The conversation: Do modular GCSE examinations encourage resits?

Do modular GCSEs encourage pupils to take resits until they get the results they want? Two students discuss the pros and cons

This week the department of education announced plans to abolish modular GCSE examination by Septemeber 2012, following Michael Gove's declaration that the "culture of resits" they encouraged was "wrong". Oliver Laughland brings together two 16-year-olds, Arian Mirzaali and Rachel Balmer, who have just sat their GCSEs at Roundhay Comprehensive in Leeds, to hear what they think of the change.

Arian Mirzaali: As a modular student [who sits exams throughout the two-year course] I didn't appreciate the way modulars were spoken about. Mr Gove has basically said: "Oh those who do modulars look less intelligent." It's not the right way to think about it.

Rachel Balmer: But I can see where he's coming from ? modular exams break the course into bits and you can retake them unlimited times. With maths, for example, a lot of people took one module and then a couple of months later they resat it, and I didn't think it was fair.

AM: Maths is a good one to talk about as you've got a variety of topics. Data handling, for example, was the first modular exam I sat, and I had to have a much deeper knowledge of the topic as opposed to someone who does linear [when students sit all their exams at the end], because I was set a whole hour paper, whereas people who do linear have just one or two questions on it in their final exam. As a modular student you've got to know so much more.

RB: Some would say modular exams are used for pupils to get the best results. Maybe schools do that purposefully, not necessarily to bump themselves up the league tables, but so they can get as many good grades as possible.

AM: But if you're going to abolish modular exams, it's not only schools that are going to lose out, it's going to have a domino effect for pupils who won't be able to do A-levels, then can't go to university. I just feel that the new system is wanting clever and rich people to go to university. They're not opening it up.

RB: Maybe the problem lies with the schools, maybe they need to support the pupils that aren't going to do as well.

AM: Of course, but there's only so much you can do for a student who is disadvantaged. When it reaches the stage where you've given them everything you can and they still can't take it on for the exam, there's nothing that the school or government can do for them, other than break it down to modules.

RB: You could also say that with modular you're being trained to pass an exam, rather than just spending more time learning the actual course.

AM: But it's helpful for disadvantaged students ? it opens things up for people who can't handle the stress at the end of the year, or are ill for the exams they sit. There's so much pressure in the final exam, and I do feel for people who do linear, but we have that exam stress throughout the year. And, no offence, but I don't necessarily want to remember data handling for the rest of my life ? as long as I get the GCSE, it's not like in two years time, someone's going to ask you to draw a frequency diagram, although I do still remember how to draw one now!

RB: How stressed do you get around exam time?

AM: Well I've got Crohn's disease, which gets triggered by stress. I have found modular far less stressful than the linear exams. The doctors and my mum were worried that I wasn't going to be able to handle the stress. But going modular has really helped pull me through. Because if I did fall ill and I was doing linear, I wouldn't have achieved my best. Modular allows pupils to achieve their best because they can sit it in their ideal situation, when they're healthy.

RB: I think they suit different people.

AM: Exactly. I prefer it step by step, because I can't handle the big stress at the end of the year.

RB: I prefer to just work my way up to it and just get it all over and done with.

AM: The system we've got in place now caters for everyone's needs.

RB: But I think Michael Gove is scared that standards are slipping and we're now competing with international students as well. We're not competing with people who did exams 30 years ago, but people in other countries.

AM: There are others ways of bringing the standards up, without abolishing the modular system, because if you abolish the modulars completely, the standards are all going to fall with the percentage of pass rates.

RB: But sometimes I think modules defeat the object of exams a little bit. In an exam you receive a grade that demonstrates your understanding of a subject all round, rather than how many times you can resit it and get an A*.

AM: But that's not how everyone approaches the exam. Personally, I don't think: "OK so if, I get a B in this I can do it again."

RB: I know you don't, but some people, when they know they can resit, they just take it easy.

AM: But there are ways of controlling that, you could say you've got two chances ? do the first one, and if you don't do well you've got a second one, but then that's it.

RB: Yeah, I think we're both agreed on that.

AM: But don't abolish it, I just think it's ridiculous they're even considering doing that because it's just going to have such a domino effect. People aren't going to get their pass grades, people aren't going to get their A-Levels and go to university.

Oliver Laughland: What did you think about the timing of Michael Gove's comments?

RB: I think it was really bad, saying that standards are slipping just as we're all doing the exams. I felt a bit like my efforts were being put down. I try really hard to do as well as I can, but when you're hearing on the news, on results day: "Results have gone up ? they must be getting easier," it's hard. They shouldn't be compared to how exams used to be. It doesn't necessarily mean we're all becoming stupid because we're all getting A*s in an exam.

AM: You're working so hard for two years, and for someone to say the standards are slipping, I think Gove needs to be more sensitive and look at what we need to do to improve. Saying exams have got easier is really unfair.

RB: It's not as if we've just sat down for two years and done absolutely nothing ? we do actually work.

OL: And now that the exams are all over, how do you feel?

RB: I feel really happy. I'm not thinking about results day as there's nothing I can do about that now, so I'm just going to enjoy my 11-week holiday and do absolutely nothing!

AM: It wasn't as big a relief as I was expecting, really.

RB: I think it's going to take me a while to come down from it.

AM: I'm a bit concerned about getting this after-exam slump, where you've come out of your last exam and you've got nothing to do with your life.

RB: Wimbledon fills that gap for me!

Oliver Laughland

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