“I am glad that my previous posts on exams have been remembered!
I¿m also pleased that contributors share my own concerns for a balance between improving standards, relevant and enjoyable learning, and embracing technology in a fast changing world.
It is true that problem solving skills have to be developed so that when we meet new situations we know how to tackle them intelligently ie being able to transfer and use knowledge and skills we have acquired. In mathematics, for example, there is always a temptation to learn individual techniques and perhaps even attend crammer courses to cover every type of question that could be set. But this does not mean that problem solving skills are developing. Put simply, no use being able to work out a percentage increase if we never use it to make comparisons. Most headteachers in both primary and secondary, work freely within current curriculum guidelines and ensure exposure to a range of previously unseen real life or academic problems (such as those at http://nrich.maths.org/public ). The summative assessment system (SATs and GCSEs) is imperfect but it does enable a chance for year on year comparison.
I have under my belt 25 years experience of A level examining with a leading exam board, and for much of the time was directly involved with the moderation and setting of examination papers for both UK and international markets, including some of thhe most demanding in the world. It is true that including and assessing in time limited exam papers, problem solving (for example), presents a challenge. The current shift to Functional English, Functional Mathematics and Functional ICT within or in addition to GCSE is an attempt to do just that at the lower levels.
International Baccalaureate does have a good reputation and the Blair government encouraged every area to have a centre using it. However it is most commonly followed in organisations that have the resources: student numbers, staff and finance, to offer it as an alternative that runs parallel with A levels. It looks as though Toll Bar, with a relatively small sixth form, has attempted to make IB all or nothing. If some of the first cohort were less than successful with IB it is because it offers a different kind of experience and makes different demands from A levels. Unfortunately no-one will ever have the final say about standards in education because as soon as a curriculum and an assessment model are set up, everyone tries professionally to get the very best out of them. This is why it is education and standards are such easy targets for anyone not currently involved in the system even when students achieve well.”

“Ray, when I was saying in my comment the other day about computers dominating todays world I most certainly NOT suggesting that they should be in the exam room. In fact completely the opposite. I may not have put myself very clearly but the point I was trying to make is that children no longer have to study, think for themselves and work out problems for themselves. All they have to do is switch their computer on and 'google' it. If you want computers to be used in the exam room then you might as well not bother.

If our love of computers continues, as John and Chris so rightly say, people are going to completely lose the ability to think for themselves. Take sat navs for example. People are relying on them so much now. Who in 20 years time is going to be able to read a map (apart from the over 50's)? And the point I am making here is that people are completely RELYING on computers, etc now rather than just using them as a tool or accessory.

Another thing I would like to say is that in this age of school league tables, SATS, etc teaching just concentrates on passing exams which the poor children have to endure from day 1. What has happened to all the fun elements and imagination that goes into learning?

I hope I have made myself clearer this time.

Oh and by the way, Ray, about 16 years ago I took 12 GCSE's without the aid of a computer and did very well thank you.”

“New technology means different things to different people. The most troubling aspect is that, for many people, it removes the need to think things out for themselves. When they find this is simply not true, their educational experience is shown for what it was - totally useless for the modern world. Chris is right, technology is a tool to be used. The trick is to remind people that you need to be the master in the relationship - not the servant.”

“I do not know for sure but there is a Ray Sutton who is a Labour Party branch secretary and these annual posts certainly seem to reflect that persuasion.”

“Who *is* Ray Sutton, Chris?”

“With apologies for typing errors!”

“Every year about this time Ray Sutton gives us chapter and verse on how the results in GCSE and A level show a huge local improvement. Every year he sets out the same arguments and every year he tells us that these examinations are part of the modern world and we should embrace them.

Well, first of all we all share his desire to congratulate pupils who have worked hard and obtained the best passes they could get.

The local results are indeed better. However, they are still behind national scores and when we talk of percentage improvements we have to remember the low base that NEL started from was quite abysmal. Plus, the system as a whole is more and more discredited as a means of assessing pupil ability and achievement even by the examination boards themselves. This is why one local school is moving away from the English system to the IB so it might be a good idea for Mr Sutton and Mr Hampson to discuss that point.

As for the notion that IT is the way forward in a fast changing world, that may or may not be true. What is true is that almost everyone recognises that the basic skills of school leavers are diminishing. The ability to write and even speak cogently, the ability to perform simple tasks without technological help, the ability to concentrate for longer than a goldfish. The examinations do not test for these things anymore and therefore cannot be a true reflection of a pupil's aptitude.

Many of us would argue that those skills which may be termed old-fashioned are in fact even more important in a world where raw information is available in vast quantities. We are not teaching children how to deal with this and so they are much more likely to believe that everything they see in the internet is true.

We have failed and continue to fail to teach children that IT should be servant not master. The whole issue of relationship by technology instead of face to face is another downside to almost total dependence of the young on social internet sites and texting.

So Mr Sutton's happy new world is not such an idyllic place and the notion that these results represent a triumph should be taken with a very large does of salt.”