§ Mr. Hanleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to publish the national criteria for the General Certificate of Secondary Education; what steps he is taking to ensure that teachers and others directly concerned are fully informed about the new system of examinations; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Keith JosephThe Department of Education and Science and the Welsh Office are today publishing the first edition of the national criteria for the general certificate of secondary education, which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have approved.
The national criteria provide a nationally agreed framework for the GCSE. All GCSE syllabuses and
200Wsince 1970 expressed in the following ways (a) cost terms, (b) indexed, using 1979 as 100 (real terms), (c) including fees and (d) real terms (cash).
§ Mr. BrookeThe total cost to the Exchequer of student maintenance grants and fees since the 1976–77 financial year expressed in cash terms, cost terms and indexed using 1979 as 100 is as follows:
(c) the percentage of school leavers with five or more O-levels for (i) the Inner London education authority, (ii) the metropolitan districts, (iii) the shire counties and (iv) England.
§ Mr. DunnThe information requested is as follows:
examinations will be based on these criteria, and the Secondary Examinations Council will use them as a basis for monitoring the new examination syllabuses. They consist of general criteria and subject-specific criteria. The general criteria set out the main principles which are to govern all GCSE syllabuses and examinations together with ground rules for the conduct of the examinations. The 20 subject-specific criteria statements will provide the basis for all GCSE syllabuses and examinations in the subject areas concerned, which between them account for the great majority of subject entries in the existing examinations.
My right hon. Friend and I see publication of the national criteria as an historic step. For the first time, the partners in the education service have pooled their wisdom and experience in order to produce nationally agreed 201W statements on course objectives, content and assessment methods for all the subject areas most commonly examined in the final years of compulsory schooling.
The national criteria have been prepared in draft by the Joint Council of GCE and CSE Boards. The texts incorporate many points made, during extended consultations, by schools and colleges, teachers' associations, subject associations, higher education, employers' organisations, the local authority associations, the Secondary Examinations Council and others, including ourselves, and accepted by the Joint Council. We are most grateful to the Joint Council, the Secondary Examinations Council and all the others who have contributed to preparation of the criteria.
The national criteria as now published do not make provision for criteria-related grading. The Secondary Examinations Council has however already embarked on the preparation of grade criteria for this purpose. These will be circulated in draft for consultation and then added to the national criteria, subject by subject, as soon as practicable. The national criteria will also be reviewed and updated regularly, as provided in the general criteria.
The Department and the Welsh Office are also publishing today a general introduction to the GCSE. This describes the main features of the new examination system, the underlying objectives and the policy context. It brings together in one consolidated statement the substance of all previous Government announcements on the GCSE. It is intended as a convenient source of reference for all who are professionally concerned with the new examinations, including the GCSE examining groups, teachers, local education authorities and employers.
Copies of both the national criteria and the general introduction are being placed in the Library. Copies are also being sent to all secondary schools and colleges, local education authorities, examining boards, employers' organisations and others concerned.