The Reader: A-level results show reforms have not helped students

Congratulations to the many students who, despite having dealt with the stress and pressure of rushed-in exam reforms, have done so well in their A-levels.

It is encouraging that more students are studying maths and sciences

Boys outperform girls as major exam shake-up sees number of A*s drop . And good that entries to Stem subjects continue to rise — although it would be good if more girls chose to study these subjects. But the continued fall in students studying French, Spanish and German, and this year English, is worrying as these are all important in a global market.

However, changing the assessment of A-levels so they focus on high-stakes exams taken at the end of two years of study does not allow students to demonstrate their ability properly and puts them under huge pressure. Coursework and other non-exam assessments are a better way for students to demonstrate their skills, are less of a memory test, and help lower-attaining students and those with special educational needs and disabilities show their achievements. Teachers report increases in mental health issues among students who have multiple qualifications assessed through end-of-course exams.

We are also seeing the narrowing of the options available to students. Decoupling AS-levels from A-levels has led to most students now only studying three subjects post-16 , which gives them a less broad curriculum than previously.

Mary Bousted, Joint general secretary, National Education Union

Anne Davis, Education Editor, replies

Dear Mary

Sitting a high-stakes exam that tests two years’ worth of knowledge and will determine whether you can go to university is the stuff of many people’s nightmares. This year students were asked to do just that in 11 more “toughened-up” subjects —where coursework has been scrapped and modules replaced by a final exam.

You are right to say students are under huge pressure. But some people thrive in this environment and prefer an all-or-nothing test to spending months endlessly perfecting their coursework.

Some have suggested that the reforms have put boys at an advantage. Since results from the new exams were first published last year boys have started to score slightly more A* and A grades than girls — although girls continue to outperform boys in all other grades.

The reforms, brought in by former Education Secretary Michael Gove, were designed to make A-levels more rigorous and better prepare students for university. Only time will tell who benefits from this, and what impact the reforms will have on this “guinea pig” generation.

Anna

Dismay on homes Green Paper

On Tuesday the Government published its long-awaited Green Paper on social housing. It was not the step-change that many people had expected.

After the Grenfell Tower fire the Prime Minister, Theresa May, said the culture towards people living in public housing had to change.

What didn’t change was the Green Paper’s failure to include any funds to build the homes that the capital so badly needs. What the document did contain was a proposal to make it easier for council tenants to buy their homes by “slashing the minimum amount of equity” for shared ownership schemes from 10 per cent to one per cent.

The previous day the Government made a commitment to end homelessness, yet the proposed measure will result in more homelessness as tenants will have trouble keeping up the increased payments.

Terry McGrenera, The House Party, (Homes for Londoners)