GCSE exams to be made harder by 2013

Well it does sound like a step in the right direction to me. Certainly it sounds like a good idea to make the exams linear. Life is about performing well at given points in time, and not about being given as many chances as you need until you fluke a good performance. There is no real reason for people to truly flunk an exam that will not be taken into account by an exam board.

The real advantage of a linear system is that it allows for more teaching time, and more material to be covered without the constant stress of imminent exams.

An increase in difficulty is also overdue in my opinion. GCSEs don't in reality test skill in particular subjects, and as such it is perfectly possible with a little intelligence and hard work to gain As and A*s in nearly all exams. What people don't seem to realise is that they won't be adversely affected by increasing difficulty. It will be harder to gain A* grades yes, but you will still do as well as you would have in comparison to the general populous. The positive result of harder courses would hopefully be students being more prepared for their future life, whether it be academic or otherwise, by being better equipped with critical thinking skills.

For those struggling with the content to such a degree as it becomes impossibly difficult, there should be some form of foundation tier offered, as there is now.

So there, that's my opinion. And I'm not some adult who has never looked at a GCSE paper either, I took 'em last year.

Oh, and regarding the simple question of whether the exams have become harder over time, just take a look at past paper O-level questions. I remember reading one opinion of someone who was in the first batch of GCSE students. He was saying how his class had been preparing using O-level past papers, and how everyone was astonished by how easy the new qualifications were!

There was a post on here about 60% getting A*-C and the government wants to REDUCE this number?

I think it really sucks for Year 9 future Triple Scientists.

To have to remember the entire 2 year courses including the higher tier difficulty and extensions is really hard.

It was hard enough for me to do the modules (1a, 1b, 2, 3) as I was doing constant revision. I have done well - but we chose to do coursework for Physics and Chemistry because apparently the C3 and P3 exams are super hard, and I mean last year a straight A* student got a D in C3 exam. Ouch.

Right now with Biology 3 I think I've covered everything, Biology is the easiest memory-wise anyway. The way they phrase questions is harder for them I reckon.

But to remember the entire course over 2 years, no way. That's terrible.

It works for History because a lot of the questions are source or opinion based, and if you are able to understand history then all you need to do is refer to a few facts for each sub topic. It's a lot to learn but I find it sticks more.

I completely agree with the remark on exam-centric lessons. In English the whole of our second year was focused purely on exam based questions. The teacher we had before failed our English Language exam (and subsequently scarpered to Spain), and because of the time wasted, we have had to learn (deep breath)

Language Unit 1 (For the school-wide re-sit...)
Shakespeare and War poetry Controlled Assessment
About a Boy
To Kill a Mockingbird
Inspector Calls
Unseen Poetry
Language Unit 2 (Writing)

All within the year, and consider that Year 11 is shorter than Year 10 anyway! Right now we're having switching lessons all the time! One day it's Inspector Calls, then the next we're doing persuasive writing, then unseen poetry! And the exam is in 2 weeks time.

Because of this we have no fun learning the content at all. It's simple read, highlight, techniques for the exam, and exam practice.

And I think it really sucks because you can't re-sit the new 2013 exams. One bad day and you're out.

From what I hear, the Sciences are becoming linear as well.

I think its a brilliant idea. I do modular Science, Maths, History, Geography and RS. They're all easy because I only have to know such little content at any given time. Whilst it's good for me and my marks on paper, for an employer it's awful. They have no idea if a person just memorised a small chunk or actually LEARNT it like the previous generation did. Some people just learn exam technique with a mediocre knowledge of the subject matter and get Bs. This isn't good for society in the long run.

I love my modular exams though

Your employer will know about every course you take? Do you even have to mention it on your CV?

If you ask me, the whole exam system is flawed. This idea of adjusting boundaries due to national struggling with the paper (or national easy-peasyness). And like you said, a lot of lessons are exam technique. Not fun for the teacher and not fun for the students. You have to teach them the marking scheme because there are obscure ways of getting marks, questions are awkwardly phrased etc.