Why are GCSES becoming more difficult?

Emma says:

'The aim is to improve education in England, improve our international competitiveness and raise our position in international comparisons such as PISA. The new GCSE English Language and English Literature specifications started in September 2015 and examined from June 2017.

The new specifications in all subjects are to be:

• more demanding especially at grade C

• less predictable in content 

• examination only at the end of the course.

These new measures have a huge impact on students. Before this, 40-60% of marks in English were available for work carried out in school. Now we’re back
to the old days – 100% examination, one try to succeed. 

The alternatives?

Re-do English in Year 12 if you don’t pass.

GCSE English Language

• No set texts, students are expected to read ‘a wide range of texts’ – 19th, 20th and 21st century

• Reading (50%): critical reading and comprehension; summary and synthesis; evaluation of a writer’s choice of vocabulary, form and structural features.

• Reading assessment based on unseen texts from all three centuries – fiction & non-fiction including literary non – 11 centuries – fiction and non-fiction including literary non-fiction

• Writing (50%): producing clear and coherent text; writing for impact.

• 20% of writing marks for range of vocabulary and sentence structures, spelling and punctuation.

Speaking and listening are no longer worth any marks.

GCSE English Literature

• Emphasis on ‘classic literature’ and ‘substantial whole texts in detail’.

Shakespeare; 19th century novel; selection of poetry since 1789, including Romantic poetry; fiction or drama from the British Isles from 1914 onwards.

• Exam must include unseen texts including texts for comparison. Comparison questions = 20–25% of marks

• Reading: literal and inferential comprehension; critical reading; evaluation of the writer’s choice of vocabulary, grammatical and structural features; comparing texts.

• Writing about literature: ‘writing effectively about literature for a range of purposes’.

• Students to ‘maintain a critical style’ so creative responses not possible.

• 5% of marks for vocabulary, sentence structures, spelling and punctuation.

Increased demand of new specifications

The new specifications will be more demanding in four ways:

• content – texts from 19th, 20th & 21st centuries (Eng Lang); Romantic poetry, 19th century novel, substantial whole texts - no short stories (Eng Lit)

• examination – end of course only
• assessment – less scaffolding; comparison of unseen passages

• grading – mid grade of new 9 to 1 scale (grade 5) to be a half to two-thirds of a grade higher than that required for a current grade C . Increased demand in Reading, not Writing

The first three of these increased demands all relate to Reading response, not to Writing.

In Eng Language there will continue to be alternative Writing tasks, related to the Reading passages , worth 50 per cent and marked similarly to now, as also in English  Literature.

The Reading tasks will be significantly more demanding in the ways outlined. 

Teaching and learning must change.

The new specifications will require students to respond confidently to unknown 19th, 20th and 21st century texts (Eng Lang) and passages from full length works (Eng Lit) – deducing and inferring meaning quickly and explaining their ideas accurately in writing in timed conditions.

They will therefore need practice in developing the skills of inference and deduction, reflected in higher level thinking and fluent explanatory writing.

A different way of teaching

The greater difficulty and sheer range of texts in the new specifications mean that close-focus sentence level teaching will be insufficient.

Students will need to be able to:

• infer or deduce reasonable meanings when faced with unfamiliar words

• recognise the layered effects of figurative language

• perceive  effects like irony, exaggeration, innuendo, humour

• in the light of these, write persuasively about the writer’s intentions

• write confidently using evidence from the texts

As you can see from all the above, English now requires a lot of knowledge and skill to do well.

   We can help your son or daughter achieve the grade they need, not only at GCSE, but 'A' level and 11 plus as well. My husband and I have both Heads of English and Deputy Heads at schools in England and abroad. We have been examiners for three exam boards. We know everything there is to know about improving grades not just at GCSE but at all levels and for all ages.'

If you’d like to chat about how we can help, ring 01628 416806.