El Cid Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 For under 16s? If it was, then I fully agree with it being dropped. They have dropped construction too, a very useful skill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzijlstra Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 It is time that curricula are no longer controlled nationally, certainly not by the government. Rather than rely on standardised national exams and the like, kids should leave school with a portfolio that can be assessed by potential employers, further education institutes and so on. The criteria for assessment should be set by professional associations and further education institutes and kids should be thought how to put together their own skills portfolio and take responsibility for doing so. Part of those portfolios can be GCSE type exams for things like maths and English, other parts should be left to the kids and teachers. All this nannying is just interfering and obstructing the learning process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 What percentage of the population need algebra, as opposed to car mechanics? If I have £5 and my sandwich costs £2.49, how much do I have left for my tram fare. That can be represented as algebra, it's also basic subtraction. Maths skills are used everyday by most people. Car mechanics, not so much. ---------- Post added 02-03-2015 at 11:17 ---------- Please explain! You obviously haven't. I did get my English qualification thank you:D It was probably the lack of capital letters and punctuation to which he was referring. ---------- Post added 02-03-2015 at 11:18 ---------- It is time that curricula are no longer controlled nationally, certainly not by the government. Rather than rely on standardised national exams and the like, kids should leave school with a portfolio that can be assessed by potential employers, further education institutes and so on. The criteria for assessment should be set by professional associations and further education institutes and kids should be thought how to put together their own skills portfolio and take responsibility for doing so. Part of those portfolios can be GCSE type exams for things like maths and English, other parts should be left to the kids and teachers. All this nannying is just interfering and obstructing the learning process. Making it nearly impossible for universities to compare candidates as they won't have done a standard curriculum and even the grades in common subjects won't be equivalent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatrajah Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Why pick on algebra & logarithms? What about all that english literature stuff? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Cid Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 Why pick on algebra & logarithms? What about all that english literature stuff? That is a line that I dont think Michael Gove thought of. When does learning stop being useful? Learning is good, but there will always be non-skilled jobs that make up over 50% of the jobs. Education should be free untill the age of 21, and then people should have to pay for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barleycorn Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Why pick on algebra & logarithms? What about all that english literature stuff? A thorough understanding and ability to use iambic pentameter is an essential skill in over 80% of occupations. jb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzijlstra Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Making it nearly impossible for universities to compare candidates as they won't have done a standard curriculum and even the grades in common subjects won't be equivalent. That is why universities need to be responsible for setting the criteria for key-subjects, not some temporary secretary for education. I'd rather see Universities invite students to come and take entry-exams than have them rely on a system that is based on arbitrary curricula. Don't forget that universities already rely on non-national curricula with foreign students. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Universities don't write GCSE level papers, nor are they a single homologous organisation... Edit - good point re:foreign students. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzijlstra Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Universities don't write GCSE level papers, nor are they a single homologous organisation... Edit - good point re:foreign students. They don't that is my point although they are not a unified organisation, they do have unified representation either in the form of an arm of Universities UK (committee of VCs and principals) or it could be done by bumping up the relevance of an organisation like the Higher Education Academy. But it shouldn't just be universities, employers should be represented as well, in the form of professional associations. It should be the association for car mechanics that decides on the curriculum for car mechanics for example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 It should be the association for car mechanics that decides on the curriculum for car mechanics for example. They do once you pass the age of 16 and you leave and do a course on becoming a car mechanic. The same for many professions. Are you saying you think a curriculum from the age of 4 should be set by employers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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