So apparently, HM Chief Inspector of Education, Amanda Spielman, was very surprized that the schools geared towards the GCSE’s and the whole KS3, and even KS2 to some extent, were focused on target GCSE marks. This doesn’t surprize me at all. Because in the absence of a national curriculum, and a national system of tracking progress, schools were left with little choice. So the majority decided to train pupils according to the GCSE’s… because there is no other option left. Instead of GCSE’s testing the student’s level of knowledge (presumably on a pre-determined curriculum), it is now the other way around. There is no curriculum, but there is a test at teh end of the KS3. Results of this test matter. So, the test has become the curriculum itself. Very sad, very unfair, and very very bad for raising our next generations based on their propsect of success in an ever changing test. Very depressing.
Amanda Spielman of Ofsted warns about impact of new GCSEs
Understanding GCSE Targets 