Update to the[Update] "English Baccalaureate" replaces GCSE in England

Originally Posted by Damien

I really don't like the lack of coursework. Can be a good chance for students who otherwise lack ability to exams to do well. I always did poorly at exams but very good at coursework....

The problem with course work is that it offers too many opportunities for the pupil to show how adept they are at copy and paste or for mumsy to do it because the poor little darling is properly thick and mumsy doesn't want anyone to know

Originally Posted by martyh

The problem with course work is that it offers too many opportunities for the pupil to show how adept they are at copy and paste or for mumsy to do it because the poor little darling is properly thick and mumsy doesn't want anyone to know

True but then coursework is far more akin to actual work as well. For those that don't cheat it's a chance to craft a real bit of work, a researched and well-argued essay, a practical computer program, a work of art (they are keeping coursework for art) and so on. My essays for history were far better when I had the ability to type them out, research and use citations. I tend to get a bit messy when writing essays as my brain jumps between several points and a computer allows me to restructure it in a way a two-hour time limit with a written page doesn't.

[watzizname]

"Baccalaureate"

Glad I'm not 16, I can't even pronounce it

I have heard of it before. It's used in France and there is a European one that I think some schools in the UK offer. However although the modules are separate you get passed on it as a whole. So I am not sure if this is like that or they will continue to offer separate qualifications.

[devilincarnate]

Originally Posted by Taf

I'd like to see pupils about to leave primary schools examined on at least the 3 R's, as in my experience that it's primary schools that are churning out more and more illiterate and innumerate pupils. And once they have failed at primary level, they are never allowed to catch up.

Very true. I have taught my children the correct sayings/ spellings for words also the Maths.

---------- Post added at 19:27 ---------- Previous post was at 19:25 ----------

Originally Posted by Itshim

To much time wasted teaching Welsh.

My mate is from Maesteg and he cannot speak Welsh

Originally Posted by Damien

True but then coursework is far more akin to actual work as well. For those that don't cheat it's a chance to craft a real bit of work, a researched and well-argued essay, a practical computer program, a work of art (they are keeping coursework for art) and so on. My essays for history were far better when I had the ability to type them out, research and use citations. I tend to get a bit messy when writing essays as my brain jumps between several points and a computer allows me to restructure it in a way a two-hour time limit with a written page doesn't.

That's true ,and why it is used in universities and colleges maybe the way forward is to make sure the kids know the 3rs first before doing course work after all Britain didn't do too bad when we where taught parrot fashion with one exam in each subject ,we still turned out world class academics .My school was one of the first to experiment with GCSE'S 1980-81 i did CSE levels which had a equivalent gcse grade attached to them and i remember one of the teachers saying that the government where trying to fix something that wasn't broken

I really hoped this government might get something right in this regard a shift in emphasis to a more balanced system between academic and vocational but it is not meant to be. What i have noticed locally is that many of the truants and non academic kids have been taken into the vocational sector and are doing very well one who lives down the road from me i don't think attended a day of school for two years. He got a placement through some local scheme at a local garage and is now one of their best mechanics even catching up with is reading and writing and maths as he can now see how it benefits him to have those skills in his job.

We are so stuck in this country on the idea that academic excellence is the benchmark to judge people by and seem completely unable or unwilling to accept it is not for everyone such a shame a better approach to vocational training could have done so much that academic study never will.

Originally Posted by RizzyKing

I really hoped this government might get something right in this regard a shift in emphasis to a more balanced system between academic and vocational but it is not meant to be. What i have noticed locally is that many of the truants and non academic kids have been taken into the vocational sector and are doing very well one who lives down the road from me i don't think attended a day of school for two years. He got a placement through some local scheme at a local garage and is now one of their best mechanics even catching up with is reading and writing and maths as he can now see how it benefits him to have those skills in his job.

We are so stuck in this country on the idea that academic excellence is the benchmark to judge people by and seem completely unable or unwilling to accept it is not for everyone such a shame a better approach to vocational training could have done so much that academic study never will.

[Hom3r]

Typical govenment using a word thats not english

http://oxforddictionaries.com/defini.../baccalaureate

Origin:

mid 17th century (in baccalaureate (sense 2)): from French baccalauréat or medieval Latin baccalaureatus, from baccalaureus 'bachelor'. The earlier form baccalarius was altered by wordplay to conform with bacca lauri 'laurel berry', because of the laurels awarded to scholars. baccalaureate (sense 1) dates from 1970

THIS COUNTRY IS ENGLISH NOT FLAMING FRENCH

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by Hom3r

Typical govenment using a word thats not english

http://oxforddictionaries.com/defini.../baccalaureate



THIS COUNTRY IS ENGLISH NOT FLAMING FRENCH

If we ruled out words that started out as French or Latin, think our language would be quite limited

Originally Posted by BenMcr

If we ruled out words that started out as French or Latin, think our language would be quite limited

Plus the fact that Latin rules are applied to English grammar.Also there are the influences from the Vikings and Danes and Norsemen.

[devilincarnate]

Originally Posted by Maggy J

Plus the fact that Latin rules are applied to English grammar.Also there are the influences from the Vikings and Danes and Norsemen.

We would all speak Gaelic

[danielf]

Is this a good time to mention that English is a Germanic Language?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanic_languages

Perhaps not daniel, although you are quite correct. Just teach the children to read, write and spell correctly. A grounding in mathematics would be useful. I despair (anagram = aspired)

Originally Posted by Hom3r

THIS COUNTRY IS ENGLISH NOT FLAMING FRENCH