Independent schools to ditch GCSEs?

Eton College is to review whether taking fewer GCSEs would benefit pupils

Independent schools are increasingly seeing the GCSE qualification, in its current form, as an irrelevance that is "clogging up" the secondary school system.

Eton College is the latest independent school to review its future use of GCSEs - although it has denied as "untrue" reports that it was "abandoning the GCSE wholesale and introducing the International Baccalaureate".

"But it is clear that by cutting the number of GCSE exams and allowing pupils to take AS-levels earlier, it would be possible to give pupils a broader and more demanding education," says a statement from the school.

The shift away from full-scale formal exams at 16 is a trend that is already under consideration by Mike Tomlinson, the former chief inspector of schools who is carrying out an official review of the exam system.

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And independent schools, where most pupils stay on to take AS and A-levels, seem particularly keen to reduce exam overcrowding by lowering the profile of GCSEs.

Graham Able, head teacher of Dulwich College and chairman of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, says that the present GCSE system should be "downgraded".

"We need to get rid of a major examination system at 16, which is clogging up the education process," said Mr Able, speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

'Exclusive' schools

Instead, he suggests that external marking for tests at this age should only apply to a handful of core subjects - such as English, maths and science. The remaining subjects, to be taken a year earlier than at present, would be marked internally by teachers within a school.

But Barry Sheerman, chair of the House of Commons' education select committee, said that the needs of "exclusive" independent schools could not be applied to most state schools.

And he said that any exam system introduced would need to provide worthwhile qualifications for those pupils who left school at the age of 16.

Mr Sheerman said that regardless of any moves by individual independent schools, an exam overhaul was in process, and that the problem of exam overload was being addressed.