Category: GCSEs

Turn your papers over – fresh start required

Turn your papers over – fresh start required

It was inevitable that cancelling examinations would cause conflicts and chaos, whatever alternative system was used to grade students. I said in March that the decision would lead to terrible problems. We were aware then that the peak of the virus outbreak was likely to be in April. While holding GCSEs would have posed difficulties…

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Education at a critical crossroads

Education at a critical crossroads

August saw one of the education success stories of the year. You may have read about the Michaela Free School in London and its inspirational headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh recording GCSE results any grammar school would be proud of. Michaela, which is based in the deprived area of Brent, saw more than half (54%) of its students…

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A creative way to passing exams and installing a life-long love for words

A creative way to passing exams and installing a life-long love for words

Creative writing is far from a pastime – it’s the key to unlocking a child’s potential in English, getting good grades at GCSE and most importantly installing a life-long love of reading and language. In the new English GCSE, 50% of the exam paper has a creative writing element – being able to write with…

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