On Tue, 2 Sep 2003 14:17:45 +0100, "IMM" wrote:


"Julian Fowler" wrote in message
.. .
On Tue, 2 Sep 2003 12:50:23 +0100, "IMM" wrote:


"Julian Fowler" wrote in message


spinOf course, it is evident to all concerned that there has been no
"dumbing down" of secondary education or examinations./spin

Quite right too.

Is it "quite right" that education has been dumbed down, or that it
hasn't been dumbed down?

No proof it has been dumbed down. A lot of hot air opinion about by Tory
party spin doctors.



Are you kidding? Have you looked at a GCSE maths paper? I still
have some of my old O level papers, filed in boxes in the loft.

When I did O levels the examining boards worked on the basis that the
lowest grade in O level (6 with the board that I did) was equivalent
to a CSE grade 1. I looked at some of my son's maths papers from a
few years ago and they are of a similar standard to CSE papers - with
a good pass achievable with material that I learned by 3rd form.

The pass rates at A level have gone up steadily over the last 15
years. That is certainly not because children have received better
quality education.

It is plain and simple moving of the goal posts.

What angers me about all of this is that the education of the current
and last generation is and has been sacrificed on the altar of
political correctness and spin (my words).

The implication of that will last for 50 years, even if it were
corrected tomorrow.


..andy

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