Gary Gibbon
The press boys are back in town
Political Editor Gary Gibbon blogs on the implications of Andrew Mitchell’s resignation and what it says about the balance of power at the top.
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Gary Gibbon
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What future for Britain in the EU?
Education Secretary Michael Gove – one of David Cameron’s closest allies – has reportedly told friends Britain should say it will leave the European Union if more powers are not repatriated.
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Miliband’s vocational ‘education, education, education’
Labour leader Ed Miliband is due to unveil plans for a major shake-up of vocational education to benefit the “forgotten 50 per cent” neglected by successive governments.
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Bright pupils ‘sit GCSEs too early’ warns Ofsted
Bright pupils across England fail to live up to their early promise because thousands are being entered too early for GCSE exams, reducing their chances of getting top grades, warns Ofsted.
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Gary Gibbon
English baccalaureate – first exam paper published
With the announcement that GCSEs are to be replaced by English baccalaureate certificates, here are the key questions and answers.
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Gove ‘to scrap GCSEs’
The Education Secretary Michael Gove is planning to ditch GCSE exams, almost a quarter of a century after they were introduced, amid criticism over falling standards.
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Ofqual ‘urged exam board to change GCSE grades’
Ofqual admits raising concerns with exam boards, after leaked letters show that the exam regulator questioned an exam board’s GCSE English results and ultimately overruled the grades it awarded.
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Gary Gibbon
McLoughlin’s ‘open mind’ on third runway
Despite the removal of Justine Greening from the Department of Transport, a third runway at Heathrow in the next parliament looks unlikely.
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Q and A: What next for GCSE marks?
Ahead of an initial report on the GCSE marking controversy, Channel 4 News puts your questions to the exam watchdog, Ofqual.
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A level and GCSE examiners told to ration top marks
Exam boards advised to limit the number of A grades to guard against accusations that exams are getting easier, but experts tell Channel 4 News the move may disadvantage hard-working pupils.
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How ‘tax-free’ exam boards profit as schools pay more
Channel 4 News lifts the lid on a multimillion pound exam industry, revealing the extent exam boards profit from increased school fees, despite claiming tax-free charitable status.
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The return of the O-level?
Michael Gove intends to scrap GCSEs and bring back O-levels in two years time, in the most radical overhaul of the exams system for over 30 years.
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If O-levels were so good, why were they abolished?
The education secretary has revealed plans to scrap GCSE exams for children in England and replace them with something akin to O-levels – which his party got rid of nearly 25 years ago.
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‘Two strikes and you’re out’ proposal for A-level entries
As the exams regulator publishes its plans for reform of A-levels, top universities welcome a proposal to restrict the number of re-sits students are able to take.
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Gary Gibbon
Reasonableness versus crockery-smashing
If the political witnesses to Leveson divide into two schools of appraoch – the Blair and Brown schools, seminar/reasonableness school versus crockery-smashing/conviction school – George Osborne’s appearance belongs strongly in the former camp.
