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Are IGCSEs tougher exams?

A report in the Sunday Times on 29 July was headlined ‘State Schools ditch GCSE for tougher exam’. The exams in question were International GCSEs, or IGCSEs, as set by Edexcel and CIE.  As the report indicated, IGCSEs are being … More…

Posted in Controlled Assessment and Coursework, Distance Learning, Educational organisations, Examinations, GCSE, Government Policy, Home Education, IGCSE, IGCSE Mathematics, Maths | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
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Cheating the System: how examiners tip off teachers

The Daily Telegraph’s front page story today carries the lurid headline: Cheating the System: how examiners tip off teachers. Parents and students are right to be worried that some teachers and their students are getting a head start. Michael Gove … More…

Posted in A Level, A level English, Controlled Assessment and Coursework, Educational organisations, Examinations, GCSE, Government Policy, Home Education in the Media, IGCSE English | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
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Consultation on GCSE Reform

The government, via OfQual, has invited all interested parties to make comments on the proposed changes to the GCSE system. I think it is in all of our interests to make our views known, even if those views are completely … More…

Posted in Controlled Assessment and Coursework, Distance Learning, Examinations, GCSE, General Resources, Government Policy, History, Home Education, IGCSE, IGCSE English, IGCSE Geography, IGCSE History, IGCSE Science | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
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Telling the truth about schools

Is it fair that the quality of the education received should be considered alongside the bare statistics of exam results by universities seeking new students? Deborah Orr of the Guardian certainly thinks so.  For her,  exam board AQA’s plan to … More…

Posted in Distance Learning, Educational organisations, General Resources, Government Policy, Home Education, Home Education in the Media, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
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Changes to GCSEs in 2014

The government has recently announced that there will be a number of changes to the GCSE system, affecting examinations in 2014 and later years.  What is going on? The main change is that it will no longer be possible to … More…

Posted in Controlled Assessment and Coursework, Distance Learning, Examinations, GCSE, Government Policy, History, Home Education, IGCSE, IGCSE English, IGCSE English Literature, IGCSE Geography, IGCSE Mathematics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
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The Teaching of History

How should history be taught? Just as there won”t ever be a consensus on how to teach English Literature, so the teaching of History is certain to remain controversial. History textbooks tailored to fit A-level exam requirements have “stultified” teachers” … More…

Posted in A Level, A-level History, Examinations, Government Policy, Home Education, IGCSE History, Uncategorized | Leave a comment
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Ofsted and Children "missing" from Education

Today Ofsted has published a report called, without any apparent irony, ‘Children Missing from Education’. Anyone involved in home education will find its assumptions and conclusions highly questionable, at the very least. The summary of the survey reads as follows: … More…

Posted in A Level, blog, Educational organisations, GCSE, Government Policy, Home Education, Home Education in the Media, KS3 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
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IGCSE and State Schools

The Guardian newspaper report that very few state schools have expressed interested in offering IGCSEs is misleading. Only CIE were consulted about figures, but there is more than one IGCSE exam board. More importantly, state schools have not been given funding to introduce IGCSE exams, nor given any indication of whether, or when, funding might become available. IGCSE is harder than GCSE, but will its introduction into state schools mean that it will become easier? Should exam boards and universities control state exams rather than government? More…

Posted in blog, Controlled Assessment and Coursework, Distance Learning, GCSE, Government Policy, Home Education, IGCSE, IGCSE English, IGCSE Mathematics, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
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Tighter Safeguards for Home Schooling?

Legislation to regulate home schooling will not eliminate child abuse at home. Parents who choose to home educate their children are supportive and resourceful in developing their children’s education. More…

Posted in blog, Distance Learning, Educational organisations, Government Policy, Home Education, Home Education in the Media | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
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In praise of distance learning

A response to the Guardian newspaper’s article on the history of distance learning in the UK. Despite its provocative sub-title the article celebrates the benefits of distance learning, including external degrees from London University and the opportunities offered by the Open University. Modern technology offers ways for students to communicate while distance learning and benefit from joining online communities of learners. More…

Posted in blog, Distance Learning, Educational organisations, Government Policy, Home Education, Home Education in the Media, London | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
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