measure schools’ performance.
“There are heads saying: ‘I am not going on, I can’t do this any more’ and are retiring or leaving early, because the pressure (of performance targets) is so great. That’s not in a majority of schools, but it happens. Everybody in the system is under enormous pressure. The Welsh government has recognised that and say they are going to do something about it – but when?.”