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| GCSEs: Pass mark raised in exams shake-up | GCSEs: Pass mark raised in exams shake-up |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Pupils will have to score more highly to gain a "good pass" in their GCSEs, under changes to England's exams. | Pupils will have to score more highly to gain a "good pass" in their GCSEs, under changes to England's exams. |
| Candidates will have to obtain a Grade 5, equivalent to a low B or high C now, as grading switches to numbers nine to one in exams to be taken first in 2017. | Candidates will have to obtain a Grade 5, equivalent to a low B or high C now, as grading switches to numbers nine to one in exams to be taken first in 2017. |
| The aim is to make standards comparable to top-performing countries such as Finland, Canada, and the Netherlands. | The aim is to make standards comparable to top-performing countries such as Finland, Canada, and the Netherlands. |
| Education Secretary Nicky Morgan says raising the bar on GCSE exams will help pupils achieve in life. | Education Secretary Nicky Morgan says raising the bar on GCSE exams will help pupils achieve in life. |
| The new grading system, which replaces the A to G system with a new nine-to-one numbered scale, comes as new "more rigorous" GCSEs are being introduced for first teaching this September. | The new grading system, which replaces the A to G system with a new nine-to-one numbered scale, comes as new "more rigorous" GCSEs are being introduced for first teaching this September. |
| The new grading system has been designed to reveal the differences between candidates at the top end. | The new grading system has been designed to reveal the differences between candidates at the top end. |
| Currently, candidates are expected to achieve a C to attain a "good pass", although grades below this are still officially considered passes. | Currently, candidates are expected to achieve a C to attain a "good pass", although grades below this are still officially considered passes. |
| The government has also appointed school behaviour guru Tom Bennett to draw up plans to help teachers address problems of "low level disruption" in classrooms. | |
| New GCSEs: the facts | New GCSEs: the facts |
| The announcement comes just a week after the government said all pupils would have to study English Baccalaureate (EBacc) subjects to GCSE. | The announcement comes just a week after the government said all pupils would have to study English Baccalaureate (EBacc) subjects to GCSE. |
| It means they must sit English, maths, science, history or geography, and a language. | It means they must sit English, maths, science, history or geography, and a language. |
| Mrs Morgan said: "This means ensuring children study key subjects that provide them with the knowledge they need to reach their potential - while setting a higher bar at GCSE so young people, their parents and teachers can be sure that the grades they achieve will help them get on in life." | Mrs Morgan said: "This means ensuring children study key subjects that provide them with the knowledge they need to reach their potential - while setting a higher bar at GCSE so young people, their parents and teachers can be sure that the grades they achieve will help them get on in life." |
| Mr Bennett will lead a new group that will develop training for teachers on behaviour. | |
| He said: "Behaviour has been the elephant in the classroom for too long, and the amount of learning time lost because of disruption is a tragedy. | |
| "At present, training teachers to anticipate, deal with and respond to misbehaviour is far too hit and miss - great in some schools and training providers, terrible in others." | |
| The government says the new measures will place England's education system on a par with the best-performing countries, pushing expectations and aspirations of young people and ensuring they can compete with peers across the globe. | The government says the new measures will place England's education system on a par with the best-performing countries, pushing expectations and aspirations of young people and ensuring they can compete with peers across the globe. |
| National Union of Teachers general secretary Christine Blower said: "From September, the EBacc will in effect become compulsory. | National Union of Teachers general secretary Christine Blower said: "From September, the EBacc will in effect become compulsory. |
| "A bad idea has suddenly become much worse. It will cause dismay among parents. | "A bad idea has suddenly become much worse. It will cause dismay among parents. |
| "Parents, like teachers, want a broad and balanced curriculum for their children. | "Parents, like teachers, want a broad and balanced curriculum for their children. |
| "It is the responsibility of government to translate that aspiration into a curriculum that reflects the many demands that are made on the school, and that can involve and engage all learners." | "It is the responsibility of government to translate that aspiration into a curriculum that reflects the many demands that are made on the school, and that can involve and engage all learners." |