By Gavin Mackintosh-
G.C.S.E passes for 2017 have dropped notably amid higher standards reflected in a new grading system.
Passes of grade 4- an equivalent of the former C grade, dropped by 0.6%, from 66.9% to to 66.3 percent in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, passes (grades C/4 and above) dropped 0.6 percentage points to 66.3%.
RIGOROUS
The annual exams were made a lot more rigorous in the last year in England, to sharpen and establish a more solid intellectual base for students at the end of their secondary school education.
In English Literature, the pass rate fell 2.5 percentage points to 72%, However, in maths it rose from 61.5% to 68.9%. Both are the new, tougher exams. The strange thing about the new system is the weak requirement of just 18 percent of the overall marks to achieve a grade 4, normally the equivalent of a C.
DISAPPOINTING
This new standard must be said to be disappointing because 18 percent by any standards should be a failure, not a decent pass mark.
The low requirement for a pass grade of 4 is meant to be a reflection of how tough the exams are, but in reality makes a mockery of the new UK education system. Exams so tough that accept 18 %as a pass mark is indication that the very high standards of the new G.C.S.E system is unrealistic.
EQUIVALENT
A grade 9 is equivalent to 79%, whilst a grade 7 , amounting to an A grade only calls for candidates to get just over half the marks. candidates needed just over half marks. Technically, this means a student who scores 52%, would have attained an A grade. As much as the new system shows the jump in the present standard of the secondary school end of year certificate end of year exams, it presents an unmistakably worrying point of change from the norm to the ridiculous.
Grade A should only be awarded to students who have performed remarkably well, not candidates who have done well enough to get just over half the marks.
Ofqual have explained that the higher tier paper caters for more able students and starts with with grade 4 or pass mark level questions, adding that the 18% pass mark reflected this.
Over half a million pupils are getting their results today, with 3.2% of students achieving a grade 9 in English, 2.2% in English Literature, and 3.5% in Maths..
Exam boards revealed that 2,000 extremely able candidates got a 9 in all three new exams. There were 50,000 grade 9s overall – two-thirds of which were girls.
Complaints that the new 9 to 1 grading system would be confusing for parents, admissions tutors and employers are valid because it is an odd system of marking that inherently lacks appeal
The reason given for introducing three bands between 7 and 9 , instead of just A* and A at the top end was to give more detail about the highest-achieving candidates.
CONFUSION
Those extra details are highly unnecessary and leads more to confusion than clarity of any kind. It is the toughest level of G.C.S.E exams since the 1980’s, and reflect Theresa May’s Government’s aim of raising the standard of secondary school education in Britain. Already, the primary school end of year Sats exams have been made tougher for two years in a row; also drawing criticism from primary school teachers and parents, as the British government presses on in its ambition to significantly raise the standard of education for British pupils.
PLANNING
Sally Collier, chief regulator at England’s exams watchdog, said the results reflected “years of careful planning”. Collier said the new qualifications allowed students to ”better demonstrate their abilities” and had prepared them for further study if that’s their choice”.