Countdown “T minus 25”

I’ve joked from the very introduction of the new GCSE that I wanted to sit the exam with the year 11 group that would be sitting it for the very first time … well .. I’ve only gone and flipping entered! The idea is not to prove that I can get a 9 (but shouldn’t … Read more

GCSE 9-1 New content – Product rule for counting

I’ve been thinking about some of the new content in the GCSE and wanted to delve a bit deeper into some of the topics – not only to make sure that my understanding of the “learning objectives” are correct but if I’m honest I also think I have a hang up about subject knowledge, because … Read more

Dual entry ?

Back in December 2015 the DFE published a document ->  GCSE_Early_Entry_Guidance that clarified some rules about “early entry” – you may remember when new early entry rules for key stage 4 qualifications were announced on September 29 2013 (I remember it well!) that only a pupil’s first entry to a key stage 4 qualification would counts towards their school’s … Read more

Thinking

Whether or not you agree with the 4/5 change that was announced last week (some people do! read the comments at the end of my blog post -> here ), the fact is that Nicky Morgan (and yes I know she’s gone!) together with Nick Clegg (him too!!) pledged as part of their commitment to teacher workload that … Read more

Seriously

Gobsmacked. That is the only word I can use to describe the announcement today that Justine Greening made via a letter to the Education Select Committee. (BTW If any of the committee are reading this I suggest you clear the diary in Autumn because I suspect you will be opening an enquiry into this Summers GCSE … Read more

Common Questions – New 9-1 GCSE

I’m just gonna say it … I think I need to get a life! I’ve been doing some work following the letter I’ve had from Ofqual in response to my own letter to them where I raised the matter of how comparability across tiers was being ensured. You can see from the below extract Ofqual … Read more

What we know and what we don’t know – 9-1 GRADING

To avoid raising my blood pressure every time someone posts something about grading that isn’t right I thought I’d collate how it is actually going to work in one post and leave it pinned to the top of the blog so that I can keep referring people to it.  I wish we could stop playing … Read more

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