§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations he has made to awarding bodies concerning the scheduling of GCSE and A level examinations after the summer half-term break. [128633]
§ Mr. WicksThe Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and the awarding bodies have recently reviewed the arrangements for GCSE and AS/A level examination timetables. We have agreed their proposals which take effect from 2001, re-scheduling some of the major entry GCSE subjects, English literature and geography, to after the summer half-term, maximising study and preparation time. The timetable for the new AS/A level examinations caters for an increased number of papers and although slightly longer than its predecessor has approximately the same number of written papers scheduled in May.