Leaving age rise to affect secondary teacher jobs?

A former education secretary has said GCSEs should be taken by pupils at 14 instead of 16, in a move which could affect secondary teacher jobs if implemented.

Giving evidence to the House of Commons Schools Select Committee, Baroness Morris claimed that the government's plans to raise the age at which pupils leave school from 16 to 18 could render current GCSE examinations redundant.

She is quoted by the Telegraph as saying: "As long as we have got this system where the National Curriculum finishes at 16 and yet we talk about a cohesive 14 to 19 strategy, it will never work.

"I think GCSEs ought to be at 14. I see no reason for exams at 16."

Secondary teachers will be leading classes where pupils have been obliged to stay on until the age of 18 from 2013 under existing government plans.

Ofqual recently ordered some exam boards to mark down science GCSE results after a disproportionately high number of top grades were awarded.

Posted by Charlotte Michaels

Published On 09/03/2010