'O' Levels - We Miss Them

Gove has certainly stirred up a hornets' nest by proposing that 'O' Levels and CSEs be brought back, the latter for the less gifted. Lord Baker, Thatcher's Education Minister, has warned that CSEs were flawed and should not therefore be resurrected. If that is the case then what exam should the less gifted take that would be recognised by all as a worthy indicator of the level of education attained at age 16? It needs to be an exam that is robust enough to command respect. Perhaps it could be a lower grade of 'O' Level. Thus if there were say three levels of pass A, B, C and two categories of fail, the less worse of the two fail categories could be described as a DCU (examinee Demonstrated Course Undertaken). The other fail category would be just that, a fail. It is uncertain whether Gove's ideas will be supported by the Government but they should be as what he is doing is fighting to redress the years of educational experimentation that have led to a disastrous downgrading of standards. As I told the headmaster of the school of which I was a governor it is not only the needs of the less gifted that have to be looked after but so do the needs of the gifted if we are to do the best for them all and for the country.