Education expert slams AS levels

Apr 18 2008 by Jo Henwood, Chester Chronicle

AS LEVEL exams are an abomination, according to Chris Woodhead.

Speaking at the King’s School in Chester, the former chief inspector of schools believes that lower sixth form students should spend their time thinking, exploring and reading about the subjects of their choice rather than sitting tests.

Mr Woodhead was hosting an education forum at the school with invited guests from the state and independent sectors.

Schools represented included Barrow CE Primary, All Saint’s in Gresford, Eaton CP School, Merton House, The Firs, The Grange Junior and The King’s School.

Questions included issues surrounding standards, testing, moral obligations and inclusion.

Mr Woodhead stated that he believed GCSE and A level standards had been dumbed down and that modular courses and coursework were not challenging top students.

“It is difficult to prove who has done the coursework: is it the student, the teacher or the parents?” he said.

He was dismissive of the government’s proposal to introduce a diploma as an alternative to A level, suggesting that there should be different post-16 course options for different types of pupils.

He thinks old fashioned terminal examinations are the best way to sift out the most academic students.

The Charity Commission’s new guidelines, which propose that independent school headteachers offer aid and assistance to the state system, were patronising, he said.

Instead his ideal is that all schools become independent of government and that parents are given vouchers to pay for their child’s education at a school of their choice.

At the end of the forum, Mr Woodhead said: “I would like to praise The King’s School for offering the opportunity for the state and independent sectors to meet like this.”

Chris Woodhead is the chairman of Cognita, a company dedicated to fostering private education.