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| Schools face downgrade under plans to target academic GCSEs | Schools face downgrade under plans to target academic GCSEs |
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| The education secretary, Nicky Morgan, will this week announce plans to push pupils towards studying more academic GCSE qualifications by threatening to downgrade schools that fail to enrol pupils in the government’s English baccalaureate suite of subjects. | |
| Morgan is to detail on Tuesday how she will deliver on a Conservative election pledge that secondary school pupils should take GCSEs in English, maths, science, a language and history or geography – subjects that make up the English baccalaureate or Ebacc – which critics say will marginalise creative subjects such as design, drama or music. | |
| Morgan will say schools that fail to enter students into enough Ebacc subjects will be ineligible to be awarded top grades by Ofsted inspectors. That may mean schools currently rated as outstanding or good by Ofsted face being downgraded. | Morgan will say schools that fail to enter students into enough Ebacc subjects will be ineligible to be awarded top grades by Ofsted inspectors. That may mean schools currently rated as outstanding or good by Ofsted face being downgraded. |
| “I want every child – 100% of children starting [secondary] school in September – to be entered for these core academic subjects which evidence shows sets every child up for life,” Morgan said in an interview with the Sunday Times. | “I want every child – 100% of children starting [secondary] school in September – to be entered for these core academic subjects which evidence shows sets every child up for life,” Morgan said in an interview with the Sunday Times. |
| “We know that for too long children in some state schools have been discouraged from taking these academic subjects. We want these children to get better jobs and go to top universities and we know that taking these subjects unlocks that.” | “We know that for too long children in some state schools have been discouraged from taking these academic subjects. We want these children to get better jobs and go to top universities and we know that taking these subjects unlocks that.” |
| Morgan said she expected all children starting school in September and starting their GCSE courses in 2018 to take subjects included in the Ebacc suite. | Morgan said she expected all children starting school in September and starting their GCSE courses in 2018 to take subjects included in the Ebacc suite. |
| The education secretary also said parents would be encouraged to choose schools based on published Ebacc performance, with Ebacc entries to be given greater prominence in league tables. | The education secretary also said parents would be encouraged to choose schools based on published Ebacc performance, with Ebacc entries to be given greater prominence in league tables. |
| The Department for Education argues that the Ebacc subjects are those most highly prized by leading universities. The Ebacc was first introduced by the then education secretary Michael Gove in 2010 but as a performance measure it has failed so far to attract an enthusiastic response from many schools in England. | |
| Teaching unions such as the National Association for Head Teachers say that forcing students to take Ebacc subjects reduces individual school autonomy and “continues the disturbing trend of using Ofsted as an enforcement arm of the government”. | Teaching unions such as the National Association for Head Teachers say that forcing students to take Ebacc subjects reduces individual school autonomy and “continues the disturbing trend of using Ofsted as an enforcement arm of the government”. |
| The proposals may also mean schools will struggle to teach languages because of the sharp decline in the number of language teachers since the Labour government dropped compulsory language study in 2004. | The proposals may also mean schools will struggle to teach languages because of the sharp decline in the number of language teachers since the Labour government dropped compulsory language study in 2004. |
| Morgan will also unveil initiatives to help children cope with the increase in exam pressure the changes may bring, including character- and resilience-building through competitive sport. | Morgan will also unveil initiatives to help children cope with the increase in exam pressure the changes may bring, including character- and resilience-building through competitive sport. |
| The changes come as Sir Michael Wilshaw, the head of Ofsted, prepares to unveil the inspectorate’s own changes to the way it assesses schools in England, through shorter but more frequent visits. | The changes come as Sir Michael Wilshaw, the head of Ofsted, prepares to unveil the inspectorate’s own changes to the way it assesses schools in England, through shorter but more frequent visits. |