GCSES risk being ‘irrelevant’ to modern life

Heads of leading private schools agree that current curriculum and exams fail to properly motivate pupils

‘This report outlines the clamour to shape a system that can reflect the needs of 21st-century Britain’

GCSES should be overhauled, leading private school headteachers have said as they claim the examinations fail to prepare children for the modern world.

The current school curriculum is outdated and is in danger of becoming irrelevant, according to a report by the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) which represents prestigious public schools including Eton College, Harrow and Winchester.

Historically, many private schools opted for IGCSES as they saw GCSES as too easy and not sufficient preparation for A-levels. However, in a bid to make GCSES more rigorous, ministers removed most course work and introduced a numerical grading system.

Now private-school heads are calling for a restructure of the entire system – both GCSES and IGCSES – as they have become outdated and no longer serve the needs of students in the 21st century. The HMC report argues that more emphasis must be given to children’s physical and mental health, as well as other skills such as oracy, data and digital literacy. “There are significant concerns that our current education system is falling a long way short in offering a relevant education which promotes the breadth of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values necessary for young people to thrive in the modern world,” the report says.

“The acquisition of knowledge and learning skills are clearly important but more emphasis needs to be given to physical and mental health, alongside data and digital literacy, oracy, social and environmental skills, critical thinking and opportunities that encourage the development of ethical understanding, curiosity, creativity, and a love of learning,” the HMC report stated.

The authors point out that far more is known about the teenage brain than when GCSES were first introduced and argue that neuroscientists should be involved in designing new qualifications to replace them.

The current examination and school system fails to motivate teenagers because it “lacks relevance”, the HMC said, adding that the curriculum is not sufficiently “responsive” to the needs of different students, including those from low-income backgrounds, and those with different cultural heritages and ethnicities.

GCSES and IGCSES are useful for university admissions tutors and employers to distinguish between candidates, the report says, but they fail to encourage students’ development. It suggests that computerised tests, open book assessments and research projects could be used instead of GCSES.

The HMC conducted a survey of headteachers at both state and private schools as well as academics, students, parents and business leaders. It found that 94 per cent of respondents believed GCSES need either complete or partial reform, with the majority (54 per cent) calling for reforms to be implemented straight away.

Lord Baker, who created the GCSE, has previously said it would be better to replace GCSE examinations with “some form of moderated assessment”.

Richard Backhouse, chairman of the HMC and principal of the £35,600-a-year Berkhamsted School, said: “After what has been a tumultuous 18 months, teachers in both state and independent schools now want to focus on delivering the very best education they can. This report outlines the clamour in the education sector to shape a system that reflects the needs of 21stcentury Britain.”